Narrow-gauge locomotives of India

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. As of 2024, narrow-gauge locomotives are only operating on heritage routes.

## General

[edit]

Diesel locomotive classes [1]

* ZDM-1: This locomotive was built by Arnold Jung Lokomotivfabrik. These were called the class DZ on NR (Kalka–Shimla Railway). This was a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) wide gauge. It was identical to NDM-1 class with 2 ft (610 mm). Only four of these locos were regauged to 2 ft (610 mm) gauge and converted to NDM-1 units. 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 1.5 km figure-8 track at an 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 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) wide gauge. These locomotives were mainly used in Nainpur–Gondia section narrow-gauge route. All these locomotives are retired/withdrawn from service.

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

* ZDM-4: These locomotives were built by Chittaranjan Locomotive Works 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. These 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 is a narrow-gauge locomotive with 2 ft 6 in (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 700 horsepower power-pack. In 1996 one of these was sent to Nepal Janakpur–Jaynagar railway line.

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 All the locomotives are retired/withdrawn from service.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

* NDM-1: This is a articulated locomotive with two prime movers. But in case of uphill travel it uses both its 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 2 ft (610 mm) wide gauge. When Kalka–Shimla route was regauged ZDM-3 was obtained for that route.

* NDM-5: These locomotives were used on Central Railways Gwalior narrow-gauge route. These 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 2 ft (610 mm) wide gauge.

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

* NBM-1: This locomotives were used on Central Railways Gwalior narrow-gauge route. These 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 2 ft (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 | Arnold Jung | MWM TRHS 518S, 145/128hp | Twin Voith hydraulic | B+B | 2×145 | 33 | 29 | 8790 | 5 | 543–547
ZDM-2 | 1964–1965 | Maschinenbau Kiel | Maybach V8 MD435 | Voith hydraulic | B-B | 700 (650 net) | 50 | 32 | 10560 | 25 | 123–147
ZDM-3 | 1970–1982, 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 | 1975–1977/1982–1990 | 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 | Arnold 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 | 1987–1989 | 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]

* Locomotives of India

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Diesel Locomotive Classes – Meter Gauge & Narrow Gauge". IRFCA. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
2. ^ "Parel workshop-made first ZDM3 loco to run in Kangra Valley". Mumbai Mirror. 8 July 2020. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
3. ^ "Indian Railways Locomotive Roster Kalka (KLK) ZDM-3 701". IRFCA. Archived from the original on 27 July 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
4. ^ "Indian Railways Locomotive Roster List Named Loco List". IRFCA. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021.

### Bibliography

[edit]

* Hughes, Hugh (1996). Indian Locomotives: Part 4 – 1941–1990. Harrow, Middlesex: The Continental Railway Circle. ISBN 0-9521655-1-1. OCLC 35135033.

* v
* t
* e

Narrow-gauge locomotives of India

Steam (2 ft 6 in (762 mm))|

| Barsi Light Railway|

* A
* B
* C
* D
* E
* F
* G

|

IRS designs|

* ZA
* ZB
* ZC
* ZD
* ZE
* ZF

Steam (2 ft (610 mm))|

| Darjeeling Himalayan Railway|

* A
* B (778)
* C
* D

|

Matheran Light Railway|

* MLR 1-4

IRS designs|

* QA
* QB
* QC

Diesel (2 ft 6 in (762 mm))|

* ZDM-1
* ZDM-2
* ZDM-3
* ZDM-4
* ZDM-5

Diesel (2 ft (610 mm))|

* NDM-1
* NDM-2
* NDM-3
* NDM-4
* NDM-5
* NDM-6

Battery (2 ft (610 mm))|

* NBM-1

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template