Kamal Guha at 12:09, 6 August 2023

2023-08-06T12:09:28Z

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{{Short description|Rolling stock manufacturing unit in India}}
{{More citations needed|date=January 2021}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox company
| name = {{fontcolor|darkblue|Chittaranjan Locomotive Works}}
| image =
| image_size =
| image_caption =
| logo =
| former_name = Loco Building Works
| type = Government
| foundation = {{Start date and years ago|df=yes|1950|1|26}}
| location = [[Chittaranjan]], [[Asansol]], [[West Bengal]], [[India]]
| products = [[WAP-5]] <br/> [[WAP-7]] <br/> [[WAG-9]]
| industry = [[Electric locomotive]]
| parent = [[Indian Railways]]
| homepage = {{URL|https://clw.indianrailways.gov.in/}}
}}

'''Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW)''' is an [[electric locomotive]] manufacturer based in [[India]]. The works are located at [[Chittaranjan]] in the [[Asansol Sadar subdivision]] of [[West Bengal]], with an ancillary unit in [[Dankuni]]. The main unit is 32 km from [[Asansol]] and 237 km from [[Kolkata]]. CLW has stores and offices in Kolkata, as well as inspection cells in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bangalore. It is the largest locomotive manufacturer unit in the world, producing 431 locomotives in 2019–20.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestatesman.com/bengal/chittaranjan-locomotive-works-now-worlds-biggest-locomotive-producer-1502742443.html|title=Chittaranjan Locomotive Works is now world's biggest locomotive producer|date=2019-04-02|website=The Statesman|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-12}}</ref>

==History==

In the late 1930s, a committee consisting of M/s Humphries and Shrinivasan{{Clarify|reason="M/s" could be defined. Not sure if it means messrs or something else|date=January 2021}} was created to consider the economic possibilities of establishing locomotive manufacturing facilities in India. The initial project at [[Chandmari]], east of [[Kalyani, West Bengal|Kalyani]] in West Bengal, was found to be unsuitable due to the [[Partition of India|partition]]. A new survey led to the present site at Chittaranjan being established, which was approved by the [[Ministry of Railways (India)|railway board]] in 1947.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.clw.indianrailways.gov.in/view_section.jsp?lang=0&id=0,294,301|title=About Chittaranjan Locomotive Works|website=Chittaranjan Locomotive Works}}</ref> A survey of the proposed area began on January 9, 1948; the rocky soil was an advantage in erecting structural foundations, and the undulating terrain solved the problem of drainage for the township. The [[Damodar Valley Corporation]] (DVC) envisioned hydro-electric and thermal power stations in the area, assuring adequate power availability for the project.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/58198/1/ec_01_32_1955.pdf |title=ESTIMATES COMMITTEE REPORT|date=1955 |website=eparlib.nic.in |format=PDF|access-date=2020-12-17}}</ref>

The project was launched as Loco Building Works in 1950 to produce 120 average-sized [[steam locomotive]]s. It also had the capacity to manufacture 50 spare boilers. Production of steam locomotives commenced on January 26, 1950. The first President of India, [[Rajendra Prasad]], dedicated the first steam locomotive to the nation on 1 November 1950, and on the same day, the Loco Building Works was renamed as Chittaranjan Locomotive Works after [[Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das]]. The nearby [[Chittaranjan railway station|Mihijam Station]] was also renamed as Chittaranjan.

In 1962-63, a steel foundry was set up to manufacture cast steel locomotive parts. Production of [[Diesel locomotive|diesel-hydraulic locomotives]] began in 1968. After manufacturing 2351 steam locomotives of 5 types and 842 diesel-hydraulic locomotives of 7 types, production of both of these classes was discontinued from 1950 to 1972 and 1968 to 1993, respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/58198/1/ec_01_32_1955.pdf |title=ESTIMATES COMMITTEE REPORT|date=1955 |website=eparlib.nic.in |format=PDF|access-date=2020-12-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/55867/1/lsd_01_09_30-03-1955.pdf |title=ESTIMATES COMMITTEE REPORT|date=1955 |website=eparlib.nic.in |format=PDF|access-date=2020-12-17}}</ref> {{Why?|date=January 2021}} Electric locomotive production commenced in 1961. The first Prime Minister of India, [[Jawaharlal Nehru|Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru]], commissioned the first 1500 V DC Locomotive named ''Lokmanya'' on 14 October 1961. The production of 25 kV AC DC locomotives commenced on 16 November 1963, with the WAG-1 series, a [[Broad-gauge railway|broad-gauge]] 25 kV A.C. freight locomotive with 2840 hp and a maximum speed of 80 km/h. The first WAG-1 locomotive was named ''Bidhan''.

CLW gradually began upgrading their locomotives to produce 6000 hp and achieve 160 km/h, and also started building the 25 kV AC/1500 V DC, AC/DC WCAM-1 series for hauling mail/express trains on the [[Western Railway zone|Western Railway]]. Additionally, production of DC traction motors and control equipment commenced in April 1967. CLW became the first manufacturer in India (as well as the second in Asia and fifth in the world) to manufacture a 3-phase GTO Thyristor-controlled electric locomotive{{Clarify|reason=What was this locomotive called, and when did CLW begin producing it?|date=January 2021}}. The first WAG-9 series locomotive{{Em dash}}the first indigenous 6000 hp freight electric locomotive{{Em dash}}was rolled out on 14 November 1988, and christened ''Navyug''.10 May 2000 ''Navodit'', the first passenger version of the WAP-5 series with a service speed of 160 km/h and the potential to reach 200 km/h, was manufactured; the project's highest-priority items are the development of material sourcing, indigenization, and cost reduction.

CLW has in-house facilities for machining and assembly of wheelsets, fabrication, bogies, etc.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}} The facilities include modern CNC machines, plasma cutting machines, and inert gas welding sets. The factory obtains its iron & steel from [[Steel Authority of India|SAIL]], RINL and MDN, and sometimes from private steel plants like [[Tata Group|TATA]], Jamshespur, and [[Jindal Steel and Power|Jindal Steel]]. Hydroelectric power comes from [[Power Grid Corporation of India|PGCIL]] and the DVC's [[Maithon Dam|Maithon dam]].

CLW's environment conservation efforts have been recognized by the World Environment Foundation, and was awarded the Golden Peacock Award for Environment Management 2006.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}} CLW has fully complied with the provisions of the Industrial Safety Act, 1948 and was awarded the Safety Innovation Award in 2006 and 2009 by India's Institute of Engineers.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}.

==See also==
* [[Banaras Locomotive Works|Banaras Locomotive Works, Varanasi]]
* [[Diesel-Loco Modernisation Works|Diesel Loco Modernisation Works, Patiala]]
* [[Diesel Locomotive Factory, Marhowrah]]
* [[Electric Locomotive Factory, Madhepura]]
* [[Integral Coach Factory|Integral Coach Factory, Chennai]]
* [[Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli]]
* [[Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala]]
* [[Rail Wheel Factory|Rail Wheel Factory, Yelahanka]]
* [[Rail Wheel Plant, Bela]]
* [[Titagarh Wagons]], [[Titagarh]]
* [[List of locomotive builders|List of locomotive builders by countries]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.clw.indianrailways.gov.in/ Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW)] Company website

{{Coord|23.85891|86.91111|type:landmark_region:IN|display=title}}

{{Indian Railways}}
{{Railway lines in Eastern India}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Chittaranjan Locomotive Works| ]]
[[Category:Locomotive manufacturers of India]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Paschim Bardhaman district]]
[[Category:Economy of Paschim Bardhaman district]]
[[Category:1950 establishments in West Bengal]]

Chittaranjan Locomotive Works - Revision history

Kamal Guha at 12:09, 6 August 2023