An Ultimate cab ride and Foot-plating the WDP4B GT46ACe EMD Locomotive in SHF [Short Hood Forward] leading the Indian's one of the most premier train; the Rajdhani Express at full section MPS [Maximum Permitted Speed of 110 KMPH.
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About EMD Locomotives
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The EMD GT46PAC 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.
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Performance of WDP4B
The WDP-4B which is a 4,500 hp (3,360 kW)126 t (124 long tons; 139 short tons) weighted loco with a single cab & capable of hauling 24 coach trains at 110–120 km/h (68–75 mph).
It has got six traction motors and are Co-Co bogie equipped (more similar to WDG-4), unlike the original which has a Bo-1-1-Bo arrangement with four traction motors. Due to some controversies regarding visibility hindrances faced by loco pilots in driving long hood front, the basic WDP-4B model has been modified to dual cab to eliminate any such possibility. Other features of WDP-4B and WDP-4D are same. The cabs have a slightly wider profiles, to improve visibility.
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The loco is very fuel efficient and has minimal exhaust emissions unlike ALCO based locomotives, thanks to its 2 stroke high efficiency diesel engine. It is characterized by its loud horn, which can be heard for large distances around, and aircraft-like sound of its running engine.
The use of the locomotives "long hood forward" has been criticised because the driver might have difficulty in seeing signals. This criticism has been rejected by Indian Railways. But the solution to this problem is to upgrade all WDP-4 and WDP-4B models from single cabins to WDP-4D models of dual cabins.
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