The Death of a Locomotive: Scenes from a scrap yard

Witness the mournful demise of the diesel-hydraulic locomotives, baring the bones and the skeletons.

First blood by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

There is a silent wiping out which happens in the backyards of the Indian Railways – the death of Diesel-Hydraulic locomotive, class WDS4 – quietly, without tears and unsung.

Awaiting their turn by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

Above: WDS4 19455 and 19593 line up in the background as the remains of the two previous locomotives are being finished off.

Many of the locos have died, and their last rites were performed in a yard, cutting them to bare bones and selling them off as scrap.

Locomotive 19593's cab taken off with the help of a road crane by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

The workers take the cab off of 19593 with the help of a road cane.

A hint of life within the metal carcass by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

Despite dissembling, loco no. 19593 still had life in it in the form of a nest of wasps in its engine bay.

The engine of Locomotive 19455 extracted by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

The last rites of a locomotive are quite mechanical – gas cut to pieces and loaded off to some scrap yard. But in some way this is, in fact, a perfect reincarnation, and that is why steel is so fundamental to the development of civilisation.

Two locomotives stripped of cabs and other superstructures by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

The locomotive is cut to pieces, the heavier sections are segregated and are sent for melting and recycling.

The high-tech hydraulic transmission is down by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

The lighter sheets are also recycled, but separately. Assemblies with copper and brass content are segregated for further processing and separate recycling.

Tools of the trade by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

The workers use gas torches, cranes and the sledge hammer as their tools of trade.

The engine being prepared for uprooting by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

Engine being prepared for uprooting.

High-precision engineering meets low-tech gas cutting by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

High-precision engineering of the gear box meets its destiny with low-tech gas cutting.

An accidental fire by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

Workers fight the fire that was caused by accident.

Loaded and off for melting, and a new life by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

At the end of it all, after getting shredded to pieces with gas fed flames, locomotives 19455 and 19593 finally get ready to get dissolved into 'Panch Tatva'.

Loaded and off for melting and, a new life by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

Loaded and off for melting, these scraps are off to get a new life.

Several WDS4 locomotives awaiting their final destination by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

There is a culmination of life and rebirth that happens in some foundry, mill or steel plant, somewhere in country as another piece of steel becomes parts of a sleek car, a humble spanner, an ocean-going ship, a sturdy golf club or any of the myriads of steel items that we use today.

The final destination by Ajay SinghRail Enthusiasts' Society

The cycle of life, even of steel, goes on.

Credits: Story

Author: Ajay Singh

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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