Indian locomotive class WP

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)

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

Indian WP
	Locomotive class WP by Fablok in 1959
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

WP/P class 7200 by Baldwin from 1947, at the National Rail Museum, New Delhi (1993)

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.[1]

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.[1] 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.[2]

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

References

Notes

Hughes 1996, p. 16.
"Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-05-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

Bibliography

Hughes, Hugh (1976). Steam in India. Truro, Cornwall: D. Bradford Barton Ltd. ISBN 0851532586.
Hughes, Hugh (1996). Indian Locomotives: Part 4 – 1941–1990. Harrow, Middlesex: The Continental Railway Circle. ISBN 0-9521655-1-1.
Marshall, Lawrence G (2009). Indian Broad Gauge Steam Remembered. East Harling, Norfolk: Taverner Publications. ISBN 9781901470154.

External links

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[FOOTNOTEHughes199616-1] Hughes 1996, p. 16.

[2] "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-05-27.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)