Indian locomotive class WG

Indian Railways WG series
Company type	Steam locomotive class
Industry	Rail transport
Founded	1950
Headquarters	India
Products	Broad gauge 2-8-2 freight steam locomotives
Number of employees	2450 (units produced)

Template:EngvarB Template:Infobox locomotive

The Indian Railways WG series represented a broad gauge 2-8-2 freight locomotive introduced during the early 1950s. Production totaled 2,450 units between the years of 1950 and 1970, establishing it as the largest class of mainline steam locomotives until the introduction of the Indian locomotive class WDM-2.

History and design

The WG model was launched in 1950, incorporating the same components—such as the boiler, motion system, springs, tender bogies, and rear truck—as the 4-6-2 WP class passenger engines. The initial batch of one hundred locomotives (numbered 8301 to 8400) was produced by North British with ten units subcontracted to Vulcan Foundry. Notably, locomotive number 8350 was displayed at the Festival of Britain in 1951.

Additional locomotives were procured from various manufacturers including Société Franco-Belge located in Raismes, France, Lokomotivfabrik Floridsdorf in Austria, as well as other European producers and Japanese firms. The Chittaranjan Locomotive Works in West Bengal initially assembled these locomotives using imported parts; however, by 1953, domestic production accounted for 70% of output. By 1956, this facility had achieved full self-sufficiency in manufacturing WG locomotives. Production concluded in 1970 with the last unit christened Antim Sitara (meaning Last Star).

Class table

Summary of orders and production details
Year	Manufacturer	Serial Numbers	Quantity Ordered	Quantity Produced	All-India Numbers	Remarks
1950	North British	26415-26514	100	90	8301-8400	Ten units subcontracted to Vulcan Foundry
1950	Vulcan (Subcontract)	5996-6005	—	10	—	Units: 8307,8309,8315,8322, 8328-8329,8335-8336, 8342-8343
1950-1954	Chittaranjan	—	100	100	8401-8500
1954-1955	Société Anglo-Franco-Belge	2687-2768	82	18	8501-8582	Sixty-four units subcontracted to Henschel & Sohn
1954-1955	Henschel & Sohn (Subcontract)	29217-29280	—	64	—
1954-1956	Chittaranjan	—	257	257	8583-8839
1954	Henschel & Sohn	28984-29043	60	60	8840-8899
1954	Krupp	3391-3430	40	40	8900-8939
1954	Lokomotivfabrik Floridsdorf	17704-17763	60	60	8940-8999
1955	Baldwin	76039-76088	50	50	9100-9149
1955-1956	Hitachi	12261-12285	25	25	9150-9174
1955	North British	27594-27618	25	25	9175-9199
1956	Gio. Ansaldo & C.	1398-1422	25	25	9200-9224
1954-1955	Hitachi	12173-12247	75	75	9225-9299
1956-1970	Chittaranjan	—	1261	1261	9300-10560
1959-1960	Chittaranjan	—	290	290	8000-8289

Preservation

Nine WG locomotives have been conserved across India. WG 9673 is displayed on a plinth (without its tender) outside Rajendra Nagar Station in New Delhi. WG 10253 was initially mounted at the Zonal Training School in Bhusaval but was removed in 2018 and transferred to Rewari for restoration to operational status. WG 9428 is currently utilized by the UP Cement Corporation, while WG 9391 is preserved and stored at Burdwan. WG 8258 is exhibited on a static pedestal at Sahibganj Junction railway station. WG 10527 remains stored in a shed at Burdwan, and WG 9286 is maintained by Sri Durga Trading Company. Notably, WG 8407, named Deshbandhu, became the first WG locomotive to be incorporated into Indian Railway Heritage; it stands alongside WG 10560 Antim Sitara on display at Chittaranjan Locomotive Works.

Operational Status	Class	Number	Location	Year Built	Zone	Manufacturer	Build Number	Name
No	WG	8407	Chittaranjan Locomotive Works	1950	CLW	Chittaranjan Locomotive Works	-	Deshbandhu
No	WG	9391	Burdwan Loco Shed	1956	ER	Chittaranjan Locomotive Works	-
No	WG	8258	Sahibganj Loco Shed	1959	ER	Chittaranjan Locomotive Works	-
Under Restoration	WG	10253	Rewari Steam Shed	1964	NW	Chittaranjan Locomotive Works	-
No	WG	10527	Burdwan Loco Shed	1969	ER	Chittaranjan Locomotive Works	-
No	WG	10560	Chittaranjan Locomotive Works	1970	CLW	Chittaranjan Locomotive Works	-	Antim Sitara
No	WG	9673	Rajendra Nagar Station New Delhi	1957-1959	ECR	Chittaranjan Locomotive Works	-
No	WG	9428	UP Cement Corporation	1957-1959		Chittaranjan Locomotive Works	-
No	WG	9286	Sri Durga Trading Company	1955		Hitachi	12234

External links

Indian Railways, 5ft 6in Gauge, 1951, 2-8-2 (WG) - Vulcan Foundries at www.enuii.org (archived on 30 October 2013)
Indian Steam Pages – Post War Steam by IRFC, Indian Railways Fan Club at www.irfca.org (accessed 2 March 2012; archived on 14 March 2013)

Indian locomotive class WG

History and design

Class table

Preservation

See also

Notes

Bibliography

External links