Indian Railway Class WP

Indian Railways' WP class were a series of 4-6-2 "Pacific" type steam locomotives that worked for the Indian Railway.
== History ==
The class was designed by Indian Railways and commissioned abroad due to the lack of its own locomotive factories. The 16 pre-production locomotives were delivered by The Baldwin Locomotive Works from the US in 1947. They are sometimes referred to as WP/P, in which the P stands for prototype. This was followed in 1949 by a series of 300 locomotives built in North America, with 100 coming from Baldwin, 80 from the Canadian Locomotive Company (CLC) and 120 from the Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW). The CLC delivered another 120 locomotives in 1955 and 1956, followed by 30 locomotives from the Floridsdorf locomotive factory near Vienna in 1957 and another 30 from Fabryka Lokomotyw in Poland. The remaining locomotives were built by the Chittaranjan Locomotive Works in India from 1963, with the last one leaving the factory in 1967. A total of 755 machines were built. The locomotives built in India by the CLW were around 5 t heavier than the imported machines. They were sometimes referred to as WP/I, where the I stood for India. This designation was sometimes written as WP/1 because in English the number 1 cannot be distinguished from the capital letter I. The WPs were used on most of India's main routes. They had a distinctive appearance due to the skyline casing and were popular with the crew. The WP was the Indian Railways fastest locomotive in the 1960s and 1970s. Before the widespread introduction of diesel and electric locomotives, several prestigious trains, such as the Taj Express, the Grand Trunk Express, Howrah-Madras Mail, Frontier Mail and the Air Conditioned Express were once hauled by WP class locomotives. The entire WP class remained in service into the 1980s. Several WPs weren't withdrawn until the 1990s. 
== Design ==
The Indian Railways design specifically considered the coal to be used for firing, which had a low calorific value and a high ash content. After the good experience with the AWD, CWD and AWC (USATC S160) series locomotives supplied by North America during the Second World War, the locomotives were designed with billet frames and Boxpok drivers. By limiting the axle weight to 18.5 tons, the locomotive could be used on almost all routes. For routes that did not allow this axle load, the WL series was later developed, which only had an axle weight of 17 tons only. The Baldwin built locomotives have Boxpok drivers on their middle axle while the Chittaranjan & Fablok built have Boxpok drivers in all axles.
== Survivors ==
At least eight locomotives have been preserved, four of which are still preserved in more or less operational condition, shown in bold type:
WP 7000 Shaktiman, built in 1958, built by Fablok, displayed as a monument in the green and yellow color scheme of the Central Railway at the railway station in Bhusawal, Maharashtra, later removed and restored at the Northern Railway's historic rolling stock depot in Rewari. In February, it was fired up again for the first time in 2022.
WP 7015, built in 1958, built by Fablok, assigned to the Northern Railway's historic rolling stock depot in Rewari, used in 2006 for special excursion trains for the 150th anniversary of the Central Railway.
WP 7161, Akbar, built in 1965, built by Chittaranjan, owned by the National Rail Museum of India, restored to operational condition and assigned to the Northern Railway's historic rolling stock depot in Rewari, last used in 2015 and 2016.
WP 7200 Azad, built in 1947, built by Baldwin and owned by the National Railway Museum of India, made operational in Amritsar in 2015 and assigned to the Northern Railway's historic rolling stock depot in Rewari, first locomotive of the series. Before it was rebuilt, it was called Shahanshah 'Emperor'. The locomotive runs again under it's own steam in May 2002. It is also the Sole Baldwin built in existence nowdays. 
WP 7287, built in 1949, built by Montreal Locomotive Works, placed as a display in the locomotive repair shop in Lucknow.
WP 7411, built in 1949, built by Baldwin, MLW& CLC, displayed as a historic locomotive in the diesel locomotive repair shop in Bardhaman.
WP 7581, built in 1955, built by CLC, open to the public as a historic monument in front of the Divisional Railway Manager office in Sonpur, Bihar.
WP 7656, built in 19652, built by Chittaranjan, as a monument at the Senior Railway Institute in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh.
One additional WP is rumored to survive the cutter's torch. However, it was still unconfirmed. It is possibly known as a Floridsdorf but the builder is stated unknown and could be located in the middle of nowhere.
== Trivia ==
*A total of 755 WPs were built between 1947 and 1967, bearing fleet numbers 7000 to 7754, and the first batch of sixteen, numbers 7200–7215, came from the Baldwin Locomotive Works, USA in 1947, and these were classed WP/P. (P for Prototype).
*Rajinda from the Thomas & Friends series is based on this class.
*The WP class locomotives were capable of running up to 110 km/h (68 mph) and were easily recognized by their streamlining on the front, usually with a silver star painted on it.
*The prototype 7200 was originally named "Azad" before but was later renamed to "Shahanshah/Shahenshah" before restoration.
*Chittaranjan built WP 7161 "Akbar" was featured in the 2016 Bollywood film, Sultan. The locomotive is well-known for being in a music video where actor, Salman Khan, runs alongside it. (Note: It is one of the survivors of the WPs with Boxpok drivers on all of it's axles.)
*As of now, there are no Floridsdorf WPs are confirmed to survive although a ninth WP was rumored to survive and was also rumored to be a Floridsdorf built.
== Gallery ==
File:IndianRailwaysWPclass.jpg|Engine No. 7161 named Akbar is an example of this class.
File:Steam Engine renamed Akbar.jpg|WP 7161 is renamed Akbar was deployed as steam Express between Delhi and Alwar
File:WP7200.jpg|Baldwin built WP7200 "Azad"/"Shahanshah" in New Delhi.
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