WG
2-8-2
The WG Class 2-8-2 was the most common broad-gauge goods locomotive in post-independence India. Nearly 2 450 of them were built, making it one of the largest steam locomotive classes in the entire world. These dependable locomotives gave outstanding service to Indian Railways and frequently were seen hauling even Mail and "Janata Express" trains. The first 45 WGs were built by the North British Locomotive Company. Later, production was transferred to the Chittaranjan Locomotive Works in India.
TECHNICAL NOTES
Though designed by British engineers, WGs had American-style bar frames supporting the boiler. Pound for pound, bar frames were lighter than the plate frames prefered by the British, but a WG still weighed 173.65 tonnes in full working order.
The North British WGs had 3 course boilers. Owing to the limited width of the plates that could be rolled at Chittaranjan, the boiler was modified into a 4 course design.
A North British WG (number 8350) was displayed at the Festival of India in the U.K. Later, it was sold to the Great Indian Peninsula Railway (GIPR) in November 1951. The GIPR became part of the Central Railway.
Other technical features of the WG include: Spring-loaded inter-drawgear; spring controlled engine leading and trailing bogies; high centre of gravity to ensure better riding qualities; Timken roller bearings on all bogies, trucks and eccentric cranks and improved boiler proportions for burning low grade, high ash Indian coal.
Following the lead of some European railways, Indian Railways fitted some WGs with Giesl Ejectors (oblong shaped chimneys into which multiple ejectors issued exhaust steam), which reduced their coal consumption. However, the ejectors got clogged frequently, hence were abandoned.
Some WGs had supplementary fuel oil firing. A 100 gallon oil tank in the tender provided fuel oil which was burned in the firebox in order to raise extra steam while pulling heavy trains from a stop. Such engines could haul 15 % more load than the purely coal-fired WGs.
The last broad gauge steam locomotive built in India was a WG named "Antim Sitara" (Evening Star). The last steam locomotive built in England was a 9F 2-10-0, also called Evening Star. Evidently, Indian Railways had no originality when it came to naming their engines!
DIMENSIONS
Boiler Pressure: 210 psig, Heating Surface: 2 237 sq.ft, Grate Area: 45 sq.ft, Cylinders: (2), 21 7/8" Bore x 28" Stroke, Wheel Diameter: 5'-1 1/2", Tractive Effort: 38,890 lb, Coal Capacity: 18 tonnes, Engine and Tender Weight: 173.65 tonnes, Nominal Axle Load: 18.5 tonnes, Maximum Train Load: 1350 - 1700 tonnes.
