Locomotive Sheds
Locomotive Sheds
Key Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Oldest Steam Shed (Working) | Jamalpur (Eastern Railway) – 1862 |
| 2. Largest Diesel Loco Shed (by holding capacity) | Pune (Central Railway) – 250+ locos |
| 3. Largest Electric Loco Shed | Gomoh (East Central Railway) – 300+ locos |
| 4. First Electric Shed opened | Bhusawal (Central Railway) – 1928 |
| 5. First Diesel Shed opened | Sabarmati (Western Railway) – 1956 |
| 6. First 12,000 HP Electric Shed | Visakhapatnam (South Central Railway) – 2020 |
| 7. First HHP Diesel Shed (4,500 HP) | Bondamunda (South Eastern Railway) – 2018 |
| 8. Only Steam Heritage Shed | Rewari (Northern Railway) – tourist specials |
| 9. Only all-women crew Diesel Shed | Matunga (Central Railway) – Mumbai shunters |
| 10. Highest altitude Diesel Shed | Siliguri (NFR) – 120 m MSL |
| 11. First Green Electric Shed (Solar) | Baramulla (NR) – 2022 |
| 12. First bio-diesel certified Diesel Shed | Ernakulam (SR) – 2019 |
| 13. Shed coded “NKRD” | Diesel-Loco Shed, New Katni |
| 14. Shed coded “ANGL” | Electric-Loco Shed, Angul |
| 15. Shed that maintains WAG-12 (12,000 HP) | Gomoh & Visakhapatnam |
| 16. Shed that maintains WAG-9HH (10,000 HP) | Ludhiana, Tughlakabad, Bhilai |
| 17. Shed that maintains WAP-7HS (semi-high speed) | Royapuram, Ghaziabad, Vadodara |
| 18. Shed that maintains WDP-4D (4,500 HP) | Bondamunda, Krishnarajapuram |
| 19. Shed that maintains WAP-5 (200 km/h) | Vadodara, Ghaziabad, Tughlakabad |
| 20. Shed that maintains WAG-11 (9,000 HP) | Gomoh, Bhusawal |
Important Points
- A “Home Shed” is the depot where a loco is permanently based and maintained.
- Every loco is stencilled with a three-letter shed code (e.g., GZB, KYN, BZA).
- Diesel locos are overhauled every 18 months/180k km; electric locos every 24 months/400k km.
- Pit-line capacity determines how many locos can be attended at one time.
- Trip sheds are small facilities for en-route minor attention.
- Green-coach concept extended to sheds → 100 % LED, water-harvesting, solar roof.
- Northern Railway has the highest number of electric loco sheds (7).
- Central & Western Railways each have 3 diesel sheds – highest among zones.
- WAG-12 (12,000 HP) is maintained only in Gomoh & Visakhapatnam ELS.
- Diesel locos are classified WDM, WDP, WDG; Electric locos WAM, WAP, WAG.
- Sheds are ISO-9001 & ISO-14001 certified for quality & environment.
- All new electric sheds are built with 25 kV AC OHE infrastructure only.
- Crew lobby is attached to every loco shed for pilot & crew management.
- Remote monitoring (RLMM) is fitted on 100 % freight locos to track health.
- No steam locos are used for regular service; only heritage/tourist runs.
Practice MCQs
Question:01 Which Diesel Loco Shed holds the largest fleet capacity in India as of 2026?
A) Tughlakabad (Northern Railway)
B) Pune (Central Railway)
C) Bondamunda (South Eastern Railway)
D) Ernakulam (Southern Railway)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Pune Diesel Loco Shed on Central Railway has the highest holding capacity in India, accommodating more than 300 locomotives.
Question:02 The first Electric Loco Shed of Indian Railways was opened at
A) Jhansi
B) Bhusawal
C) Vadodara
D) Asansol
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Bhusawal Electric Loco Shed, commissioned in 1960, was Indian Railways’ first electric loco shed, marking the beginning of electric traction maintenance in the country.
Question:03 The shed code “GMO” refers to
A) Gomoh Electric Loco Shed
B) Ghaziabad Diesel Loco Shed
C) Gooty Electric Loco Shed
D) Golden Rock Diesel Loco Shed
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: In Indian Railways, the shed code “GMO” is officially allotted to Gomoh Electric Loco Shed located in Jharkhand.
Question:04 Which sheds jointly maintain the 12,000 HP WAG-12 freight locomotives?
A) Gomoh & Visakhapatnam
B) Bhusawal & Jhansi
C) Ludhiana & Bondamunda
D) Krishnarajapuram & Kalyan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: The 12,000 HP WAG-12 class electric freight locomotives are homed and maintained by both Gomoh (GMOH) and Visakhapatnam (VSKP) electric loco sheds.
Question:05 The only heritage steam shed still operational is located at
A) Howrah
B) Rewari
C) Jamalpur
D) Bhusawal
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Rewari in Haryana houses India’s last functioning heritage steam locomotive shed, maintained for special tourist and heritage trains.
Question:06 India’s first all-women crew Diesel Loco Shed is located at
A) Pune
B) Guntakal
C) Matunga
D) Jhansi
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Matunga Diesel Loco Shed in Mumbai became India’s first diesel shed to be entirely operated by a female crew, marking a milestone in Indian Railways’ women empowerment initiatives.
Question:07 The diesel shed at Bondamunda is famous for handling which type of locomotives?
A) 3,300 HP WDM-3A locos
B) 4,500 HP HHP locos (WDP-4D/WDG-4D)
C) 5,400 HP electric freight locos
D) 2,600 HP WDS-6 shunters
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Bondamunda diesel shed is renowned for maintaining and operating the high-horsepower 4,500 HP HHP locos of the WDP-4D/WDG-4D class.
Question:08 Which of the following Indian Railway diesel sheds is located at the highest altitude?
A) Tughlakabad Diesel Shed
B) Siliguri Diesel Shed
C) Krishnarajapuram Diesel Shed
D) Bondamunda Diesel Shed
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Siliguri Diesel Shed in the Northeast Frontier Railway zone is situated at an altitude of about 120 m above mean sea level, making it the highest-altitude diesel shed among the given options.
Question:09 The first Green Electric Loco Shed in India powered fully by solar rooftop is located at
A) Katni
B) Baramulla
C) Jhansi
D) Visakhapatnam
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Indian Railways’ Electric Loco Shed at Baramulla in Jammu & Kashmir became the country’s first fully solar-powered loco shed, with a 6.1 MW rooftop solar plant meeting 100 % of its energy needs.
BETA
