Design and Working of WDG4 V16 7-10 Series Indian Railways Loco Engine

In this article, we would like to trace the design and working of WDG4 7-10 SERIES V16 engine used in Indian railways. WDG4 engines are GM's GT46MAC models. First units were imported in 1999 (13 fully built, 8 in kit form). Now [4/02] DLW has begun local production; 3 have been built and a further 25 or so were built in 2002. As of [1/06] 60+ units have been built. The loco shed at Hubli has been modified to handle these; initially all will be based at Hubli and will be used to haul mineral ore freight from Bellary or Hospet to Vasco da Gama. The locos are rated at 4000hp and use 3-phase AC traction motors. They can start a load of 58 BOXN wagons on a 1 in 150 grade and have a balancing speed of 85km/h for such a load on level track. Max. Speed is 100km/h. Gear ratio 85:16. Axle load 21 tonnes. A V16 engine is a V engine with 16 cylinders. Engines of this number of cylinders are uncommon in automotive use. A V16 engine is perfectly balanced, so long as its constituent straight 8 banks are balanced, regardless of the V angle. The 710 engine can operate more than three years without experiencing a road failure, setting the bar for the rail industry. It is lightweight, medium-speed engine, Custom design and integration for optimized performance across a wide range of operating environments, Inherently emissions friendly and fuel efficient, Ease of maintenance and lower overhaul costs, Low lube oil consumption and oil changes based on scheduled sampling, Quickly reaches full power providing superior adhesion control during wheel slip events for AC freight locomotives, Largest installed fleet and common parts provide reduced material, labor, tooling and training costs. New EMD engine technologies can be retrofit on existing models to further enhance performance and efficiency.