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WCAM3

On a personal note, this is my favorite loco on the IR. Have always had this unfulfilling dream of someday owning one of these locos, but then...alas that's how and where good things end.

The WCAM3 has a pulsating sound, and its horns are one of the best I have heard...

The WCAM3 loco is the latest and most powerful AC/DC bi-current electric loco on the IR today. It's a more powerful version of the WCAM2/2P and WCAG1, both of which look similar to the WCAM3. The former has been acquired by the WR, and is used to haul the Rajdhanis, Shatabdi and other trains in and out of Mumbai Central; the WCAM2/2P also hauls freight. The latter is a goods version of the WCAM3, and also nearly shares the same livery; initially, the WCAM3 used to haul freights, until CR got wise and acquired the WCAG1, which are now reserved for freight operations all over CR and a substantial part of WR, which also explains the fact as to spotting an occasional Kalyan homed WCAG1 at the BAMY yard.

Below are the liveries of the WCAM3 ever since its inception into IR.

This was the BHEL livery on the WCAM3. All WCAM3 locomotives fresh out of BHEL had this livery. The WCAM3 shared this livery with the WCAG1.

This livery was applied to the WCAM3 to match with the standard day trains such as the Deccan Queen, Deccan Express, Indrayani Express, Pragati Express, and the Sinhagad Express. However, the livery of these trains was a bit different, wherein the Light Yellow above the Red band is a White; but the loco was given this color to match it with Shatabdi Express between Mumbai and Pune.

Presently, this is the latest and easily the best livery that the WCAM3 loco has gotten. The folks at the Kalyan Loco Shed have come up with a neat one. The sole surviving WCM6 also shares this livery. So does the WCAG1, except that the lower Red Band is cut through by a Yellow Band.

When the WCAM3 loco arrived on CR, it was a blessing in disguise for the CR, as at that point in time, the CR was struggling with delays, caused by the malfunctioning of the ageing WCMx fleet. The WCAM3 loco took up the challenge, and performed extremely well, and nailed the coffin shut for the WCMx class.

However, the WCG2 is the only breed of pure DC locos which have survived solely for their freight haulage capabilities and banking responsibilities assigned to them. A slashup of 2-3 units of these locos is capable of pushing trains up the steep 1:37 gradient Bhor and Thull ghats, and pull a long haul of any kind of freight with ease.

The following pics were cut from a newspaper and scanned which explains the quality!!!

This shot is taken at Masjid Bunder station (after CST). It may have brought in a train and is reversing to the trip shed for a much needed break, or must be backing up to couple itself to haul out a train. You can see the Masjid Bunder bridge in the background, which leads into the Bombay docks.

This pic shows the WCAM3 hauling a train, which appears in CR's standard day-train livery of the Deccan Queen, Deccan Express, Indrayani Express, Pragati Express, Intercity Express and the Sinhagad Express.

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