Indian Railways provides the fastest railway service in the world to electrify its entire rail network. In fact, in most of the states in India, the Railways have already achieved 100 per cent electrification. On the other hand, the Indian Railways has introduced train services such as the Vande Bharat Express, engineless semi-high speed trains that connect important cities in India, modernizing rail travel as well as reducing travel time, its Thanks to the top speed 180 kmph. However, much of this electrification journey depends on converting existing trains to electric by replacing diesel locos with electric locos.
Rolling stock giant, Siemens, recently bagged a Rs 25,000-crore project from the Indian Railways to manufacture 1,200 units of 9,000 horsepower (hp) electric locomotives. Under the Make in India initiative, the German brand will manufacture India’s most powerful electric loco at its Dahod workshop. It is the first locomotive production unit of the Indian Railways in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat. The 9,000 HP loco will have a load capacity of 4,500 tonnes, while the maximum speed of these locomotives will be up to 120 kmph.
We recently got in touch with Gunjan Vakharia, Head, Mobility Business, Siemens Ltd., to understand more about this 9000 HP electric loco built for the Indian Railways, besides other ways Siemens has partnered with the Railways . Here is our exclusive interview:
Tell us about the dynamics of Siemens and its India operations
Siemens’ Mobility business in India offers intelligent and efficient technologies and solutions for passenger and freight transport, covering the entire gamut of rail infrastructure and metro-rail solutions. It is constantly innovating its portfolio in its core areas of rolling stock, rail automation and electrification, turnkey systems as well as related services. With digitalisation, Siemens Mobility enables mobility operators to make infrastructure intelligent and sustainable by increasing system availability, maximizing network capacity, optimizing customer experience and reducing lifecycle costs.
Business Rail also provides a range of hardware and software solutions for traffic automation, high-speed trains, commuter trains, locomotives, trainsets for intercity travel, urban public vehicles such as metro, light rail and electrification systems, intelligent traffic systems, parking and does. tolling solutions, as well as remote services.
What is your association with Indian Railways?
For the past seven decades, Siemens has been a partner in progress for the Indian Railways, providing cutting-edge technology and solutions for the sustainable development of electricity, including the latest offering of the 9000 HP Electric Locomotive. The mobility business has been supporting Indian Railways’ vision of complete electrification, increased haulage capacity and creation of high-technology systems in line with the Make in India initiative.
It has partnered Indian Railways in several landmark projects to modernize track infrastructure, increase capacity and connectivity, as well as improve safety and speed. There is also a focus on energy efficiency, passenger ride experience, development and adoption of innovations and new technologies for both passenger and freight transport.
tell about 9000 hp rail engine
Siemens Limited has received an order for 1,200 locomotives of 9,000 horsepower (hp) each from the Indian Railways, the largest single locomotive order in the history of Siemens Mobility and the largest single order in the history of Siemens India. Siemens Ltd will design, manufacture, commission and test the locomotive. Delivery is planned over an eleven-year period, and the contract includes 35 years of full-service maintenance.
The locomotive will be assembled at the Indian Railways factory located in Dahod, Gujarat. The maintenance will be carried out at four Indian Railways depots located at Visakhapatnam, Raipur, Kharagpur and Pune. Locomotive assembly and maintenance will be implemented in conjunction with Indian Railways staff. The total value of the contract is Rs. 26,000 crore (approx), excluding taxes and price variation.
The state-of-the-art locomotive will be used to transport goods across the Indian Railways network and is specified to carry a load of 4,500 tonnes at a maximum speed of 120 kmph. Producing 9,000 hp, they will be among the most powerful freight locomotives in the world. They will be equipped with advanced propulsion systems that are produced locally at Siemens factories in India. Siemens Mobility will harness the power of its Religent Platform to deliver the highest availability and performance.
Perspectives on Green Railways for Sustainable Mobility
We aim to be a valuable partner in India’s quest for Safe, Green and Smart Railways Made in India for India and the world. The mobility business has been supporting Indian Railways’ vision of complete electrification, increased haulage capacity and creation of high-technology systems in line with the Make in India initiative. We take immense pride in partnering with Indian Railways and Metro operators in landmark projects like ‘Vande Bharat’, electrification and signaling projects for mainline and metro, providing advanced digital solutions and our latest offering of 9000 HP Electric Locomotive.
What are the future prospects of Indian Railways?
Ministry of Railways is driving upgradation of technology and modernization of infrastructure (track, signaling and telecommunication). With the National Rail Plan 2030 drawing up the roadmap, the investment is expected to further boost the development of infrastructure and products under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’. Innovation through research, design, manufacturing and digitization will continue to be the key drivers in the transformation of Indian Railways.
How big a role can electric locos play?
Indian Railways has set an ambitious target of cutting carbon emissions by over 450 million tonnes through optimum use of dedicated freight corridors as compared to road transport. The 9000 HP locomotives, which will be integral to the efficient operation of DFC, are at the core of the climate goals of the Railways. With initiatives such as 100% electrification, deployment of sustainable technologies and adoption of sustainable practices, Railways will be a significant contributor to the net-zero transition of the country.
Leading this climate target journey will be a new generation of state-of-the-art, highly efficient and eco-friendly 9000 HP locomotives that will combine environmental protection with extreme cost-effectiveness using green technologies to set new benchmarks in freight transport .