GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
RESEARCH DESIGNS & STANDARDS ORGANISATION
MANAK NAGAR, LUCKNOW 226 011
No. SV.IB

Dated: 09.12.2009
INSTRUCTION BULLETIN No. MP.IB.VL - 13.49.09 (Rev.01)

1.

TITLE
Instructions for provision of packing ring between centre pivot assembly with rubber bush and its
stopper bottom to prevent failures of stopper fastening bolts (hex. head screws) and to facilitate
rotary movement of centre pivot assembly.

2.

BACKGROUND
The conventional design of Centre Pivot (CP) Assembly with rubber bush in WDG3A/WDM3D
locomotives is held in position by stopper bottom. Fastening bolts have been provided to secure
this stopper bottom with centre pivot pin which in turn supports the CP assembly. Zonal Railways
have reported problem of breakage of these fastening bolts and restricted movement of CP
Assembly.

3.

OBJECT
This Instruction Bulletin is intended to provide a packing ring between Centre pivot block and its
bottom stopper to overcome the problem of fastening bolt breakages and to facilitate rotary
movement of CP assembly.

4.

DETAILS OF STUDY/ EXPERIMENTATION DONE

The locomotives are provided with a centre pivot pin for each bogie for transfer of tractive and
braking effort from bogie to locomotive under frame. Centre pivot pin carries CP assembly to take
up these forces as well as to facilitate the curve negotiation.
Zonal Railways have reported following issues associated with CP:
1. Failures of stopper fastening bolts (hex. head screws).
2. Restricted rotary movement of CP Assembly.
Investigations have revealed that recent WDG3A & WDM3D locomotives have been provided
with cast centre pivot pin similar to EMD design. It is seen that while assembling centre pivot
block over pivot pin of this design, vertical slackness remains in the assembly. Hence, as a result
of vertical motion of car body during locomotive movement, the CP block assembly can create
impact on the stopper bottom exposing the fastening bolts to impact loads causing their
breakage.
To avoid such a possibility, a non-metallic packing ring was provided between Centre Pivot Block
and stopper bottom. Though it was expected to control the bolt breakages, the issue requires
further investigation w.r.t free rotary movement of CP to facilitate curve negotiation.
The issue was hence investigated at RDSO through theoretical calculations and solid modeling.
The issue was further investigated at DLW, Varanasi by a team of RDSO & DLW personnel
through practical assembly and checks on newly manufactured WDG3A/WDM3D locomotives.
The calculations were thus verified at DLW. Based on these studies, it has been decided to
optimize the design, material and thickness of packing ring to redress the reported problems.

5.

APPLICATION TO CLASS OF LOCOMOTIVES

WDG3A and WDM3D locomotives.

6.

INSTRUCTION CONTENT
Provide a metallic packing ring between centre pivot block and bottom stopper with Inter lock
washer as shown in drawing no. SK.VL 611 (Annexure I).

7.

MATERIALS REQUIRED AND SOURCES OF SUPPLY

Material Required

A metallic Packing Ring (02 Nos. per loco) to RDSO drawing no. SK.VL- 611.

Inter lock washers (06 Nos. per loco) to RDSO drawing no. SK.VL- 611.

Likely Sources of Supply

i.

For Inter Lock Washers:

M/s VMR Engineering Services Pvt. Ltd., 20, Paras Majestic, E-8, Arera Colony, Bhopal for
Disc-lock washers.

M/s Fair Field Equipment Pvt. Limited, 40, Strand Road, 2nd Floor, Room No. 14, Kolkata for
Nord Lock washers.

ii. Packing Ring can be procured from approved sources of DLW/ Zonal Railways.
8.

9.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Measures for preventing failure of Centre Pivot Block and its components fitted in WDG3A/
DM3D locomotives have been contained in modification sheet no. MP.MOD.VL-03.10.09
issued vide letter no. SV. Alteration dated 28.04.2009 including implementation of nonmetallic CP block. It shall prevent impact loading of bottom screws resulting in to their
failures. This modification should be undertaken in these locomotives on priority.

For fitment instructions and sources of supply of Inter lock washer, this office Instruction
Bulletin No. MP.IB.VL- 06.28.09 (Rev.00) may be referred.

AGENCY AND SCHEDULE OF IMPLEMENTATION

i.

Diesel Locomotive Works, Varanasi during manufacture of locomotive.

ii.

Diesel Loco Modernisation Works during rebuilding/ manufacture of locomotive.

iii. POH workshops during POH of locomotive.

iv. Diesel Loco Sheds holding WDG3A and WDM3D locomotives during first available
opportunity.
10. DISTRIBUTION
As per enclosed list.
11. REFERENCE
Central Railways D.O. no. M.381.D.UTN.4.Safety/Accident dated 18.11.2009

(NARESH KUMAR)
Director / MP (VDG)
For Director General / MP

Annexure- I

1
2

8 10

12
6

11

2
7

11

10
3

5
9

6
ENLARGED VIEW - Y
ENLARGED VIEW - X

Mailing List
1. ChiefDesignEngineer,DieselLocomotiveWorks,Varanasi221004
2. ChiefMechanicalEngineer(Rebuilding),DMW,Patiala147003
3. ChiefWorksManager:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.

Northern Railway
Southern Railway
Central Railway
South Eastern Railway
North Western Railway
Eastern Railway

Loco Workshop, Charbagh, Lucknow - 226 005

Loco Workshop, Golden Rock, Tiruchirapalli - 620 004
Loco Workshop, Parel, Mumbai
Loco Workshop, Kharagpur - 721 304
Loco Workshop, Ajmer - 305 001
Loco Workshop, Jamalpur - 811 214

4. ChiefMotivePowerEngineer(DSL):
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
xii.
xiii.
xiv.
xv.

Central Railway
Eastern Railway
Northern Railway
Southern Railway
South Eastern Railway
South Central Railway
Western Railway
Northeast Frontier Rly.
East Central Railway
North Western Railway
North Central Railway
South Western Railway
West Central Railway
East Coast Railway
South East Central Rly.

CST Mumbai - 400 001

Fairlie Place, Kolkata - 700 001
Baroda House, New Delhi - 110 001
NGO Annexes, Park Town, Chennai - 600 003
Garden Reach, Kolkata - 700 043
Rail Nilayam, Secunderabad - 500 071
Churchgate, Mumbai - 400 020
Maligaon, Guwahati - 781 011
Hajipur (Bihar) - 844 101
Jaipur - 302 006
Allahabad - 211 001
Hubli (Karnataka) - 580 023
Jabalpur (MP) - 482 001
Rail Vihar, B-2 Chandrasekharpur, Bhubaneshwar - 571 023
Bilaspur (MP) - 495 004

5. Sr.Div.Mech.Engineer(Dsl.)/Div.Mech.Engineer(Dsl.),DieselLocoShed:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
xii.
xiii.
xiv.
xv.
xvi.
xvii.
xviii.
xix.
xx.
xxi.
xxii.
xxiii.
xxiv.

West Central Railway

West Central Railway
North Central Railway
Central Railway
Central Railway
Eastern Railway
East Central Railway
East Central Railway
North Western Railway
Northern Railway
Northern Railway
Northeast Frontier Rly.
Northeast Frontier Rly.
Southern Railway
Southern Railway
South Central Railway
South Central Railway
South Central Railway
South Western Railway
East Coast Railway
South Eastern Railway
South East Central Rly.
North Western Railway
Western Railway,

Itarsi - 461 115

New Katni Jn. - 463 501
Jhansi - 284 001
Pune - 411 103
Kalyan - 421 304
Andal, District-Burdwan - 713 321
Patratu, hazaribagh (Jharkhand) - 829 120
Samastipur (Bihar) - 848 101
Bhagat - ki - kothi, Jodhpur - 342 001
Alambagh, Lucknow - 226 011
Ludhiana - 141 001
Malda Town - 732 102
Narangi, New Guwahati - 781 021
Golden Rock, Ponmalai, Tiruchchirapalli - 620 004
Erode - 638 002
Guntakal, Anantpur - 515 801
Kazipet , District-Warangal - 560 003
Gooty , DistrictAnantpur - 515 402
Krishna Rajapuram, Bangalore - 560 036
Vishakhapatnam , Kanchrapalam - 530 008
Bondamunda , Sundar Nagar - 770 032
Raipur (Chhattisgarh) - 492 005
Abu Road, Sirohi - 307 026
Vatva, Ahmedabad - 382 445