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Diesel Loco Shed, Golden Rock

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Coordinates: 10°47′36″N 78°42′39″E / 10.7932°N 78.7107°E / 10.7932; 78.7107
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Diesel Loco Shed, Golden Rock
Location
LocationGolden Rock, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates10°47′36″N 78°42′39″E / 10.7932°N 78.7107°E / 10.7932; 78.7107
Characteristics
OwnerIndian Railways
OperatorSouthern Railway zone
Depot codeGOCD
TypeEngine shed
Rolling stockWDM-2, WDM-3A, WDG-3A, WDP-3A, WDM-3D, WDG-4, WDP-4B, WDP-4D, WDG-4D & YDM-4
History
Opened1975; 49 years ago (1975)

Diesel Loco Shed, Golden Rock is an engine shed located in Golden Rock, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu in India. It is located north of Golden Rock railway station, falling under Tiruchirappalli railway division. It is the largest of the four locomotive sheds under the Southern Railway zone of Indian Railways.[1][2][3]

History and developments

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The foundation stone for the shed was laid on 25 December 1971 by the then Railway Minister, K. Hanumanthaiah. The shed opened for operations in 1975 with a total area of 169,000 square metres (170,000 m2) and covered area of 19,600 square metres (20,000 m2).[4]

The shed initially homed 45 of the YDM-4 class metre-gauge locomotives. Three subsequent expansions were taken up which resulted in the holding capacity being increased to 100 metre gauge locomotives (1998), 40 broad-gauge locomotives (1993) and 100 broad gauge locomotives (2000).[4]

Infrastructure

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The shed was started as a metre-gauge shed. However with expansion over time, the bays and catwalks were converted from metre gauge to broad-gauge standards to home broad-gauge locomotives. Later, the shed went for a major expansion of its bays at a cost of ₹14 crore (US$1.7 million) to undertake maintenance activity for the unconventionally longer high-speed fuel efficient 4,500-horsepower (3,400 kW) EMD 710 locos (WDG-4, WDP-4B, WDP-4D and WDG-4D), which are homed since July 2011, thus becoming the first-of-its-kind shed in South India to maintain such high powered locos, which were extensively utilised for both passenger and freight services.[5][6] The shed also houses a Diesel Traction and Training Centre (DTTC), opened on 7 April 1988, to impart theoretical and practical training for the newly recruited Assistant Loco Pilots, Engineers and other technical staffs. The centre only one of its kind in the zone also conducts periodical refresher courses for the in-service staffs of Indian Railways,[3] and also too railway personnels from other countries.[7][8] The DTTC along with Zonal Railway Training Institute (ZRTI), Trichy made a mark by imparting training to women, by which Narayana Vadivu and Jhansi Rani, became the first all women loco crew in the history of Southern Railway zone piloting a goods train on the Chord Line.[9] With Indian Railways inching towards 100% Electrification Mission, two of its Old Metre Gauge bays have been converted into New Electrified Broad Gauge ones. Electric Loco trials in these bays with an Erode Shed (EDDX) WAP-4 locomotive, numbered 22273, were conducted successfully on 3 February 2022, with the commissioning of these E-locos expected anytime soon.

Operations

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The shed, headed by Senior Divisional Mechanical Engineer (Diesel), has about 750 employees in different ranks in the day-to-day operations of the shed,[6] which include periodical overhaul, maintenance and repair works.[10] The locos of this shed were thoroughly traverses over entire South India for passenger and freight services.[11]

Locomotives fleet

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SN Locomotives HP Quantity
1. WDM-3A 3100 2
2. WDG-3A 14
3. WDM-3D 3300 18
4. WDP-3A 3100 1
5. WDP-4B/4D 4500 50
6. WDG-4/4D 80
7. YDM-4 1800 5
8. WDS-6 1400 2
9. WDM-7 2000 3
Total locomotives active as of September 2024[12][13] 175

Awards

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The shed was adjudged the best shed among in the Southern Railway zone during 2012–2013. Also it won the "Performance Efficiency Shield" for the fifth time, since its inception in 2004–2005.[3][6]

References

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  1. ^ "Mechanical Engineering - Diesel Loco Sheds, Southern Railway". Indian Railways. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  2. ^ "About us". Southern Railway zone. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  3. ^ a b c R. Rajaram (25 July 2013). "Golden Rock Loco Shed named the best". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Diesel Loco Shed, Golden Rock - About" (PDF). Indian Railways. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 April 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  5. ^ "New bays opened at Golden Rock Diesel Loco Shed". The Hindu. Tiruchi. 2 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  6. ^ a b c "New broad gauge bay inaugurated at Golden Rock workshop". The Times of India. 3 January 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  7. ^ "Goldenrock training programme a hit with Sudan railway staff". The Hindu. 17 February 2006. Archived from the original on 25 February 2006. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  8. ^ "Divisional Training Centres to come up". The Hindu. 25 March 2006. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  9. ^ R. Rajaram (30 September 2013). "Southern Railway deploys women to pilot goods train". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Chapter 2 : Assessment, Procurement/ Production, Utilisation and Maintenance of Locomotives in Indian Railways". Comptroller and Auditor General of India. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  11. ^ J Arockiaraj (6 September 2013). "Locomotive failures affecting train operations in Madurai division". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 19 January 2014.
  12. ^ "Railway Website Mechanical Department". Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  13. ^ "IRFCA".
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