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V16enginehas massivecylinders, eachdisplacing
morethan11 litres. Noteports for easyservice. 3
Radar helps prevent wheelspinandmaintains
atwopercent wheel slipfor addedtraction. 1
Four exhaust valves per cylinder onthetwo-
strokediesel, withcam-drivenfuel injectors. 5
Six-foot-tall alternator turns mechanical energy
toelectric energyandreplaces gearbox.* 6
Massiveone-tonneturbo-supercharger works
as asupercharger at lowspeed, thenas aturbo*. 4
6000-litrediesel tankis compartmentalised
for addedsafety. Top-ups onlyinthelocoyard.
SEPTEMBER 2009 AUTOCAR INDIA 169 168 AUTOCAR INDIA SEPTEMBER 2009 www.autocarindia.com www.autocarindia.com
This hybrid diesel
electric locomotive uses
technology we will see
on cars of the future.
T
rains are an integral
part of life in India. As
common as trees, shrubs,
the neighborhood bus-
stop and the dosa joint
around the corner, they
are part and parcel of our countrys
furniture. And the statistics are
mind-boggling. Approximately
63,000 kilometres of track, 6.2
billion passengers and 730 million
tonnes of freight transported every
year. The Indian Railways is the
largest employer of manpower
in the world and it even has its
own Railway Budget! But you
know what happens to things we
get too familiar with. We tend to
ignore them. Well, thats all about
to change, as Autocar India takes
an in-depth look at the General
Motors WDG4 (Wide Diesel Goods
4000bhp) diesel locomotive thats
made by the Diesel Locomotive
Works (DLW), Varanasi. What
makes it tick, how it manages to
pull those massive loads, what its
like to drive (yes, even that) and
whether theres enough space for
your mums luggage.
DESIGN & ENGINEERING
HHHHHHHHII
The GT 46 is simply massive.
Seventy feet long, 14 feet tall and
10 feet wide, no road-going vehicle
can compare for size. And its weight
is even more extreme. How much?
Try getting your head around
126,000kg; roughly the weight of
100 family cars, but for volume no
more the size of twenty. Imagine
your family car weighing in at a
suspension-squishing five tonnes
and youll get some idea of how
densely this beast is packed.
But without the weight the
locomotive would have no traction,
with its steel wheels running on
the steel rails. And without traction
theres no way you are pulling
anything forward.
But why does a train run steel
wheels in the first place? Its all got
to do with reducing rolling friction.
The rubber tyres your car sits on
may seem like they are inflated
solid, but they still flex and bend as
they roll forward, adding to rolling
friction. Some 25-30 percent of
the fuel you burn in your car is
wasted while pushing against this
resistance. A train wastes almost
nothing in comparison, making it
the most efficient way to transport
people or goods.
This GM locos primary function
is to pull heavy goods and passenger
trains, some as heavy as 5,500
tonnes. So each of its six wheel
sets, or 12 individual wheels,
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l PriceRs 11.5 crore l OnsaleNow l 0-60kph30.53sec
l Topspeed120kph l Fuel efficiency(overall) 0.25kpl
FOR Massive pulling power l Corners on rails AGAINST Poor visibility l No air-conditioning
MODELTESTED
GM GT 46
No 533 RAIL TEST
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WDG4 diesel-electric
Theres no steering or accelerator but for a lethal combination of brute
strength and technical sophistication, nothing comes close.
4
Safe on the move.
Magna O variant
gets dual front airbags.
5
Front seat headrests are
non-adjustable. 6
Auto-down function for the
drivers window.
No 533 RAIL TEST
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Inside out
4
Safe on the move.
Magna O variant
gets dual front airbags.
drive the locomotive (passenger
locomotives, which dont need as
much start-up traction, drive only
four wheel sets.) Each set of six
wheels is called a bogie (not to be
confused with a wagon) and each
loco has two. But these massive 21-
tonne bogies arent rigidly fixed to
the frame of the loco. Some degree
of passive steering is allowed to help
negotiate tight corners.
Above the bogies sits the main
frame or chassis of the locomotive.
This holds the heavy diesel engine
and all the electric and electronic
components needed to transfer
power to the rails. Closest to the
drivers cab sits the control cabinet,
where all the various computers,
governors and controls systems
are housed. This is the nerve centre
of the locomotive and modern
electronics play a big role in making
these very complex beasts easy to
live with and drive. Ahead of this
are the traction control cabinets,
with a pair of massive fans and
heat exchangers placed on top. In
front of that is the main generator/
alternator that has a six-foot
diameter, the main diesel engine, air
compressor and a radiator the size
of a small hut.
Between the bogies is placed the
locomotives fuel supply, a 6,000-
litre diesel tank as well as a radar
that helps the traction computers
gauge the state of grip. All modern
locomotives also use sand, sprinkled
between the wheels and rails,
to improve traction in difficult
conditions or wet weather, and
this loco has eight automated sand
boxes that sprinkle sand as soon as
some slip is detected.
ENGINE & GEARBOX
(TRANSMISSION)
HHHHHHHHHI
If youre wondering why the word
transmission has been placed in
brackets, its for a very good reason.
This locomotive has no traditional
gearbox with toothed gears. This
may seem strange when there is
quite obviously so much torque
multiplication to be done.
So why is there no gearbox?
The engine is simply too big. A
gearbox made to transmit 4,000
horsepower would be almost as big
as the engine itself. And then there
would be the not-so-small matter of
transferring all that power through
to the six wheel sets, with individual
driveshafts and transfer cases. It
would also be extremely inefficient,
with a whole lot of the original
power being simply wasted.
To overcome these shortcomings,
the locomotive actually functions
like a hybrid car, with the big 16-
cylinder diesel engine having no
direct connection to the wheels. The
spinning crank is mated to a giant-
sized rotor in a huge six-foot-tall
generator and the heavy current
thus produced is then transferred to
individual traction motors, one for
each axle. Because electric motors
produce massive torque even from
start-up, you dont need a gearbox.
Managing all this high voltage
and ampere current is the job of
the locomotives microprocessor-
based control system. Known as
the EM2000, it liases with the two
traction computers and helps them
deliver the power in the smoothest,
most effective way. It also matches
the speed of the diesel engine with
the demand for electric current and
can carry out a series of self-tests.
Sojust howbigis the engine?
Thinkmassive andthenmultiply
that by a factor of ten. 10,000cc is
ridiculously small, 50,000isnt even
close andeven150,000is still some
way off! With16massive cylinders,
EACHdisplacing11 andsomething
litres, the engine displaces a
humongous 186,160cc; enoughto
swimin. The holes for the piston
are large enoughtoput your head
through(we did), andthe sumpof
the engine holds 950litres of engine
oil. The size is essential because it has
torunat almost full power all day,
day after day, for decades. This is also
the reasonwhy the engine runs at
speeds your car engine idles at. Try
runningyour car at full power all the
time; it wont last a month.
Peeking under the hood,
something we like to do with all
cars, is easier than you would
expect. With an engine of this size
you dont so much open the bonnet
and peer in; you stroll down the
walkway on the side of the engine,
open a couple of cupboard-like
doors and look sideways at the head.
The huge 45deg, two-stroke V16
is finished in light grey metal and
is squeaky clean. It has regular
service ports at almost all levels
and the cam covers can be easily
opened like the top of a grand piano.
Camshafts the size of your leg, four
massive valves per cylinder and a
fuel injection system that functions
like VWs unit injector are instantly
evident. Each direct injection unit
has its own pump and the injectors
are also very easy to access.
SEPTEMBER 2009 AUTOCAR INDIA 171 170 AUTOCAR INDIA SEPTEMBER 2009 www.autocarindia.com www.autocarindia.com
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2
White-on-blackdials makeit easytoreadthespeed. Wechecked
real speedversus thespeedo, but therewas hardlyanyerror.
4
Handbraketobeusedinemergencies only.
Innocuous lever couldbenudgedbymistake. 6
Brakelever ontheright allows yousome
feel, but youhaveverylittledirect control.
1
Without theright pressureinthesystem,
theres just nowayyoucandrivetheloco. 3
Tractiveeffort is thekeyto
theperformanceof theloco.
5
Knifeswitchonleft selects direction,
largelever is throttlenotchcontrol.
Upturnedengineblock, crankshaft andcamshaft; sizereallymatters here.*
Notchingupthethrottlegives youareal buzz, especiallyfromthis highperch.
Simplelayout tothedashmakes it
easytodrivefor hours at astretch.
Tractionmotors sit betweenthewheels*; computers andsandhelptraction.
EM2000computer controls theloco; cylinder headbigger thanhumanhead*.
No 533 RAIL TEST
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SEPTEMBER 2009 AUTOCAR INDIA 173 www.autocarindia.com
IN THE CAB(IN)
HHHHHHIIII
For a vehicle thats as long as this,
cabin space is pathetic. As the
locomotive can be driven either
way, its also extremely cabin-
forward or not depending on
your direction of travel. Like in
an aircraft, there are two sets of
controls but they face in different
directions. Its easier to drive this
apartment block-sized machine
through the pair of windscreens, so
we make sure we are going in the
right direction. There is no steering
wheel, no pedals or seatbelts but the
seat adjusts for height, and there is a
handbrake (of course no handbrake
turns but can you imagine!). All
control is done via a set of levers,
theres one for the throttle and two
for the brakes (for the locomotive
and the rest of the train). Ahead of
the driver is an array of dials that
provide all sort of information on
the loco speed, dynamic power
being applied to the wheels and the
pressure in the braking system.
Behind on the wall are a bank of
toggle switches, the control panel
for the central computer and a
programmable screen that allows
you to keep an eye on functions you
pre-select. Wipers for both front and
rear windscreens and, of course, a
set of air horns loud enough to work
as a cattle prod on a ruminating
bovines backside, even at the
distance of almost a kilometre. Its
seriously loud up close, enough
to make your heart sound like an
Enfield Bullet. The other safety
device built into the loco prevents
it from becoming a runaway train.
The locos computer takes over
control in a phased manner unless
the driver uses one function or
another every 60 seconds. First an
alarm is sounded, then the throttle
is brought to an idle and the loco
will finally apply the brakes as well.
ON THE RAILS
HHHHHHHHII
Theres actually no risk of nodding
off here. Sitting at the controls of
something so massive and powerful
for the first time is like a double-
shot of espresso and then some.
But you dont just turn a key, start
up the locomotive; the process is a
complex set of checks and smaller
individual start-ups where pumps
are primed, electric components
switched on and everything is
readied to churn out huge power.
Eventually, the massive diesel
stumbles into life, the heavy and
slow low-frequency thumps from
the 16 large cylinders very smooth
and effortless. This diesel is a far cry
from the older Alco locomotive we
had been driving the previous day
and there is not even a hint of diesel
clatter, or rattling. Its hushed
It feels as unstoppable as a
force of nature once you get
upto speed and experience its
Himalayan momentum.
No 533 RAIL TEST
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SEPTEMBER 2009 AUTOCAR INDIA 175 www.autocarindia.com
silent and simply amazing.
We spend a couple of minutes
understanding the EM 2000s
information screen and toggling
through its menu system in the cabin.
Suddenly the motor slows down even
further to just 200rpm and becomes
almost Rolls-Royce-smooth. You
get an impression of the perfectly
machined huge pistons pumping up
and down in their massive oil baths.
The secret of the GM engines
success is the fact that this is a two-
stroke motor. It produces twice the
number of thumps for any given
engine speed, which simply means
it can make much more power. But
arent two strokes inefficient? Not
turbo-diesels, as this one is 11 percent
more efficient than the four-stroke
motor of the older Alco loco. Unlike a
petrol two-stroke, where fuel and air
are allowed into the inlet ports, just
as exhaust is escaping the other end,
there is only compressed air from the
turbo blown into the diesel two-stroke
motor. The air pushes the spent
exhaust gases out, and some clean
air is even wasted before the exhaust
valves are closed. Diesel is only
injected into the head much later,
closer to when the compression is at
a maximum, making the diesel two-
stroke far more elegant mechanically.
Finally were ready to go and so
with a toot of the horn and strained
breath, the throttle is advanced to
notch one. Nothing much happens
for the first second or so, but then
slowly we notice the scenery
WHATLL IT DO FIGURING THE RAJDHANI
WE KNEW THE answer, but we
just had to ask. Can we do an
acceleration test? seemed like a
dangerously stupid question. But
we blurted it out anyway, and they
said yes. An older-tech Alco loco was
about to be transported from the
shed to the platform, where it would
be hitched to the Rajdhani and,
signals willing, we could do our test
in between. As simple as that.
So we jumped on and prayed that
the 35-odd kilometre stretch was
full of green lights. We hooked up
our V-Box timing gear and waited,
as the loco left the low- speed tracks
for the main line. We must be quick
across this piece of track, so that we
dont delay other trains, so there is
no problem, said the gentleman
driving the engine, and we agreed.
Still it was surreal when it
happened. Okay this is a good
three-and- something kilometre
stretch. Come to a full stop, V-Box
triggered; now GO GO GO!
The locomotive starts slow in
notch one, but soon its bellowing
blue murder, like a T-rex gone mad.
Notch up faster, we yell as the
loco picks up speed, horn rammed
down hard repeatedly. What did
we do? We record 0-90kph time for
the Rajdhanis loco. Still dont
believe it!
Autocar V-Box has timed all sorts; visibility from long hood is very limited; speedometer approaches 90kph during test; V-Box records data earlier in the run.
The same loco we tested pulling the Rajdhani Express later in the day. It rocketed past us at an estimated 110kph.
Simulator at Sabarmati shed gives you the feel of driving a real train; all sorts of scenarios possible to train drivers.
WDG4
P
ublictransport isessential for acountryof over 1.2billion
people. Goods, people, cattleandmachinesall needtobe
transportedtothefarthest endsof our countryat thelowest
cost possible. Thatswherethisprimemover comesin.
NothingcanmatchtheVaranasi-madeGMGT46asfar ascost per
kiloper kilometreandexibilitygo. For theweight it pulls, theGM
locousesverylittlefuel andbecauseyoucanget diesel anywhere,
it canpull trainsacrossthelengthandbreadthof Indiawithout
dependingonanelectriedoverhead
line. It evenmakeselectricitymore
efcientlythansomepower stations.
That it alsohappenstobeatotallyhi-
techpieceof heavyengineeringcomes
asatotal shock. Hereisarailwayloco
that usestechnologywewill seeoncars
inthefuture. Itselectronicallycontrolledtwo-strokediesel runsat
itsmost efcient enginespeedandthetransmissionof forcethrough
electricmotorsandsteel wheelsmakesit super-efcient. InIndiawe
tendtothinkof theRailwaysaslow-techloadandpeople-haulers
that sit at thebottomof thetechnologypyramid. Most of uspay
trainsnorespect or attention. What amistake, for clearlythisis
nocommonrail diesel! AI
AUTOCAR VERDICT
HHHHHHHHHI
Brute force meets technical wizardry.
TEST SCORECARD
COMFORT
HHHHHHIIII
Noair-conditioningandalackof
spacemakethecabinasqueeze.
PERFORMANCE
HHHHHHHIII
Incrediblepullingpower, but could
dowithabit moretop-endpower.
REFINEMENT
HHHHHHHHHI
Thetwo-strokediesel is incredibly
smooth, veryun-diesel-like.
VALUE
HHHHHHHHII
It costs 11.5crore, but its cheapif you
consider cost per kgor passengers.
SAFETY
HHHHHHHHII
VigilanceControl Devicekeeps
driver fromnoddingoff, but no
seatbelts onoffer.
RIDE
HHHHHHHHII
Low-speedrideis good, but youget
somerockingat higher speeds.
HANDLING
HHHHHHHHHI
Corners likeits onrails; noreally!
BUILDSTRENGTH&QUALITY
HHHHHHHIII
Toughas arhino, but fit andfinish
quitecrude.
TESTERS NOTES
The turbo works as a crank-driven
supercharger at lowspeeds.
It corners onrails andpulls like
a locomotive (couldnt resist
saying this).
9/10
No 533 RAIL TEST
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ROAD TEST Readall ourroadtestsat www.autocarindia.com
AUTOCAR INDIA tests results are protected by world copyright and may not be reproduced without the editors
written permission. Power and torque-to-weight figures are calculated using manufacturers claimed kerb weight.
WHAT IT COSTS
ENGINE
Fuel Diesel
Installation Mid, longitudinal
Type 16cyls in-vee, 1,86,160cc,
Unit-injector, direct
injection, two-stroke,
turbo-super-charged
Bore/stroke 230.19/279.4mm
Compression
ratio 16.1:1
Valvegear 4exhaust valves per cyl,
inlet ports
Power 4132hpat 904rpm
Power toweight 31.74bhpper tonne
Specificoutput 22.21bhpper litre
Weight of turbocharger 953kg
Maxtractiveeffort 53,000kg
TRANSMISSION
TypeAll-wheel drive (12 wheels)
GearboxElectric motor transmission
Final drive90:17
Alternator maxvoltage2600Volts DC

CHASSIS&BODY
Construction Body onframe chassis,
supportedby twinbogies
Weight 1,26,000kg
Wheels Solidsteel
Tyres NA
Wheel life 6,00,000kmapprox.
Axleload 21,000kgper axle
SUSPENSION
Front andrear Non-independent coil
springs, axle-hung,
taperedroller bearing
STEERING
Type Passive steer, yaw
compensationsystem
BRAKES
Front &Rear Air brakes, direct contact
of brake shoe onwheel
Anti-lock Radar-based
LIQUIDCAPACITIES
Oil sumpcapacity 950litres
Fuel tank 6000litres
WDG4 DIESEL ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE
SPECIFICATIONS PERFORMANCE
0-10 6.52
0-20 11.54
0-30 17.54
0-40 23.18
0-50 28.67
0-60 30.53
0-70 45.27
0-80 52.91
0-90 68.61
1/4 mile 45.82
ACCELERATION*
KPH TIME (sec) On-rail price
Rs 11.5crore
Warranty NA
RANGEATAGLANCE
ENGINES
186.0Diesel(WDG4) 4132bhpRs 11.5 crore
186.0Diesel(WDP4) 4132bhpRs 11.5 crore
EQUIPMENTCHECKLIST
CDplayer/MP3 NA
Steering NA
Air-con NA
ABS n
Foglamps n
Tractioncontrol system n
Seat height adjust n
Readinglamps n
Tripcomputer n
Handbrake n
Air horns n
Seatbelts NA
NA=Not Available, D=Driver, O=optional

movingtowards us as the loco
gathers speed.
Full speedonthis locomotive is
notcheight, but youneedtoadvance
smoothly througheachnotch. The
lever is advancedtonotchtwoand
the locogathers evenmore speed
witha slight lurch. The generator
is toldtoproduce highcurrent and
lowvoltage at lowspeeds andthis
gradually changes tolowcurrent
andhighvoltage as speeds
build. Thinkof current as torque
andvoltage as power andyoull
understandit better.
We cannowfeel the weight of the
lococrushingdownonthe rails and
the steel wheels screechinprotest as
we change tracks. The viewfromthe
cabis a bit like peeringout of your
first-floor apartment window, and
eventhoughwe dont get anywhere
near the topspeed, youcanfeel the
sheer effortlessness of this 4000bhp
locomotive rollingforward. Does the
locostraintopull a full trainforward,
we ask. Only if it is a fully loaded
freight, andeventhenthe strain
isnt toomuch. Passenger trains
feel as light as a feather. Amazing.
Andeventhoughyoudont have
as muchcontrol over this massive
machine andyoucant steer it, the
overwhelmingfeelingof power
youget takingit downthe track
is a real buzz. Pullinga passenger
trainfromone city toanother at
average speeds of 100kphmust
be simply awesome. As withthe
throttle, youonly deploy the brakes.
There is a semi-detachedfeel tothe
whole experience of stoppingthe
locomotive but this lever feels more
direct as compressedair rushes in
tomake the brake shoes bite. You
can also use dynamic or engine
braking, where the alternator
works in reverse to help slow down
the train, the power generated
being dispersed from the top of the
locomotive in the form of heat.
While stopping a light loco is
easy, getting approximately 4,000
tonnes to stop in a hurry with steel
wheels on steel rails takes more
than a bit. This can take almost half
a kilometre from say 100kph, and
thats without factoring a wet track
or a slope. The GM loco brakes much
more efficiently compared to the
older Alco locos and this allows the
Indian Railways to use a softer (only
comparatively) horn as well!
The WDG4 has been configured
to pull goods and passenger trains,
so its top speed is around 120kph,
and it will do that pulling a train
all day. But passenger locos in the
future will go much faster, up to
160kph, especially along the Golden
Quadrilateral (actually a railway
term that has been used for decades)
where the Indian Railways plan to
upgrade the tracks.
FUEL ECONOMY
HHHHHHHHHH
Rail travel is amazingly efficient
and this GM locomotive is slated
to be 11 percent better than the
Alco loco. Over a long haul, with no
traffic, efficient rails and very little
start-stop, this loco uses merely four
litres of diesel for every kilometre,
or 0.25kpl, even when pulling a fully
loaded train! Even a Nano cant
compete with that.
Whilethelocois simpletodrive, getting
it primedtogois averycomplexprocess.
21240mm
4
1
6
0
m
m
BRAKING
80-0kph 400-500m(estimatedwith
full trainload)
ECONOMY
TEST City NA
Railway 0.25kpl
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that alocois
slowtoaccel-
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IRofficial told
us, Werenot in
theracingbusi-
ness.Andwith
verylittlestart-
stop, overall
speedismuch
moreimportant.
Alargenumber of safety
devices workinseries.
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GMlocois amassive21 metres longthats almost as longas twoVolvobuses.