Narrow-gauge locomotives of India – Wikipedia

This is a list of narrow-gauge locomotives that have been or are being operated by Indian Railways. All railways except the heritage ones are closed or under conversion/are converted to the nation-wide standard 5 ft 6 in (1,676 mm) gauge, under Project Unigauge. So narrow-gauge locomotives are operating only on the heritage routes as of 2021.

• ZDM-1: This locomotive was built by Arn. Jung. These were called the class DZ on NR (Kalka-Shimla Railway). This was a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 6in (762 mm) wide gauge. It was identical to NDM-1 class with 2’0″ gauge. Only four of these locos were regauged to 2’0″ gauge and converted to NDM-1 units. When the ZDM-3 locos were available in (1972-1982). The fifth loco NR #704, was used at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, where it was used to haul a short train with the name Pragati Express with aluminium-bodied coaches on a 1.5km figure-8 track at a exhibition centre specially during IITF. Loco numbers were not written on the body of the loco.

• ZDM-2: This was a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 6in (762 mm) wide gauge. These loco were mainly used in Nainpur-Gondia section narrow-gauge route. All the locomotives are retired/withdrawn from service.

• ZDM-3: This is a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 6in (762 mm) wide gauge of Indian Railways. This locomotives can be found on the routes of Kalka-Shimla route and Kangra Valley route.

• ZDM-4: This locomotives were built by CLW and they were the modified version of ZDM-3 class with an extra axle to reduce axle load (1-B-B-1 bogies). But this extra axle caused wheel slip. This locomotives can be found on routes like Kangra Valley and were found earlier on the Nagpur narrow-gauge routes and Raipur narrow-gauge routes. This iss a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 6in (762 mm) wide gauge.
• ZDM-4A: This was a variant of the ZDM-4 loco. This loco was used in Barsi Light Railway. These 1-B-B-1 locos had a 700hp power-pack. In 1996 one of this was sent to Nepal Jayanagar-Janakpur railway line. This was a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 6in (762 mm) wide gauge.

• ZDM-5: This locomotive was one of the powerful narrow-gauge locomotives of the world. This locomotives were operated on routes like Pratapnagar narrow-gauge and Dhaulpur narrow-gauge routes. Four locos of this class were sent to work on Jayanagar-Janakpur railway in Nepal in 1994. All the locomotives are retired/withdrawn from service. This was a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 6in (762 mm) wide gauge.

• NDM-1: This is a articulated locomotive with two prime movers. But in case of uphill travel it uses its both engines and in case of downhill it uses one engine on Neral-Matheran line. It was originally intended to be used in Kalka-Shimla route. This is a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 0in (610 mm) wide gauge. When Kalka-Shimla route was regauged ZDM-3 was obtained for that route.

• NDM-5: This locomotives were used on Central Railways Gwalior narrow-gauge route. This locomotives were based on another narrow-gauge locomotive called ZDM-5. It had been equipped with dual brake system. All the locomotives are retired/withdrawn from service. This was a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 0in (610 mm) wide gauge.

• NDM-6: This locomotive was originally intended for Matheran Hill Railway but due to some reason it was then allocated to Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. Only 6 of these locomotives have been made and all are in service on Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. This is a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2-foot (610 mm) gauge.

• NBM-1: This locomotives were used on Central Railways Gwalior narrow-gauge route. This were the battery electric locomotives which are similar to YAM-1 locomotives. Only three units were built in 1987. All the locomotives are retired/withdrawn from service. This was a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2ft 0in (610 mm) wide gauge.

Specifications[edit]

Name	Year	Manufacturer	Engine	Transmission	Wheels	Power(HP)	Speed(KM)	Weight(tonnes)	Starting TE (kg force)	Quantity	Serial No.
ZDM-1	1955	Arn. Jung	MWM TRHS 518S, 145/128hp	Twin Voith hydraulic	B+B	2×145	33	29	8790	5	543-547
ZDM-2	1964-65	Maschi-nenbau Kiel	Maybach V8 MD435	Voith hydraulic	B-B	700 (650 net)	50	32	10560	25	123-147
ZDM-3	1970-82, 2009-2020[2][3]	CLW, Parel	Mak/CLW 6M 282 A(K)	Suri hydromechanical transmission	B-B	700	50 down / 32 up	35	10500	40	148-167/178-187/168-177 (ex-ZDM-4)
ZDM-4/4A	1975-77/1982-90	CLW	Mak/CLW 6M 282 A(K)	Voith hydraulic	1-B-B-1	700	50	39	7800	10/39	4: 168-177(later rebuilt as ZDM-3)/4A: 198-236
ZDM-5	1989+	CLW	KCL KTA-1150L	Voith hydraulic	B-B	450	50	23		41+	501+
NDM-1	1955	Arn. Jung	MWM TRHS 518S, 145/128hp	Twin Voith hydraulic	B+B	2×145	33/16	29	8790	7	500-506(500, 504-506 ex-ZDM-1)
NDM-5	1987-89	CLW	KCL KTA-1150L, 450hp	Voith hydraulic	B-B	450	50	22		11	801-811
NDM-6	1997	(SAN) Engg. and Loco Co.	Kirloskar-Cummins NTA 855L	Voith hydraulic	B	335	30	17.2		6	600-605
NBM-1	1987	BHEL		Battery electric	Bo-Bo	80				3	21951+

Units produced and in service[edit]

Name	Produced	In Service
ZDM-3	70	23
ZDM-4	39	24
ZDM-5	41	28
NDM-1	17	12
NDM-5	14	13
NDM-6	06	06
Total locomotives in service as of October 2021[4]		106

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Bibliography[edit]