Workshops are the backbone of the Indian Railways, ensuring that trains are available for service in tiptop condition and one is India’s first electric loco shed (ELS) in Kalyan, which is part of Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

This important site of the railways completed 93 years yesterday with Central Railways celebrating the day by holding events at the shed. It was established on November 28, 1928 under the Great Indian Peninsula Railway.

In a tweet the CR mentions: “ELS, Kalyan- India’s First Electric Loco Shed completes 93 years. ELS Kalyan has played a vital role in operation of locomotives during DC to AC phase, for Push-Pull method, in Covid-19 & also contributes in minimising use of Diesel Power cars enriching environment.”

The 93 years journey of the shed has been momentous and during this course of time it has maintained 16 different types of locomotives. The shed played a vital role in view of the fact that the Mumbai Division is surrounded by Ghat sections on both North East and South East sides and thus the Kalyan based locomotives rendered an important and essential service of banking which means providing additional power for hauling mail/goods trains, both Up and Down the Ghat sections.

In 2007 when the Mumbai Division underwent the conversion from DC to AC in the North Eastern Ghat, the wide AC electric goods (WAG)-7 and WAG-5 locomotives were introduced and these were maintained by the shed.

Given the track record of the ELS Kalyan in ably handling the locomotives, in 2013, the latest in technology, the pure AC locomotive 6122 HP WAG-9 with IGBT Converter was added to its fleet.

The Shed also boasts of an Accident Relief Train and High Speed – Self Propelled Accident Relief Train as part of its fleet.

It is also playing a role in environment protection by keeping the use of diesel-based power cars to the minimum by using WAP-7 locomotives and HOG systems.

During the Covid-19 pandemic waves, the shed ensured uninterrupted freight and passenger services.

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