The Indian locomotive class WDG-4 (EMD GT46MAC) is a freight-hauling diesel-electric locomotive with AC electric transmission designed by General Motors Electro-Motive Diesel[1] in 1997–1998 for Indian Railways, where they are classed as WDG-4. Thirteen were built by EMD as order #958647, and a further eight were exported in kit form and assembled in India. The class entered service in 1999.
Further construction has been under license in India by the Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW); more than 60 additional locomotives have been built as of 2006[update]. They are numbered from #12001 upward. A similar type, the EMD GT46PAC, has also been produced for passenger service in India.
As of August 2007[update], EMD and DLW have begun building GT46ACe's using IGBT technology to replace the older gate turn-off thyristor technology and along with increase of 500 HP, ie, 4,500 hp (3.4 MW), using the Newly tweaked EMD 16N-710G3B-EC, like the Passenger WDP-4B have been produced. Newer versions with widened Piggy-face cab profile for enhanced visibility, just like the later variants of WDP-4's and WDP-4B's were also produced.
As of February 2013[update], DLW began building the Dual Cab version, ie, EMD JT46ACe, called WDG-4D, based on the Passenger variant WDP-4D locos, same for Both-side Visibility. Here again, many features like IGBT and 4500 HP have been carried on from the single cab GT46ACe's. Over 1,500 such locomotives, including both WDG-4's and WDG-4D's are currently in operation.
In the 2017 Action film Theeran Adhigaaram Ondru, a WDG-4 locomotive numbered 12492, from Bhagat Ki Kothi (BGKT) DLS was featured in an action scene, where Karthi, who plays the title role, boards a train to fight criminals.
