RAILWAY : 700 LOCOMOTIVES PRODUCTION IN 75 TH ANNIVERSARY, CLW SETS NEW ANNUAL PRODUCTION RECORD

BY DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY

CHITTARANJAN |  2 APRIL 2025

Financial year has ended and results are just out, and the West Bengal based Chittaranjan Locomotive Works ( CLW), the world’ s largest locomotive manufacturer has  set a  new record by producing 700 electric locomotives in the last fiscal , that too collides with the  two other  significant  moments, 75 th year of  its own  locomotive  production and also the 100 th year of electric traction of Indian Railways thus  Indian Railways making three different milestones this year.

Union railway ministry is jubilant with this new record locomotive production and has congratulated the  CLW collective already. Both its Chittaranjan and Dankuni units have broken the previous records with all time recod annual production of 700 locomotives , surpassing its previous best  record of 580 electric locomotives manufactured in 2023-24 ( in Chittaranjan – 479 and in  ELAAU Dankuni-  101).

On 30 March 2025, the last worjing day of the past fiscal  the 700 th electric locomotive was flagged off by Mr. Vijay Kumar, General Manager of CLW  in presence of  top officials.The GM appreciated the efforts of all employees  at the main unit and its Dankuni ancillary unit.

Briefing the scenario, Mr.  Chitrasena Mandala, spokesperson of Chittaranjan Locomotive Works told The YTravel and Tourism Times that it was hectic on the last working day, even on Sunday 30 st March 2025 as the record breaking 700 th locomotive rolled out of its factory.  The
achievement has  further boosted  CLW’s position as the world’s largest locomotive manufacturer under the same establishment.

“On Sunday  at around 10.45 AM a   set of five new electric locomotives namely  WAP-5 Push-Pull Aerodynamic Loco for Amrit Bharat trains (one pair), WAG-9 TWIN loco (one pair)  and  a lone WAG-9 loco  chugged out from the siding of the country’s  premiere locomotive manufacturer,” said  Mr.  Mandala .

Incidentally, the Dankuni assembly unit has produced 156 locomotive units, Chittaranjan main unit  has produced 544 electric locomotives thus touching the magic figure of 700 in 2024 -25 and that too with a reduced manpower strength of 7967, compared to previous fiscal.

“Never  before  700 electric locomotives been manufactured  in a single year or any Production Unit under the Ministry of Railways in India . With the thrust towards electrification over Indian Railways, these electric locomotives will not only smoother the rail movement but also will lead to substantial savings in fuel costs  and reducing carbon footprints and moving towards sustainibility,” added Mr. Mandala.

The break up of locomotives  towards the total  record 700 locos  are in Chittaranjan –  WAG-9 HC-387, WAG-9 HC TWIN – 74 sets (148 loco),WAG-9 HH-07, WAP-5 Push-Pull Aerodynamic – 02  and   in ELAAU Dankuni – WAG-9 HC-156 locos.

The first locomotive production of CLW occurred on 26 January in 1950 with a steam engine, electric engine production started in 1961 . However, the diesel engine production started in 168 and ended in 1993.

“The year  2024-25 ushered in a new  era in electric locomotive production in the country  as CLW was tasked with not only  achieving an all time high production target of 700 locos but also advised to produce additional pairs of WAP-5 converted locos. This stupendous achievement is a befitting tribute to celebration of CLW’s 75 glorious years of locomotive production  and 100  th year of Electric traction ( 1925)  of  Indian Railways,” said Mr. Chitrasena Mandala.