Indian Railways makes big savings as more trains adopt HOG technology

Indian Railways has been working to reduce the carbon emission in its network through new and ingenious ways.

A statement released by the Western Railway has said that till now 67 electric locomotives converted to Head On Generation (HOG) System, which the highest on Indian Railways.

Conversion of railway rakes from EOG( End-on Generator car) to HOG system will help in reducing the operating cost of Indian Railways and also help in providing a greener and cleaner environment.

Western Railway has commissioned 67 3-Phase state-of-the-art WAP7 locomotives in which 25 kV Over Head Power Supply is converted to 750V by 500 KVA converters installed in the locomotives and transmitted through electrical couplers between coaches to meet electrical load of train.

In the current financial year, Western Railway zone has modified electrical circuits in 34 rakes which is the highest on Indian Railways by a zonal railway.

As on 20th January, 2020 out of the 65 HOG compliant LHB rakes primarily owned by Western Railway, 51 LHB rakes are running in services of 49 regular train pairs trains on HOG system

A senior railway official added that the HOG conversion work on Indian Railway was first started in Mumbai Central Division of Western Railway in November 2015, when the first rake of Train no. 12951/52 Mumbai – New Delhi Rajdhani Express was converted and taken over on HOG system. Since then, the HOG rake holding and locomotives has increased progressively.

Western Railway has recorded net savings of Rs. 32.22 crore during current financial year 2019-20 (upto 20 January, 2020) and a total net saving during 2019-20 is expected to be ₹45 crore (approximately).

Western Railway has been able to achieve net savings of Rs. 83.06 crore since December 2015 to 20th January 2020.

The savings is on account of lower cost of electric energy drawn from overhead lines vis-a-vis cost of energy generated by operating the diesel generator sets installed in power cars. In addition to the savings, there has been drastic reduction in the consumption of High Speed Diesel (HSD) oil i.e. 16,696.843 KL which has led to reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 44,080 MT.