Indian locomotive class WCAM 1

WCAM-1[1]
WCAM-1 # 21824 used for inaugural run of 12264/H Nizamuddin-Pune AC Super-fast Express
Type and origin Power type Electric Designer RDSO Builder Chittaranjan Locomotive Works Build date 1973 - 9[2] Total produced 53
Specifications Configuration: ​  • AAR C-C  • UIC Co'Co' Gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) Bogies ALCo High-Adhesion Tri-mount cast Wheel diameter New: 1,092 mm (3 ft 7 in) Half-worn:1,055 mm (3 ft 5 1⁄2 in) Full-worn:1,016 mm (3 ft 4 in) Wheelbase 14,432 mm (47 ft 4 1⁄4 in) Length Over Coupler faces : 20.950 m (68 ft 8 3⁄4 in) Over headstocks : 19.680 m (64 ft 6 3⁄4 in) Width 3.055 m (10 ft 1⁄4 in) Height 4.121 m (13 ft 6 1⁄4 in) Axle load 18.8 tonnes (18.5 long tons; 20.7 short tons) Loco weight 112.8 tonnes (111.0 long tons; 124.3 short tons) Electric system/s 25 kV 50 Hz AC, 1.5 kV DC overhead Current pickup(s) pantograph a separate one for AC and DC Traction motors Alstom TAO-659A1 MU working Not possible Loco brake Air/Parking Train brakes Vacuum/Air[3] Safety systems Slip Control, Main Overload relay, Motor Overload Relay, Over Voltage relay, Earth fault relay, Low Pressure Governor and Brake Cylinder Cutoff Valve
Performance figures Maximum speed Starting : 100 km/h (62 mph)(DC)/120 km/h (75 mph)(AC) Continuous : 60 km/h (37 mph)(AC)/35 km/h (22 mph)(DC) Power output 1 hour : 3,850 hp (2,871 kW)(AC) Continuous : 2,350 hp (1,752 kW)(DC) 3,640 hp (2,714 kW)(AC) Tractive effort Starting : 33,840 kgf (331,900 N; 74,600 lbf)(AC)/23,200 kgf (228,000 N; 51,000 lbf)(DC) Continuous : 22,800 kgf (224,000 N; 50,000 lbf)(DC)/16,000 kgf (160,000 N; 35,000 lbf)(AC) Factor of adh. Dry : 0.3(AC)/0.25(DC)
Career Operators Indian Railways Numbers Starting from 21800 to 21852 Nicknames "Vallabh" for No.-21800 Locale Western Railway, Central Railway First run 1975 Last run 2015

WCAM-1 was a class of locomotives used in the Indian Railways system. They were the first of the WCAM series. These locos were operational in routes around Mumbai. This locos works on both AC as well as DC as their classification suggests.^[4] These locos hauls the trains from DC section of suburban trains to AC section and performs very critical task as they can easily operate on both AC and DC. However they perform poorly in DC mode compwered to AC mode but they were very robust and had easy operating and handling characteristics. These were 1st class of Wide Gauge's(W) Bi-current charged(CA - runs both under AC and DC) and Mixed load series(M - hauls both passenger and freight trains). These were the first electric locomotives to enter Western Railway's Mumbai division. Prior to that steam and diesel locomotives used to haul trains in Western Railway's Mumbai division. These brought end to the steam era in this division. They were also the first locomotives allotted to Valsad (BL) shed. Their top speed under DC is also the lowest compwered to other Bi-current charged locomotives. They were the first Bi-current charged locomotives in the country. Initially all were vacuum braked but were retrofitted with air brakes to make them dual braked. Some also had there vacuum brakes replaced with air brakes. Introduced in 1975. One of the single pantographs on the WCAM-1 is used in dc traction; the other one carries ac current. The two pantographs were not identical, though similar in design. Originally built with vacuum brakes only, although a few (Nos. 21805, 21807, 21812, 21828, 21838, 21844, 21845, and 21850) had both vacuum and air brakes. They also lack dynamic brakes. The WCAM-1 does not use a variable ratio auto-transformer in AC mode like the others; it uses a fixed-ratio transformer and rectifier bank to convert the OHE supply to 1500VDC. The design of the transformers and notches makes this a hard machine to operate, with the fusible links tending to blow often. Of the 28 notches, notches 4, 14, 21, and 28 can be used for continuous operation, although notch 4 was intended for low-speed shunting and is very ineffective. Notches 14, 21, and 28 were the terminal notches of the series, series-parallel, and parallel circuit notch sequences. In DC mode, the WCAM-1 uses resistor banks for speed control. However they were very robust machines and relatively easy in the handling characteristics. WCAM-1's had three traction modes (series, series-parallel, parallel) in both DC and AC mode, but using the parallel mode in DC was discouraged because of power problems. In practice this was not restrictive since series-parallel notches allowed reaching 75 km/h or so. In AC mode, the locos were almost always used with the motors in all-parallel mode. Unlike the WCAM-2 and WCAM-3 locos, no reconfiguration has been carried out to force the use of all-parallel mode with AC. Weak field operation is available. They were briefly tried out for freight use by CR, but all finally ended up with WR. The top ones getting the WCAM-2P (see below). [5/02] However, recently CR's Indore-Pune weekly train has been hauled by a WR WCAM-1. Max. speed 100 km/h, 110 km/h after regearing. Traction motors were nose-suspended and axle-hung.

Technical specifications^[4]

Of all the 30 notches, 1-21 were DC notches allowing series operation of traction motors. Rest of the 8 notches allow series-parallel combination under DC. Under AC, the combinations were 3S-2P and 2S-3P. These locomotives could run in parallel combination but it was discouraged due to power problems under DC. Under AC, the locomotives were run under parallel notches nearly always. Although these engines were not rebuilt to use only parallel combination under AC. Field weakening of traction motors is possible at 21st and 30th notches. Voltage control is by Tap changer operation under AC and Resistance notching under DC. Traction motors were charged by DC. Its prototypes were tested in the year 1971.^[5][6]

Sheds Holding WCAM-1

All 53 ever built were being held by Valsad Electric Loco Shed in Gujarat. All the locos of this class had been withdrawn after conversion of entire Mumbai region into AC traction.

Trains Hauled by WCAM-1

• Valsad - Bandra Terminus express
• Valsad - Viramgam Passenger
• Bharuch - Virar Passenger
• Valsad Fast Passenger
• Bandra Terminus Vapi Passenger
• Ahmedabad Passenger
• Surat - Virar Shuttle
• Ahmedabad - Valsad Passenger

Performance^[7]

Following is the capacity of WCAM-1 locomotive with gear ratio 16:61 under AC for 4 wheeler wagons (in tonnes) :-

Following is the capacity of WCAM-1 locomotive with a gear ratio of 16:61 under AC for BOX wagons (in tonnes) :-

Following is the capacity of WCAM-1 locomotive with gear ratio 16:61 under AC for ICF coaches (in tonnes) :-

Following is the capacity of WCAM-1 locomotive with a gear ratio of 16:61 under AC for BOXN wagons (in tonnes) :-

Following is the capacity of WCAM-1 locomotive with gear ratio 16:61 under DC for 4 wheeler wagons (in tonnes) :-

Following is the capacity of WCAM-1 locomotive fitted with TAO659A1 with a gear ratio of 16:61 under DC for BOX wagons (in tonnes) :-

Following is the capacity of WCAM-1 locomotive with gear ratio 16:61 under DC for ICF coaches (in tonnes) :-

Following is the capacity of WCAM-1 locomotive fitted with TAO659 with a gear ratio of 16:61 under DC for BOX wagons (in tonnes) :-

Following is the capacity of WCAM-1 locomotive with a gear ratio of 21:58 under AC for ICF coaches (in tonnes) :-

Following is the capacity of WCAM-1 locomotive with gear ratio 21:58 under DC for ICF coaches (in tonnes) :-

See also

• Locomotives of India
• History of rail transport in India
• Rail transport in India
• Indian Railways

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Indian locomotive class WCAM1.

• Details of WCAM-1 #21800 at IRFCA
• WCAM-1 specifications