Indian locomotive class WP

Indian WP
WP/P class 7200 by Baldwin from 1947, at the National Rail Museum, New Delhi, in 1993
Type and origin Power type Steam Builder Baldwin Locomotive Works (116) Canadian Locomotive Company (200) Montreal Locomotive Works (120) Fabryka Lokomotyw, (30) Lokomotivfabrik Floridsdorf (30) Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (259) Build date 1947–1967 Total produced 755
Specifications Configuration: ​  • Whyte 4-6-2  • UIC 2′C1′ h2 Gauge 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) Leading dia. 3 ft 7 in (1.092 m) Driver dia. 5 ft 7 in (1.702 m) Trailing dia. 3 ft 7 in (1.092 m) Length 77 ft 5+3⁄8 in (23.61 m) over buffers Axle load 18.5 long tons (18.8 t; 20.7 short tons) Loco weight 101.5 long tons (103.1 t; 113.7 short tons) Tender weight 72.0 long tons (73.2 t; 80.6 short tons) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 15 long tons (15 t; 17 short tons) Water cap 5,500 imp gal (25,000 L; 6,600 US gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 46 sq ft (4.3 m2) Boiler pressure 210 psi (1.45 MPa) Heating surface 2,920 sq ft (271 m2) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 20+1⁄4 in × 28 in (514 mm × 711 mm) Valve gear Walschaerts Valve type 12 in (305 mm) piston valves Valve travel 7+1⁄2 in (191 mm)
Performance figures Power output 2,680 hp (1,998 kW) drawbar (est.) at 74 mph (119 km/h) Tractive effort 30,600 lbf (136.12 kN)
Career Numbers 7000–7754 Disposition Nine preserved, remainder scrapped

The Indian locomotive class WP was a class of 4-6-2 "Pacific" steam locomotives used in India. It was introduced after World War II for passenger duties, marking the change from 'X' to 'W' as the classification code for broad gauge locomotives.

The class was designed specifically for low-calorie, high-ash Indian coal, by Railway Board designers in India.

WP class locomotives were capable of doing up to 110 km/h (68 mph) and were easily recognized by their cone-shaped bulging nose, usually with a silver star device painted on it.

History

Locomotive class WP by Fablok in 1959

A total of 755 WPs were built between 1947 and 1967, bearing fleet numbers 7000 to 7754. The first batch of sixteen, numbers 7200–7215, came from the Baldwin Locomotive Works, USA in 1947, and these were classed WP/P. (P for Prototype).

A main production batch of 300 locomotives followed in 1949, with production split between Baldwin (100), Montreal Locomotive Works (120), and Canadian Locomotive Company (80). The locomotives in this group were numbered 7216–7515, but the running numbers were issued in blocks as the locomotives were issued to the pre-nationalisation companies, and so bore no relation to the manufacturers' serial numbers, or even the manufacturer.

A further 180 locomotives were built between 1955 and 1959, with production split between Canadian Locomotive Company (120), Fabryka Lokomotyw, of Chrzanów, Poland (30), and Lokomotivfabrik Floridsdorf of Vienna, Austria (30).

Between 1963 and 1966, 259 more were built, but these were ordered from Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW), and were manufactured in India, and classified WP/I. The WP/Is were 5 tonnes heavier.

The WP was Indian railways' crack locomotive in the 1960s and 1970s. Before the widespread introduction of diesel and electric locomotives several prestigious trains, such as the Taj Express, the Grand Trunk Express, Howrah-Madras Mail, Frontier Mail and the AirConditioned Express were once hauled by WP class locomotives.

The entire WP class remained intact into the 1980s. Some WPs remained in service until the 1990s, and nine have been preserved. One constructed by Baldwin (7200) in 1947 and the other by Fablok in 1959 are a part of the collection of the National Rail Museum, New Delhi.

WP7200 received a full heavy overhaul at Amritsar works in April 2015 and is now kept at Rewari shed near New Delhi for excursion service. Apart from 7200, the remaining eight engines include (7278) constructed by Montreal Locomotive Works and preserved at Charbagh Loco Works, (7581) built by Canadian Locomotive Company is preserved at Sonepur DRM, (7656) built by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works is preserved at Jhansi Institute Railway, (7000) built by Fabryka Lokomotyw or in Charznow Poland is preserved in Bhusaval shed, (7411) however its builder as of 2019 has yet to be identified and it is unclear as to whether (7411) was built by Baldwin, Canadian Builders, Montreal, Fabryka, Lokomotivfabrik Floridsdorf, or Chittaranjan itself, as the builders plate for (7411) was not identified, the engine is preserved in Burdwan and awaiting transfer to the Chennai Museum however currently there are no wheels on its tender, (7015) built by Fabryka Lokomotyw or Charznow Poland is another Polish preserved WP engine and has been restored to full mainline running order and runs mainline heritage excursion special trains, being preserved at Rewari shed, (7161) is another locomotive built by Chittaranjan which has been fully restored to full working order on mainline excursions, (7161) being preserved at Siliguri.

Technical specifications

• Boiler: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) diameter
• Heating Surface: 3,082 sq ft (286.3 m²)
• Maximum Train Load: 680 tonnes

Class table

Table of orders and numbers

Year	Manufacturer	Serial Nos.	Qty	First Nos.	All-India Nos.	Notes
1947	Baldwin	73408–73423	16	—	7200–7215	Prototypes
1949	Baldwin	74294–74393	100	1–100		In range 7216–7515
1949	Canadian	2544–2623	80	C251–C330		In range 7216–7515
1949	Montreal	77200–77259 77345–74399 77576–77580	120	M1–M120		In range 7216–7515
1955–56	Canadian	2730–2849	120	—	7516–7635
1958–59	Fablok	4997–5006 5031–5050	30	3000–3029	7000–7029
1957	Floridsdorf	17827–17856	30	3030–3059	7030–7059
1963	Chittaranjan	—	36	—	7060–7095
1963–64	Chittaranjan	—	50	—	7096–7145
1964–65	Chittaranjan	—	33	—	7146–7178
1965	Chittaranjan	—	73	—	7179–7199 7636–7687
1966	Chittaranjan	—	37	—	7688–7724
1966	Chittaranjan	—	30	—	7725–7754

See also

• History of rail transport in India
• Indian Railways
• Locomotives of India
• Rail transport in India

External links

• Indian steam locomotives
• The WP class locomotive
• The WP glory
• Image of WP pacific in service
• Video of preserved WP/P 7200