Hirect's 6,000 hp Locomotive Drive System Clears Acceptance Trials

Indian power electronics firm Hirect has wrapped up acceptance testing for a heavy-duty electric locomotive propulsion package rated at 6,000 hp (4,475 kW). The system powered a WAG-9 locomotive hauling loaded freight, and the company says it stood up to punishing duty cycles and a thermally challenging operating environment.

According to Hirect, the entire package was developed internally, covering design, engineering and manufacturing. That scope includes the system’s liquid-cooled IGBT components, a detail that points to the company’s push to keep core power electronics know-how in-house rather than relying on outside suppliers.

The milestone matters beyond a single locomotive: it signals growing domestic capability in high-power traction electronics, a segment where Indian rail operators have historically leaned on established global vendors. Hirect has not disclosed production timelines or which additional platforms might adopt the system.