24032007 KYN DLS: Bogies and Wheel profiles

A common misnomer, explained the DLS employee, is to think that a "bogie" is the coach that is attached to the loco. For example, we say "I have a seat in the bogie 11th from the loco". As per the DLS employee, a bogie does not only represent a coach. A loco also has a bogie. More precisely, all shells including that of the loco or the coaches are mounted on the bogie. Actually, the bogie includes the wheel arrangements and the frame on which the shell is mounted.

The WDM2 has a 3-point mount, whereas Shakti, the WDG3A has a 4-point mount. The WDM2 has a cast bogie, whereas the Shakti has a welded bogie. The Shakti, which is probably the brainchild of some desginers in DLW Varanasi, tried to overcome "limitations" in WDM2 as well as to improve the design of the AlCo WDM2. However, as one DLS employee put it, there is nothing to beat the WDM2 design. The Shakti poses problems non-existent in the WDM2. He was all praise for the WDM2...he even asked us to learn from the WDM2 design. I guess this comparison is similar to what people used to say about Unix (versus DOS, for example).

A closer look at the wheel reveals a tilted profile and fine treads.