Alstom has delivered 500 electric locomotives to the Indian Railways, marking a significant milestone in the country’s modernisation of rail infrastructure. The 500th fully India-made Prima T8 WAG12B e-locomotive was flagged off from Alstom’s Madhepura manufacturing facility in Bihar. As part of a €3.5 billion contract.
Alstom is supplying 800 high-powered double-section Prima T8 locomotives of 12,000 HP (9 MW) for freight service. These locomotives, designated by Indian Railways as WAG-12B, are capable of hauling ~6,000 tonne rakes at a top speed of 120 kph. To ensure high availability of India’s most advanced freight locomotives and reduce maintenance costs.
Alstom has built two ultramodern state-of-the-art maintenance depots at Saharanpur and Nagpur, using predictive technologies The WAG-12B locomotives are being built at one of India’s largest integrated greenfield manufacturing facilities at Madhepura (Bihar), under a Joint Venture between Alstom and Indian Railways. This is the largest Foreign Direct Investment project in the Indian railway sector.
The e-Locos are equipped with Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT) based propulsion technology, which has considerable savings in energy consumption with the use of regenerative braking. This technology also helps make the acceleration process more efficient by reducing heat generation and traction noise, reducing operational costs and congestion faced by Indian Railways.
Alstom, a global leader in rail transport, has successfully delivered its 500th electric locomotive for Indian Railways from its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Madhepura, Bihar. This monumental milestone underscores not only the strategic partnership between Alstom and Indian Railways but also the growing role of Made-in-India technology in transforming the country’s rail infrastructure.
The Journey to 500 Locomotives
The delivery of the 500th electric locomotive marks a significant achievement in the collaborative effort between Indian Railways and Alstom to modernize the country’s rail network. Under the ambitious Electric Locomotive Project, Alstom has been tasked with manufacturing a fleet of 800 electric locomotives for the Indian.
The Madhepura plant, established as part of a joint venture between Alstom and Indian Railways, has become the cornerstone of this initiative. It is a symbol of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-reliant India) as it brings together world-class Railways, which is part of India’s broader vision to decarbonize the transport sector.
Transition to cleaner, more sustainable modes of transport. manufacturing capabilities with local expertise, creating high-performance locomotives tailored to the needs of the Indian Railways. The project also supports India’s goals of making them a vital component of India’s promoting indigenous manufacturing, technology transfer, and job creation in the country.
Key Features of the 500th Electric Locomotive
The 500th locomotive delivered by Alstom is part of a batch of 12,000 HP locomotives designed to meet the increasing demands of freight and passenger services across India’s vast and challenging railway network. These locomotives offer several advanced features, sustainable transport vision:
- High Capacity: The locomotives are designed to handle high-volume freight with a capacity of hauling heavy loads, making them essential for transporting goods such as coal, steel, and minerals over long distances The feature advanced technology, offering improved energy efficiency compared to older models. This makes them more to operate and less reliant on non-renewable resources, contributing to a reduction in India’s carbon emissions.
- Advanced Technology: The locomotives are equipped with modern control systems, regenerative braking (which recycles energy back into the grid), and state-of-the-art safety features to ensure reliability, operational efficiency, and safety The electric locomotives are part of Indian Railways’ push towards electrifying 100% of its routes, aiming for a greener, more sustainable future. Their use significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the transport sector.
- Group Media Publication
- Construction, Infrastructure and Mining
- General News Platforms – IHTLive.com
- Entertainment News Platforms – https://anyflix.in/
%20/23%20cimr%204.jpg "India is selected to host the ICCC Conference in 2027.")