Bharatpedia

Narrow-gauge locomotives of India


This is a list of narrow-gauge locomotives that have been or are being operated by Indian Railways. All railways except the heritage ones are closed or under conversion/are converted to the nation-wide standard 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge, under Project Unigauge. So narrow-gauge locomotives are operating only on the heritage routes as of 2021.

General[1]Edit

  • ZDM-1: This locomotive was built by Arn. Jung. These were called the class DZ on NR (Kalka-Shimla Railway). This was a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 6in (762 mm) wide gauge. It was identical to NDM-1 class with 2'0" gauge. Only four of these locos were regauged to 2'0" gauge and converted to NDM-1 units. When the ZDM-3 locos were available in (1972-1982). The fifth loco NR #704, was used at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, where it was used to haul a short train of aluminium-bodied coaches on a 1.5km figure-8 track at a exhibition centre. Loco numbers were not written on the body of the loco.
  • ZDM-2: This was a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 6in (762 mm) wide gauge. These loco were mainly used in Nainpur-Gondia section narrow-gauge route. All the locomotives are retired/withdrawn from service.
  • ZDM-3: This is a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 6in (762 mm) wide gauge of Indian Railways. This locomotives can be found on the routes of Kalka-Shimla route and Kangra Valley route.
  • ZDM-4: This locomotives were built by CLW and they were the modified version of ZDM-3 class with an extra axle to reduce axle load (1-B-B-1 bogies). But this extra axle caused wheel slip. This locomotives can be found on routes like Kangra Valley and were found earlier on the Nagpur narrow-gauge routes and Raipur narrow-gauge routes. This iss a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 6in (762 mm) wide gauge.
  • ZDM-4A: This was a variant of the ZDM-4 loco. This loco was used in Barsi Light Railway. These 1-B-B-1 locos had a 700hp power-pack. In 1996 one of this was sent to Nepal Jayanagar-Janakpur railway line. This was a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 6in (762 mm) wide gauge.
  • ZDM-5: This locomotive was one of the powerful narrow-gauge locomotives of the world. This locomotives were operated on routes like Pratapnagar narrow-gauge and Dhaulpur narrow-gauge routes. Four locos of this class were sent to work on Jayanagar-Janakpur railway in Nepal in 1994. All the locomotives are retired/withdrawn from service. This was a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 6in (762 mm) wide gauge.
  • NDM-1: This is a articulated locomotive with two prime movers. But in case of uphill travel it uses its both engines and in case of downhill it uses one engine on Neral-Matheran line. It was originally intended to be used in Kalka-Shimla route. This is a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 0in (610 mm) wide gauge. When Kalka-Shimla route was regauged ZDM-3 was obtained for that route.
  • NDM-5: This locomotives were used on Central Railways Gwalior narrow-gauge route. This locomotives were based on another narrow-gauge locomotive called ZDM-5. It had been equipped with dual brake system. All the locomotives are retired/withdrawn from service. This was a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 0in (610 mm) wide gauge.
  • NDM-6: This locomotive was originally intended for Matheran Light Railway but due to some reason it was then allocated to Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. Only 6 of these locomotives have been made and all are in service on Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. This is a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 0in (610 mm) wide gauge.
  • NBM-1: This locomotives were used on Central Railways Gwalior narrow-gauge route. This were the battery electric locomotives which are similar to YAM-1 locomotives. Only three units were built in 1987. All the locomotives are retired/withdrawn from service. This was a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 0in (610 mm) wide gauge.

SpecificationsEdit

Name Year Manufacturer Engine Transmission Wheels Power(HP) Speed(KM) Weight(tonnes) Starting TE (kg force) Quantity Serial No.
ZDM-1 1955 Arn. Jung MWM TRHS 518S, 145/128hp Twin Voith hydraulic B+B 2x145 33 29 8790 5 543-547
ZDM-2 1964-65 Maschi-nenbau Kiel Maybach V8 MD435 Voith hydraulic B-B 700 (650 net) 50 32 10560 25 123-147
ZDM-3 1970-82, 2009-2020[2][3] CLW, Parel Mak/CLW 6M 282 A(K) Suri hydromechanical transmission B-B 700 50 down / 32 up 35 10500 40 148-167/178-187/168-177 (ex-ZDM-4)
ZDM-4/4A 1975-77/1982-90 CLW Mak/CLW 6M 282 A(K) Voith hydraulic 1-B-B-1 700 50 39 7800 10/39 4: 168-177(later rebuilt as ZDM-3)/4A: 198-236
ZDM-5 1989+ CLW KCL KTA-1150L Voith hydraulic B-B 450 50 23 41+ 501+
NDM-1 1955 Arn. Jung MWM TRHS 518S, 145/128hp Twin Voith hydraulic B+B 2x145 33/16 29 8790 7 500-506(500, 504-506 ex-ZDM-1)
NDM-5 1987-89 CLW KCL KTA-1150L, 450hp Voith hydraulic B-B 450 50 22 11 801-811
NDM-6 1997 (SAN) Engg. and Loco Co. Kirloskar-Cummins NTA 855L Voith hydraulic B 335 30 17.2 6 600-605
NBM-1 1987 BHEL Battery electric Bo-Bo 80 3 21951+

Units produced and in serviceEdit

Name Produced In Service
ZDM-3 70 23
ZDM-4 39 24
ZDM-5 41 28
NDM-1 17 12
NDM-5 14 13
NDM-6 06 06
Total locomotives in service as of July 2020[4] 106

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

  1. ↑ "Diesel Locomotive Classes – Meter Gauge & Narrow Gauge". IRFCA. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  2. ↑ "Parel workshop-made first ZDM3 loco to run in Kangra Valley". Mumbai Mirror. 8 July 2020. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  3. ↑ "Indian Railways Locomotive Roster Kalka (KLK) ZDM-3 701". IRFCA. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  4. ↑ "Indian Railways Locomotive Roster List Named Loco List". IRFCA. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021.

BibliographyEdit

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