Railway Production Units
Railway Production Units (PUs) – Indian Railways
Overview
Indian Railways manufactures its rolling stock (locomotives, coaches, wheels, etc.) in-house through six dedicated Production Units (PUs). These units are “factories of Indian Railways” and work under the control of the Railway Board’s Production Unit Directorate. Every unit has a unique product profile and capacity, making Indian Railways self-reliant in rolling-stock production.
Key Facts & Figures
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| 1. Total Production Units | 6 (5 active + 1 upcoming) |
| 2. Oldest PU | Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) – 1950 |
| 3. Latest commissioned PU | Marathwada Rail Coach Factory (Latur) – 2021 (coach-shell) |
| 4. Only Electric-Loco PU | CLW, Chittaranjan (WB) |
| 5. Only Diesel-Loco PU | Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), DLW upgraded – Varanasi |
| 6. Largest Coach PU | Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai |
| 7. Rail-wheel PU | Rail Wheel Factory (RWF), Bengaluru (now RWF/YNK) |
| 8. Metro & LHB coach PU | Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Raebareli |
| 9. CLW annual capacity | ~300 electric locos (upgraded to 500+) |
| 10. ICF annual capacity | 1700+ conventional/LHB/Train-18 coaches |
| 11. RWF annual capacity | 1,00,000 wheels + 10,000 axles |
| 12. MCF commissioned year | 2018 (fully functional) |
| 13. Only PU in Karnataka | Rail Wheel Factory (Bengaluru) |
| 14. Only PU in Uttar Pradesh | MCF, Raebareli |
| 15. Export locos PU | BLW (diesel) & CLW (electric) to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Mozambique |
| 16. First indigenous loco | CLW – WAM-1 (1950) |
| 17. First indigenous coach | ICF – 1955 |
| 18. Certification | All PUs ISO 9001 & 14001 certified |
| 19. Upcoming PU | Electric Loco Assembly & Component Unit, Dankuni (WB) – 2026 |
| 20. “Make in India” tag | 100 % indigenous design & manufacture |
Important Points
- CLW was set up with Swiss collaboration (SLM); hence nickname “Swiss Loco Works”.
- DLW (Diesel Locomotive Works) renamed BLW (Banaras Loco Works) in 2020 after electrification mission.
- ICF produced the 1st indigenous self-propelled train set “Train-18” (Vande Bharat Express).
- RWF is the only plant that forges wheels by universal acceptance (UA) technology; supplies to Metro, BEML, defence.
- MCF is the first green-field coach factory post-independence; produces only LHB & stainless-steel shells.
- All PUs are “Subsidiary Units of Railway Administration” (SURA) and have independent railway codes.
- PUs fall under “Mechanical” department of Indian Railways.
- Recruitment in PUs is done through RRCs (Railway Recruitment Cells) of respective zones.
- PUs follow “Production-cum-Profit” accounting; earnings booked under “Railway Production Revenue”.
- CLW & BLW have been tasked to stop new diesel loco production by 2025; focus on dual-mode & electric.
- ICF holds Guinness record for largest passenger-coach manufacturer in the world (2018-19).
- RWF wheels are exported to 30+ countries; first consignment to Germany in 2022.
- MCF has 100 % solar roof-top; certified as “Net-Zero” energy factory.
- All PUs have in-house R&D wings recognized by DSIR, Govt. of India.
- Next-generation “Vande Bharat Sleeper” coaches will be produced at ICF & MCF.
Frequently Asked in Exams
- Which is the oldest and only electric-loco production unit? – CLW, Chittaranjan.
- Where is the Rail Wheel Factory located? – Yelahanka, Bengaluru (Karnataka).
- What is the new name of DLW? – Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), Varanasi.
- Which PU manufactured Vande Bharat Train-18? – ICF, Chennai.
- Which is the newest coach production unit? – Modern Coach Factory (MCF), Raebareli.
Practice MCQs
Question:01 The first electric locomotive manufactured in India was rolled out from
A) Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL)
B) Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW)
C) Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW)
D) Integral Coach Factory (ICF)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) in West Bengal produced India’s first indigenous electric locomotive in 1961.
Question:02 Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW) was earlier known as
A) Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW)
B) Indian Railways Locomotive Works
C) Varanasi Locomotive Works
D) Northern Locomotive Works
Show Answer
Correct Answer: A
Explanation: Banaras Locomotive Works (BLW), located in Varanasi, was originally established as Diesel Locomotive Works (DLW) in 1961. It was renamed BLW in 2020 to reflect its expanded role in manufacturing both diesel and electric locomotives.
Question:03 [In which state is the Modern Coach Factory located?]
A) Madhya Pradesh
B) Bihar
C) Uttar Pradesh
D) Jharkhand
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The Modern Coach Factory (MCF) is situated in Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh.
Question:04 The largest coach manufacturing unit of Indian Railways is
A) Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala
B) Integral Coach Factory, Chennai
C) Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli
D) Rail Wheel Plant, Bela
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Integral Coach Factory (ICF) at Chennai, established in 1955, is Indian Railways’ largest and oldest coach manufacturing unit, producing the highest number of coaches annually.
Question:05 CLW was established with the collaboration of which country?
A) France
B) Germany
C) Switzerland
D) Japan
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Chittaranjan Locomotive Works (CLW) was set up in 1950 with technical collaboration from Switzerland.
Question:06 Which of the following Production Units is NOT located in Tamil Nadu?
A) Integral Coach Factory (ICF)
B) Rail Wheel Factory (YNK)
C) Diesel Loco Works (DLW)
D) Golden Rock Loco Workshop (GOC)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Rail Wheel Factory (YNK) is situated in Yelahanka, Karnataka, whereas the other three units—ICF (Chennai), DLW (Perambur, Chennai), and GOC (Trichy)—are all located in Tamil Nadu.
Question:07 [The production capacity of ICF in terms of coaches per annum is approximately]
A) 1200
B) 1500
C) 1700+
D) 2000
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Integral Coach Factory (ICF) has an annual production capacity of approximately 1700+ coaches, making it one of the largest rail coach manufacturers in the world.
Question:08 First consignment of RWF wheels to a European country was exported to
A) France
B) Italy
C) Germany
D) Netherlands
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The first export of RWF (Rail Wheel Factory) wheels to a European country was made to Germany.
Question:09 Next proposed Electric Loco Component Unit is coming up at
A) Bhilai (Chhattisgarh)
B) Dankuni (West Bengal)
C) Ludhiana (Punjab)
D) Siliguri (West Bengal)
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Ministry of Railways has identified Dankuni in West Bengal as the site for the next Electric Loco Component Unit to support Eastern and South Eastern freight corridors.
BETA
