Performance
With a maximum speed rating of 180 km/h (IR restricts it to 130 km/hr), the WAP-7 has the highest acceleration figures while hauling mail/express trains. The WAP-7 can also haul loads of 24-26 passenger coaches (1430-1550t) at 110+ km/h per hour. It is also known to haul 16 heavyweight Air Conditioned coaches (1120t) in 1:40 inclines single-handedly. At a trial conducted by Indian Railways, it clocked a speed of 177 km/h. It is the most successful passenger locomotive in the Indian Railways portfolio after the WAP-4. It is used to haul premium trains like the Rajdhani Express and the Shatabdi Express apart from other regular mail/express trains. It also regularly hauls other trains like the Nizamuddin-Thiruvanantapuram, Nizamuddin-Chennai, Nizamuddin-Bangalore, New Delhi-Sealdah and the New Delhi - Mumbai Rajdhani Expresses and Nizamuddin-Ernakulam Duronto Express.
Currently a 7000 hp version with IGBT traction is under development by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works.
The most unique feature of this locomotive is that it eliminates the need to have separate DG sets for air-conditioning in long distance trains hence providing huge savings on maintenance and running costs. This technology is called HOG or "Head On Generation" where the loco transfers electric power from its pantograph to the coaches.
A 24-coach (1500t) passenger rake can be accelerated to 110 km/h in 240 seconds (over 4.7 km) by a WAP-7; to 120 km/h in 304 sec. (6.7 km); and to 130 km/h in 394 sec. (9.9 km). Around 100 of these locomotives have been put to service as of early 2012.
The locomotive has started running to/from the Mumbai area of Western Railway from February 2012 and is expected to be used in the Mumbai area of Central Railway by January 2013. 120 wap-7's have been put to service as of june 2012.
Read more about this topic: Indian Locomotive Class WAP-7
Famous quotes containing the word performance:
“True balance requires assigning realistic performance expectations to each of our roles. True balance requires us to acknowledge that our performance in some areas is more important than in others. True balance demands that we determine what accomplishments give us honest satisfaction as well as what failures cause us intolerable grief.”
—Melinda M. Marshall (20th century)
“They say all lovers swear more performance than they are able, and yet reserve an ability that they never perform; vowing more than the perfection of ten, and discharging less than the tenth part of one.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Having an identity at work separate from an identity at home means that the work role can help absorb some of the emotional shock of domestic distress. Even a mediocre performance at the office can help a person repair self-esteem damaged in domestic battles.”
—Faye J. Crosby (20th century)