The locomotives of India presently consist of electric and diesel locomotives. Steam locomotives are no longer used in India, except in heritage trains. A locomotive is also called loco or engine. The Bengal Sappers of the Indian Army were the first to run a steam locomotive in India. The steam locomotive named Thomason ran with two wagons for carrying earth from Roorkee to Piran Kaliyar in 1851, two years before the first passenger train ran from Bombay to Thane in 1853. Here is the list of most successful locomotive in India.
1. Indian Locomotive Class WAG-9
WAG-9 locomotiveis the most powerful freight locomotive in Indian Railways' fleet. It is very similar to WAP-7; the only major difference being the gear ratio which makes it suitable for heavy freight operations. Newer versions starting from WAG-9 31248 feature full IGBT traction control. The class is named as WAG-9i. There is a technical variant of this class named WAG-9H. The 'H' means Heavy. Another variant includes WAG-9Hi which seems to be a combination of the above two.
2. Indian Locomotive class WAG-7
It is the 7th class of Wide Gauge's(W) AC charged(A) and Freight-dedicated(G-Goods) locomotives. Built by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works and BHEL, Jhansi to RDSO specifications. WAG7 is an uprated version of WAP-4B locomotive with high capacity transformer, rectifier, traction motor, compressor and other matching associated equipments. On 3 August 1992, the first WAG-7 locomotive was inaugurated and christened the name 'SHANTIDAN' in honor of Mother Teresa.
3. Indian Locomotive class WAG-5
WAG-5 is the second most widely used locomotive in the Indian Railways, with a total of 1197 units built including variants. WAG5A is the one with Alstom traction motors. WAG5B is a converted WAM4. WAG5H(x) is with Hitachi traction motors. WAG5P(x) is a passenger dedicated class. WAG5(x)D are fitted with dual brakes and WAG5(x)E are fitted with air brakes. WAG5RH and WAG-5HR are fitted with Rheostatic or Friction braking.
4. Indian Locomotive Class WAP-7
The WAP 7 is a locomotive developed by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works by modifying the gear ratio of existing WAG 9 class. It is capable of hauling trains at speeds ranging between 110–140 km/h (68–87 mph) and is now largely used by Northern Railways (NR), South Central Railways (SCR), Southern Railways (SR), Eastern Railways (ER), South East Central Railway (SECR), Central Railways (CR), Western Railway (WR), West Central Railways (WCR), East Coast Railway (ECoR), South Eastern Railway (SER). As of August 2017 there are 360 locomotives in service.
5. Indian Locomotive Class WAP-5
WAP 5 is the name of a class of High Speed electric locomotives produced and used by Indian Railways. The first 10 locomotives were imported from ABB in Switzerland in 1995. The Gatimaan Express and Bhopal Shatabdi trains hauled by WAP-5 locomotives travel at 160 km/h (99 mph) and 150 km/h (93 mph) respectively in the New Delhi - Agra Cantt section.
6. Indian Locomotive Class WAP-4
WAP-4 is a widely used passenger electric locomotive used in India. The locomotive was developed after a previous class WAP-1 was found inadequate to haul the longer, heavier express trains (24-26 coaches) that were becoming the mainstay of the Indian Railways network. It was introduced in 1994, with a similar bodyshell to the WAP-1 class, but with Hitachi traction motors.
7. Indian Locomotive Class WDM-3A
The class WDM-3A is Indian Railways' workhorse diesel-electric locomotive. Since 1993, it has been manufactured in India by the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW), Varanasi. The model name stands for broad gauge (W), diesel (D), mixed traffic (M) engine. The WDM-3A is the most common diesel locomotive of Indian Railways. The WDM-3A is a variant of the original WDM-2C.
8. Indian Locomotive Class WDM-3D
Indian Locomotive Class WDM-3D or ALCO DL560C is a is a passenger/freight-hauling diesel-electric locomotive with AC electric transmission designed by the American Locomotive Company and produced under license by Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) of Varanasi, India for Indian Railways as their classes WDM-2, WDM-3A/2C, WDM-3D and WDG-3A for operation in India.
9. Indian locomotive class WDM-2
The class WDM-2 is Indian Railways' workhorse diesel-electric locomotive. The first units were imported fully built from the American Locomotive Company (Alco) in 1962. Since 1964, it has been manufactured in India by the Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW), Varanasi. The WDM-2 is the most common diesel locomotive of Indian Railways. The WDM-2 locos have a maximum speed of 120 km/h (75 mph), restricted to 100 km/h (62 mph) when run long hood forward - the gear ratio is 65:18.
10. Indian Locomotive Class WAM-4
The Indian locomotive class WAM - 4 is a very successful class of 25 kV AC electric locomotives used in India. The first member of the class was indigenously designed and built by CLW in 1970. The class was produced until 1983. A single WAM-4 can generally haul up to a 24-coach passenger rake.
11. Indian Locomotive Class WDP-4
The EMD GT46PAC or WDP-4 is a passenger-hauling diesel-electric locomotive with AC electric transmission designed by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and built by both GM-EMD and under license by Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) of Varanasi, India for Indian Railways as their classes WDP-4, WDP-4B and WDP-4D. The GT46PAC is a passenger version of the previous Indian Railways EMD GT46MAC freight locomotive. The locomotive has a 16-cylinder 710G3B diesel engine with a maximum speed of 904 RPM.