Indian locomotive class WDS-3

The class WDS-3 was a diesel-hydraulic locomotive used by Indian Railways for shunting and doing departmental works. The model name stands for broad gauge (W), diesel (D), shunting (S) 3rd generation (3). The WDS-3 is used mostly in the Northern Railway Zone (NR). All these locomotives were withdrawn and scrapped by the late 1990s.

History

The history of WDS-3 class starts in the early 1960s with the aim of the Indian Railways to address the growing requirement for a new shunting locomotive class. These locomotives were designed by Maschinenbau Kiel (MaK) to the specification set by the Research Design and Standards Organisation (RDSO).^[2] Many aspects of this locomotive were taken from the DB Class V 60. They use Suri hydrodynamic transmission developed for these diesel locomotives and were designed as shunting-cum-shuttle service locomotives.^[2] For this purpose, the reversing gear box attached to the Suri transmission was designed to have two gear stages; in the lower gear, designated as "shunting gear", the locomotive was designated to have a maximum speed of 27 km/h and in the higher speed gear designated as "mainline gear", the maximum locomotive speed was 65 km/h.^[3] The locomotive was fit for both shunting and mainline type of services up to a limited speed of 65 km/h.^[3] Subsequently, it was decided to manufacture locomotives of similar type ingeniously by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW). These locomotive are designated as WDS-4 class.

When the lot of 7 WDS3 shunters came, initially they had a lot of troubles with these locomotives, but the trouble was confined more to the power pack than to the transmission.^{[citation needed]} But in course of time, going into detail about the troubles that were being experienced and the mechanics were able to get over a lot of these difficulties and in-fact the transmission was also modified to suit with the engine.^{[citation needed]} Between 1976 and 1978 all seven units were rebuilt to WDS-4B specifications by CLW, and received a new engine and a simplified transmission. These units were reclassified as WDS-4Cs. By 1990s all units were withdrawn from service and were scrapped.^[4]

Former shed

• Shakurbasti (SSB): All the locomotives of this class has been withdrawn from service.

See also

• Rail transport in India § History
• Locomotives of India
• Rail transport in India
• Indian locomotive class WDM-2

References

Notes

Bibliography

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Broad-gauge locomotives of India

Steam

BESA designs	SP SG PT HP AP HG HT
IRS designs	XA XB XC XD XE XF XG XH XP XT XS
World War II designs	AWD AWE CWD AWC
IGR standard designs	WP WG WL (1939) WL (1955) WM WT WU WV WW

Diesel

Mixed type	WDM-1 WDM-2 WDM-2G WDM-3 WDM-3A (3C) WDM-3D (3B, 3E, 3F) WDM-4 WDM-6 WDM-7
Passenger	WDP-1 WDP-2/3A WDP-4 (4B, 4D)
Goods	WDG-2/3A (3B,3C,3D) WDG-4 (4D) WDG-4G WDG-5 WDG-6G
Shunting	WDS-1 WDS-2 WDS-3/4C (WDS-4A, 4B,4D) WDS-5 WDS-6 WDS-8

DC electric

Mixed type	WCM-1 WCM-2 WCM-3 WCM-4 WCM-5 WCM-6
Passenger	WCP-1 WCP-2 WCP-3 WCP-4
Goods	WCG-1 WCG-2

AC electric

Mixed type	WAM-1 WAM-2 WAM-3 WAM-4
Passenger	WAP-1 WAP-2 WAP-3 WAP-4 WAP-5 WAP-6 WAP-7
Goods	WAG-1 WAG-2 WAG-3 WAG-4 WAG-5 WAG-6A WAG-6B/6C WAG-7 WAG-8 WAG-9 WAGC3/WAG-10 WAG-11 WAG-12

Dual (AC and DC)
electric

Mixed type	WCAM-1 WCAM-2/2P WCAM-3
Goods	WCAG-1

Dual mode

Passenger	WDAP-5