Deutsche Bahn DBAG Class 152 pulling a freight train.

New Jersey Transit ALP-46 AC locomotive based on the DBAG Class 101.

"Electric Trains" redirects here. For the 1995 Squeeze single, see Electric Trains (song).

An electric locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from an external source. Sources include overhead lines, third rail or an on-board electricity storage device such as a battery or a flywheel system. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1155x768, 253 KB) Description Licensing List of references and voucher please send to kj@uue. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1155x768, 253 KB) Description Licensing List of references and voucher please send to kj@uue. ... Germanys main train operator, the Deutsche Bahn AG (German Railway Corporation, also known as DB or DBAG) provides passenger and freight service via federally owned tracks. ... The 152 is a class of electric locomotives operated by Railion (formerly DB Cargo) in Germany, introduced in 1996. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,024 × 768 pixels, file size: 186 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,024 × 768 pixels, file size: 186 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... This articles section called Specifications does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... DBAG Class 101 is a class of three-phase electric locomotives built by Adtranz and operated by DB Fernverkehr in Germany. ... For other uses, see Squeeze (disambiguation). ... Electric Trains was the second single released from Squeezes eleventh album, Ridiculous. ... Great Western Railway No. ... The overhead lines of a Swiss Federal Railways track. ... Third rail at the West Falls Church Metro stop in Washington, D.C., electrified to 750 volts. ... A battery is of one or more electrochemical cells, which store chemical energy and make it available in an electrical form. ... For other uses, see Battery. ... NASA G2 flywheel Flywheel Energy Storage (FES) works by accelerating a rotor (flywheel) to a very high speed and maintaining the energy in the system as rotational energy. ...

Electrically-propelled locomotives with on-board fueled prime movers, such as diesel engines or gas turbines, are not classed as electric locomotives but as hybrid, as the electric generator/motor combination is only considered to be the power transmission system. Diesel engines in a museum Diesel generator on an oil tanker A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine which operates using the Diesel cycle. ... This machine has a single-stage centrifugal compressor and turbine, a recuperator, and foil bearings. ... For other types of hybrid transportation, see Hybrid vehicle (disambiguation). ... “Gearbox” redirects here. ...

Characteristics

One of the major reasons for electrification is the lack of pollution, at least from the locomotives themselves. Other reasons are higher performance, lower maintenance costs, and lower energy cost for electric locomotives.

Power plants, even if they burn fossil fuels, are far cleaner than mobile sources such as locomotive engines. Also the power for electric locomotives can come from clean and renewable sources, including hydroelectric power, solar power, and wind turbines. Electric locomotives are also quiet compared to diesel locomotives since there is no engine and exhaust noise and less mechanical noise. The lack of reciprocating parts means that electric locomotives are easier on the track, reducing track maintenance.

Power plant capacity is far greater than what any individual locomotive uses, so electric locomotives can have higher power output than diesel locomotives and they can produce even higher short-term surge power for fast acceleration. Electric locomotives are ideal for commuter rail service with frequent stops. Electric locomotives are used on all high-speed lines, such as Acela in the US, Shinkansen in Japan and TGV in France. Electric locomotives are also used on freight routes that have a consistently high traffic volume, or in areas with advanced rail networks. A Connex commuter train stands by the platform in Melbourne, Australia Regional rail systems, or commuter rail systems, usually provide a rail service through a central business district area into suburbs or other locations that draw large numbers of people on a daily basis. ... Acela is a brand applied by Amtrak to its high-speed trains along the Northeast Corridor in the Northeast U.S., called Acela Express. ... For the record label, see Shinkansen Records. ... For the group of heart conditions referred to as TGV, see Transposition of the great vessels. ...

Electric locomotives benefit from the high efficiency of electric motors, often above 90%. Additional efficiency can be gained from regenerative braking, which allows kinetic energy to be recovered during braking to put some power back on the line. Newer electric locomotives use AC motor-inverter drive systems that provide for regenerative braking. Regenerative braking is any technology which allows a vehicle to recapture and store part of the kinetic energy that would otherwise be lost to heat when braking. ... The cars of a roller coaster reach their maximum kinetic energy when at the bottom of their path. ...

The chief disadvantage of electrification is the cost for infrastructure (overhead power lines or electrified third rail, substations, control systems). Public policy in the US currently interferes with electrification---higher property taxes are imposed on privately owned rail facilities if they have electrification facilities. Also, US regulations on diesel locomotives are very weak compared to regulations on automobile emissions or power plant emissions.

History

Alco-GE Prototype Class S-1, NYC & HR no. 6000

A GE steeplecab electric locomotive. This example is fitted with trolley poles for service on an interurban railroad.

A Milwaukee Road class ES-2, an example of a larger steeplecab switcher for service on an electrified heavy-duty railroad.

The first known electric locomotive was built by a Scotsman, Robert Davidson of Aberdeen in 1837 and was powered by galvanic cells ('batteries'). Davidson later built a larger locomotive named Galvani which was exhibited at the Royal Scottish Society of Arts Exhibition in 1841. The first electric passenger train was presented at Berlin in 1879. However, the limited electric power available from batteries prevented its general use on railways.^[1] Electric trolleys were pioneered in 1888 on the Richmond Union Passenger Railway, using equipment designed by Frank J. Sprague.^[2] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 519 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,590 × 1,032 pixels, file size: 310 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) See: http://www. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 519 pixelsFull resolution‎ (1,590 × 1,032 pixels, file size: 310 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) See: http://www. ... Alco-GE was a partnership between the American Locomotive Company and General Electric that lasted from 1940 to 1953. ... GE redirects here. ... An interurban, also called a radial railway in parts of Canada, is a streetcar line running between urban areas or from urban to rural areas. ... A modern US switcher, an EMD SW1500. ... This article is about the country. ... Robert Davidson of Aberdeen was a Scottish inventor who built the first known electric locomotive in 1837. ... For other uses, see Aberdeen (disambiguation). ... Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 (MDCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Galvanic cell, named after Luigi Galvani, consists of two different metals connected by a salt bridge or a porous disk between the individual half-cells. ... A society founded by Sir David Brewster in 1821 and dedicated to the promotion of invention and enterprise. External links Royal Scottish Society of Arts Categories: Stub ... This article is about the capital of Germany. ... This article refers to the mass transit vehicle running on rails. ... Richmond Union Passenger Railway. ...

Much of the early development of electric locomotion was driven by the increasing use of tunnels, particularly in urban areas. Smoke from steam locomotives was noxious, and municipalities were increasingly inclined to prohibit their use within their limits. Thus the first successful working, the City and South London Railway underground line in the UK, was prompted by a clause in its enabling act, prohibiting use of steam power.^[3] This line opened in 1890, using electric locomotives built by Mather and Platt. Electricity quickly became the power supply of choice for subways, abetted by the Sprague's invention of multiple-unit train control in 1897. Surface and elevated rapid transit systems generally used steam until forced to convert by ordinance. C&SLR locomotive number 13, preserved at Londons Transport Museum Depot, 2005 The interior of C&SLR locomotive number 13 The City & South London Railway (C&SLR), known as City of London & Southwark Subway for a time prior to its opening, is considered to be the first real deep... “Mass Transit” redirects here. ... Multiple-unit train control sometimes referred to simply as multiple-unit or MU, is a method of simultaneously controlling all the motors in a train including a number of self-powered cars from a single operating location. ... “Mass Transit” redirects here. ...

The first use of electrification on a mainline was on a four-mile stretch of the Baltimore Belt Line of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) in 1895. This track connected the main portion of the B&O to the newly built line to New York, and it required a series of tunnels around the edges of Baltimore's downtown. Parallel tracks on the Pennsylvania Railroad had shown that coal smoke from steam locomotives would be a major operating issue, as well as a public nuisance. Three Bo+Bo units were initially used, at the south end of the electrified section; they coupled onto the entire train, locomotive and all, and pulled it through the tunnels.^[4] The Baltimore Belt Line was constructed by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in the 1890s to connect the railroads newly constructed line to New York City with the rest of the railroad. ... The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad, with an original line from the port of Baltimore, Maryland, west to the Ohio River at Wheeling and a few years later also to Parkersburg, West Virginia. ... 1893 map The Pennsylvania Railroad (AAR reporting mark PRR) was an American railroad that was founded in 1846 and merged in 1968 into Penn Central Transportation. ... One of the last mainline steam locomotives built in the UK: British Railways Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 no. ... The UIC classification is a comprehensive system for describing the wheel arrangement of locomotives. ...

Railroad entrances to New York City required similar tunnels, and the smoke problems were more acute there. A collision in the Park Avenue tunnel in 1902 led the New York State legislature to outlaw the use of smoke-generating locomotives south of the Harlem River after July 1, 1908. In response, electric locomotives began operation in 1904 on the New York Central Railroad. In the 1930s the Pennsylvania Railroad, which also had introduced electric locomotives because of the NYC regulation, electrified its entire territory east of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... The Harlem River, shown in red, between the Bronx and Manhattan in New York City The Harlem River is a tidal strait in New York City, USA that flows 8 miles (13 km) between the East River and the Hudson River, separating the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... For the current company, see New York Central Lines LLC. The New York Central Railroad (AAR reporting marks NYC), known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States. ... 1893 map The Pennsylvania Railroad (AAR reporting mark PRR) was an American railroad that was founded in 1846 and merged in 1968 into Penn Central Transportation. ... This article is about the capital city of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. ...

In Europe, electrification projects initially focused on mountainous regions for several reasons: coal supplies were difficult and hydroelectric power was readily available; and electric locomotives gave more traction on steeper lines. For example; today 100% of Swiss lines are electrified. Hydroelectric dam diagram The waters of Llyn Stwlan, the upper reservoir of the Ffestiniog Pumped-Storage Scheme in north Wales, can just be glimpsed on the right. ...

Italian railways were the first in the world to introduce electric traction for the entire length of a mainline rather than just a short stretch. The long mountainous terrain of the Valtellina line was electrified in 1902 using three-phase power at 3,600 V, with a maximum speed of 70 km/h. Similar lines followed, the most famous being the St. Gotthard in Switzerland (1919), which used alternating current (AC) at 15,000 V. The use of high voltage AC power allowed the use of lighter lines as a higher voltage means a lower current is required, hence smaller conductors can be used^[5].^[6] A view of Valtellina The church of Tresivio Valtellina (German Veltlin) is a valley in the Lombardy region of northern Italy, bordering Switzerland. ...

In the United States, the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad (the Milwaukee Road), the last transcontinental line to be built, electrified its lines across the Rocky Mountains and to the Pacific Ocean starting in 1915. A few East Coast lines, notably the Virginian Railway and the Norfolk and Western Railway, found it expedient to electrify short sections of their mountain crossings. However, by this point, electrification in the United States was more associated with dense urban traffic, and the center of development shifted to Europe, where electrification was widespread. The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. ... For individual mountains named Rocky Mountain, see Rocky Mountain (disambiguation). ... The Virginian Railway (AAR reporting marks VGN) was a Class I railroad located in Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. ... The Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W) (AAR reporting marks NW), a US class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982. ...

A Swiss Re 420 leads a freight train down the South side of the Gotthard line, which was electrified in 1922. The masts and lines of the catenary can be seen.

The 1960s saw the electrification of many European main lines (Eastern Europe included) European electric locomotives technology had improved steadily from the 1920s onwards. By comparison, the Milwaukee Road class EP-2 (1918) weighed 240 t, with a power of 3,330 kW and a maximum speed of 112 km/h; in 1935, German E 18 had a power of 2,800 kW, but weighed only 108 tons and had a maximum speed of 150 km/h. On March 29, 1955 French locomotive CC 7107 reached a speed of 331 km/h. In 1960 the SJ Class Dm 3 locomotives introduced on the Swedish Railways produced a record 7,200 kW. Locomotives capable of commercial passenger service at 200 km/h appeared in Germany and France in the same period. Further improvements resulted from the introduction of electronic control systems, which permitted the use of increasingly lighter and more powerful motors (standardising from the 1990s onwards on asynchronous three-phase motors, fed through GTO-inverters). Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2292x1800, 859 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Gotthard Base Tunnel Gotthardbahn ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2292x1800, 859 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Gotthard Base Tunnel Gotthardbahn ... The Re 420 (in the previous numbering scheme, the Re 4/4II) series are the most common electric locomotives of the Swiss Federal Railways. ... Map of the Gotthardbahn Gotthardbahn was the name of a private Swiss railway company which operated the railway line from Immensee (canton of Schwyz) to Chiasso (Italian border). ... Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Milwaukee Roads class EP-2 comprised five electric locomotives built by General Electric in 1919. ... is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1955 Gregorian calendar). ...

In the United States, the use of electric locomotives declined in the face of dieselization. Diesels shared some of the electric locomotive’s advantages of over steam, and the cost of building and maintaining the power supply infrastructure, which had always worked to discourage new installations, brought on the elimination of most mainline electrification outside the Northeast. Except for a few captive systems (e.g. the Black Mesa and Lake Powell), by 2000 electrification was confined to the Northeast Corridor and some commuter service; even there, freight service was handled by diesels. Eastbound train on the Black Mesa and Lake Powell railroad, May 19, 2007 The Black Mesa and Lake Powell (AAR reporting marks BLKM) is a private railroad owned by Salt River Project operating in Northern Arizona, USA within the Navajo Nation. ... Most of the NEC (those sections shown in red, except Boston to the Rhode Island state line) is owned by Amtrak. ...

In the 1980s, development of very high-speed service brought a revival of electrification. The Japanese Shinkansen and the French TGV were the first systems for which devoted high-speed lines were built from scratch. Similar programs were undertaken in Italy, Germany and Spain; in the United States the only new mainline service was an extension of electrification over the Northeast Corridor from New Haven, Connecticut to Boston, Massachusetts, though new light rail systems, using electrically powered cars, continued to be built. For the record label, see Shinkansen Records. ... For the group of heart conditions referred to as TGV, see Transposition of the great vessels. ... New Haven redirects here. ... Boston redirects here. ... This article is about light rail systems in general. ...

On 2 September 2006 a Siemens Electric locomotive of the Type ES64-U4 (ÖBB Class 1216) raced to a speed of 357 km/h beating the French^[7]. is the 245th day of the year (246th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The EuroSprinter family of electric locomotives is a modular concept of locomotives for the European market built by Siemens. ...

Electric locomotive types

The operating controls of the 1,000 mm (3 ft 3⅜ in) gauge cogwheel electric locomotive BDeh 4/4 view, operating in line Luzern-Engelberg. The wheel controls motor power, not driving direction.

Electric locomotive used in mining operations in Flin Flon, Manitoba. This locomotive is on display and not currently in service.

An electric locomotive can be supplied with power from Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (3,264 × 2,448 pixels, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (3,264 × 2,448 pixels, file size: 1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 1829 KB)A DC Electric Locomotive used in surface smelter operations at the Hudsons Bay Mining and Smelting Company in Flin Flon, Manitoba. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2304x1728, 1829 KB)A DC Electric Locomotive used in surface smelter operations at the Hudsons Bay Mining and Smelting Company in Flin Flon, Manitoba. ... Flin Flon, Manitoba-Saskatchewan (pop. ...

• Rechargeable energy storage systems, as battery or ultracapacitor-powered mining locomotives.
• A stationary source, such as a third rail or overhead wire.

This is in marked contrast to a Diesel-electric locomotive, which combines an onboard Diesel engine with an electrical power transmission or store (battery, ultracapacitor) system. A rechargeable energy storage system or RESS is a system that stores energy for delivery of electric energy and which is rechargeable. ... An Ultracapacitor is a capacitor that has an unusually large amount of energy storage capability relative to its size when compared to common capacitors. ... This article is about mineral extractions. ... Third rail at the West Falls Church Metro stop in Washington, D.C., electrified to 750 volts. ... The overhead lines of a Swiss Federal Railways track. ... Great Western Railway No. ... For the philosophical/theological concept of a prime mover (that is, a self-existent being that is the ultimate cause or mover of all things), see cosmological argument. ... Power transmission is the movement of energy from its place of generation to a location where it is applied to performing useful work. ...

The distinguishing design features of electric locomotives are:

• The type of electrical power used, either alternating current or direct current.
• The method for store (batteries, ultracapacitors) or collecting (transmission) electrical power.
• The means used to mechanically couple the traction motors to the driving wheels (drivers).

City lights viewed in a motion blurred exposure. ... Direct current (DC or continuous current) is the continuous flow of electricity through a conductor such as a wire from high to low potential. ... Traction motor typically refers to those motors that are used to power the driving wheels of a railroad locomotive, electrical multi-unit train (such as a subway or light rail vehicle train), or a tram. ...

Direct or alternating current

The most fundamental difference lies in the choice of direct (DC) or alternating current (AC). The earliest systems used direct current as, initially, alternating current was not well understood. Direct current locomotives typically run at relatively low voltage (750 to 3,000 volts); the equipment is therefore relatively massive because the currents involved are large in order to transmit sufficient power. Power must be supplied at frequent intervals as the high currents result in large transmission system losses. Direct current (DC or continuous current) is the continuous flow of electricity through a conductor such as a wire from high to low potential. ... City lights viewed in a motion blurred exposure. ...

As alternating current motors were developed, they became the predominant types, particularly on longer routes. High voltages (tens of thousands of volts) are used because this allows the use of low currents; transmission losses are proportional to the square of the current (e.g. twice the current means four times the loss). Thus, high power can be conducted over long distances on lighter and cheaper wires. Transformers in the locomotives transform this power to a low voltage, high current for the motors (the magnet fields, hence power, from the motor is proportional to electric current).^[8] A similar high voltage, low current system could not be employed with direct current locomotives because there is no easy way for DC to do the voltage/current transformation so efficiently achieved by AC transformers. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Swedish Rc- series locomotives introduced use of thyristors with DC engines.

AC traction sometimes uses three phase current rather than the single phase of household use. Speed control of three-phase AC motors remained problematic until the introduction of power electronic control circuits in the 1960s. Italy was the only country to try to solve the problem by using three-phase motors fed by three-phase lines: this system, however, caused other maintenance and technology problems, and was abandoned in the 1970s. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,304 × 1,728 pixels, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution‎ (2,304 × 1,728 pixels, file size: 1. ... Rc-loket or the Rc-locomotive is the most common locomotive in Sweden. ... Circuit symbol for a thyristor The thyristor is a solid-state semiconductor device with four layers of alternating N and P-type material. ... Three phase systems have 3 waveforms (usually carrying power) that are 2/3π radians (120 degrees,1/3 of a cycle) offset in time. ...

The previous direct commutators had problems at both start and low velocities. Rectifier locomotives, which used AC power transmission and DC motors, were common. Today's advanced electric locomotives have invariably Three-phase AC induction motors. These polyphase machines are powered from GTO inverters. The cost of electronic devices in a modern locomotive can be up to 50% of the total cost of the vehicle. A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current to rectified direct current, a process known as rectification. ... For other kinds of motors, see motor. ... A Gate turn-off thyristor (GTO) is a special type of thyristor, a high-power semiconductor device. ...

Electric traction allows the use of regenerative braking, in which the motors are used as brakes and become generators that transform the motion of the train into electrical power that is then fed back into the lines. This system is particularly advantageous in mountainous operations, as descending locomotives can produces a large portion of the power required for ascending trains. Regenerative braking is any technology which allows a vehicle to recapture and store part of the kinetic energy that would otherwise be lost to heat when braking. ...

Most systems have a characteristic voltage, and in the case of AC power a system frequency. Many locomotives over the years were equipped to handle multiple voltages and frequencies as systems came to overlap or were upgraded. American FL9 locomotives were equipped to handle power from two different electrical systems and could also operate as a conventional diesel-electric. The EMD FL9 (New Haven Class EDER-5) was a dual-power electro-diesel locomotive, capable of self-powered diesel-electric operation and of operation as an electric locomotive powered from a third rail. ...

While recently designed systems invariably operate on alternating current, many existing direct current systems are still in use — e.g. in South Africa, Spain, and the United Kingdom (750 V and 1,500 V); Netherlands, Mumbai, Ireland (1,500 V); Belgium, Italy, Poland, Russia (3,000 V), and the cities of Washington DC (750 V). Direct current (DC or continuous current) is the continuous flow of electricity through a conductor such as a wire from high to low potential. ... , Bombay redirects here. ... Flag Seal Nickname: DC, The District Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location Location of Washington, D.C., with regard to the surrounding states of Maryland and Virginia. ...

Power transmission

A modern pantograph. The device shown is technically a half-pantograph.

See also Railway electrification system Image File history File links A Z shape pantogrpah From De Wikipedia http://de. ... Image File history File links A Z shape pantogrpah From De Wikipedia http://de. ... A pantograph is a device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. ... Overhead wire in Coventry, England Overhead wire and its suspension system in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA A railway electrification system is a way of supplying electric power to electric locomotives and multiple units. ...

Electrical circuits require two connections (or for three phase AC, three connections). From the very beginning the trackwork itself was used for one side of the circuit. Unlike model railroads, however, the trackwork normally supplies only one side, the other side(s) of the circuit being provided separately. Three phase systems have 3 waveforms (usually carrying power) that are 2/3π radians (120 degrees,1/3 of a cycle) offset in time. ... This article needs cleanup. ...

The original Baltimore and Ohio Railroad electrification used a sliding shoe in an overhead channel, a system quickly found to be unsatisfactory. It was replaced with a third rail system, in which a pickup (the "shoe") rode underneath or on top of a smaller rail parallel to the main track, somewhat above ground level. There were multiple pickups on both sides of the locomotive in order to accommodate the breaks in the third rail required by trackwork. This system is preferred in subways because of the close clearances it affords. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad, with an original line from the port of Baltimore, Maryland, west to the Ohio River at Wheeling and a few years later also to Parkersburg, West Virginia. ... Third rail at the West Falls Church Metro stop in Washington, D.C., electrified to 750 volts. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

However, railways generally tend to prefer overhead lines, often called "catenaries" after the support system used to hold the wire parallel to the ground. Three collection methods are possible: The overhead lines of a Swiss Federal Railways track. ... For the railroad term see Overhead lines For its use in ring theory, see Catenary ring. ...

• Trolley pole: a long flexible pole, which engages the line with a wheel or shoe.
• Bow collector: a frame that holds a long collecting rod against the wire.
• Pantograph: a hinged frame that holds the collecting shoes against the wire in a fixed geometry.

Of the three, the pantograph method is best suited for high-speed operation. Some locomotives are equipped to use both overhead and third rail collection(e.g. British Rail Class 92). Trolley poles are usually tapered cylindrical poles of wood or metal, used to transfer electricity from a live overhead wire to the control and propulsion equipment of a trolley car, tram or trolley bus. ... An old tram with a bow collector built in 1907 still running in Oberbozen, South Tyrol, Italy A bow collector is one of the three main devices used on tramcars to transfer electric current from the wires above to the tram below, the other devices being the pantograph and trolley... A pantograph is a device that collects electric current from overhead lines for electric trains or trams. ... 92027 George Eliot at Stafford in August 2005 with an intermodal train. ...

Driving the wheels

One of the Milwaukee Road EP-2 "Bi-polar" electrics.

During the initial development of railroad electrical propulsion, a number of drive systems were devised to couple the output of the traction motors to the wheels. One of the earliest methods was the jackshaft drive^{[citation needed]}. In this arrangement, the traction motor is mounted within the body of the locomotive and drives the jackshaft through a set of gears. This system was employed because the first traction motors were too large and heavy to mount directly on the axles. Due to the number of mechanical parts involved, frequent maintenance was necessary. The jackshaft drive was abandoned for all but the smallest units when smaller and lighter motors were developed, Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 396 pixelsFull resolution‎ (3,873 × 1,916 pixels, file size: 675 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Please see the file description page for further information. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 396 pixelsFull resolution‎ (3,873 × 1,916 pixels, file size: 675 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Please see the file description page for further information. ... The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. ... The Milwaukee Roads class EP-2 comprised five electric locomotives built by General Electric in 1919. ... Traction motor typically refers to those motors that are used to power the driving wheels of a railroad locomotive, electrical multi-unit train (such as a subway or light rail vehicle train), or a tram. ... A British Rail Class 04 switcher with a jackshaft under the cab. ... Traction motor typically refers to those motors that are used to power the driving wheels of a railroad locomotive, electrical multi-unit train (such as a subway or light rail vehicle train), or a tram. ... A British Rail Class 04 switcher with a jackshaft under the cab. ... Traction motor typically refers to those motors that are used to power the driving wheels of a railroad locomotive, electrical multi-unit train (such as a subway or light rail vehicle train), or a tram. ... A British Rail Class 04 switcher with a jackshaft under the cab. ...

Several other systems were devised as the electric locomotive matured. One drive type, referred to as the quill drive, mounted the traction motor above or to the side of the axle and coupled to the axle through a reduction gear and a semi-flexible shaft (the quill). The Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 locomotive used a quill drive. Again, as traction motors continued to shrink in size and weight, quill drives gradually fell out of favor. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The Pennsylvania Railroads GG1 class of electric locomotives were built between 1934 to 1943 at the PRR shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania, with a total of 139 units constructed. ... Traction motor typically refers to those motors that are used to power the driving wheels of a railroad locomotive, electrical multi-unit train (such as a subway or light rail vehicle train), or a tram. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Another drive example was the "bi-polar" system, in which the motor armature was the axle itself, the frame and field assembly of the motor being attached to the truck (bogie) in a fixed position. The motor had two field poles, which allowed a limited amount of vertical movement of the armature. This system was of limited value since the power output of each motor was limited. The EP-2 bi-polar electrics used by the Milwaukee Road compensated for this problem by using a large number of powered axles. The Milwaukee Roads class EP-2 comprised five electric locomotives built by General Electric in 1919. ... The Milwaukee Road, officially the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. ...

Modern electric locomotives, like their Diesel-electric counterparts, almost universally use axle-hung traction motors, with one motor for each powered axle. In this arrangement, one side of the motor housing is supported by plain bearings riding on a ground and polished journal that is integral to the axle. The other side of the housing has a tongue-shaped protuberance that engages a matching slot in the truck (bogie) bolster, its purpose being to act as a torque reaction device, as well as a support. Power transfer from motor to axle is effected by spur gearing, in which a pinion on the motor shaft engages a bull gear on the axle. Both gears are enclosed in a liquid-tight housing containing lubricating oil. The type of service in which the locomotive is used dictates the gear ratio employed. Numerically high ratios are commonly found on freight units, whereas numerically low ratios are typical of passenger engines. A number of vehicles use a diesel-electric powerplant for providing locomotion. ... Traction motor typically refers to those motors that are used to power the driving wheels of a railroad locomotive, electrical multi-unit train (such as a subway or light rail vehicle train), or a tram. ... This article is about the pillow called a bolster. ... For other senses of this word, see torque (disambiguation). ... Illustration of a Gear train with a pinion shown. ... The term bull gear is used to refer to the larger of two spur gears that are in engagement in any machine. ... Freight is a term used to classify the transportation of cargo and is typically a commercial process. ... A passenger is a term broadly used to describe any person who travels in a vehicle, but bears little or no responsibility for the tasks required for that vehicle to arrive at its destination. ...

Wheel arrangements

A GG1 electric locomotive.

The Whyte notation system for classifying steam locomotives is not adequate for describing the varieties of electric locomotive arrangements, though the Pennsylvania Railroad applied classes to its electric locomotives as if they were steam or concatenations of such. For example, the PRR GG1 class indicates that it is arranged like two 4-6-0 class G locomotives that are coupled back-to-back. Download high resolution version (1024x768, 222 KB)Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 number 4890 on display at the National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, WI. Photo by Sean Lamb (User:Slambo). ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 222 KB)Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 number 4890 on display at the National Railroad Museum, Green Bay, WI. Photo by Sean Lamb (User:Slambo). ... PRR GG1 number 4890 on display at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay, WI. The Pennsylvania Railroads GG1 class of electric locomotives were built between 1934 to 1943, with a total of 139 units constructed. ... A selection of early 20th century locomotive types according to their Whyte notation and their comparative size The Whyte notation for classifying steam locomotives by wheel arrangement was devised by Frederick Methvan Whyte and came into use in the early 20th century. ... One of the last mainline steam locomotives built in the UK: British Railways Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 no. ... 1893 map The Pennsylvania Railroad (AAR reporting mark PRR) was an American railroad that was founded in 1846 and merged in 1968 into Penn Central Transportation. ... Class (locomotive) refers to a group of locomotives built to a common design for a single railroad. ... The Pennsylvania Railroads GG1 class of electric locomotives were built between 1934 to 1943 at the PRR shops in Altoona, Pennsylvania, with a total of 139 units constructed. ... A Finnish 4-6-0, built by Tampella in 1915 In the Whyte notation, a 4-6-0 is a railroad steam locomotive that has a two-axle leading truck followed by three driving axles. ...

In any case, the UIC classification system was typically used for electric locomotives, as it could handle the complex arrangements of powered and unpowered axles, and could distinguish between coupled and uncoupled drive systems. The UIC classification is a comprehensive system for describing the wheel arrangement of locomotives. ...

Electric traction in the world

United States

In the United States it was estimated that it cost as much to electrify a railroad as it cost to build it in the first place. Overhead lines and third rails require greater clearances, and the right-of-way must be better separated to protect the public from electrocution, as well as from trains which approach much more quietly than diesels or steam.

For most large systems the cost of electrifying the whole system is impractical, and generally only some divisions are electrified. In the United States only certain dense urban areas and some mountainous areas were electrified, and the latter have all been discontinued. The junction between electrified and unelectrified territory is the locale of engine changes; for example, Amtrak trains had extended stops in New Haven, Connecticut as diesel and electric locomotives were swapped, a delay which contributed to the electrification of the remaining segment of the Northeast Corridor in 2000.^[9] Vermonter at the Brattleboro, Vermont, station, 18 March 2004. ... New Haven redirects here. ... Most of the NEC (those sections shown in red, except Boston to the Rhode Island state line) is owned by Amtrak. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

In North America, the flexibility of diesel locomotives and the relative low cost of their infrastructure has led them to prevail except where legal or other operational constraints dictate the use of electricity. An example of the latter is the use of electric locomotives by AMTRAK and commuter railroads in The Northeast. Categories: Rail stubs | Public transport ...

Europe

NER No.1, Locomotion museum, Shildon

Electrification is widespread in Europe. Due to higher density schedules the operating costs of the locomotives are more dominant with respect to the infrastructure costs than in the US, and electric locomotives have much lower operating costs than diesels. In addition, governments were motivated to electrify their railway networks due to coal shortages during the First and Second World War.

It should also be noted that diesel locomotives have little power compared to electric locomotives, given the same weight and dimensions. For instance, the 2,200 kW of a modern British Rail Class 66 were already met in 1927 by the electric SBB-CFF-FFS Ae 4/7 (2,300 kW), which is even a bit lighter. However, it should be noted that for low speeds tractive effort is more important than power, which is a reason why diesel engines are competitive for slow freight traffic (as it is common in the US), but not for passenger or mixed passenger/freight traffic like on many European railway lines, especially not lines with steep grades like the Gotthardbahn or the Brenner railway, where heavy freight trains must be run at comparatively high speeds (80 km/h or more). The Class 66 locomotive is a development of the Class 59 and used both on British and European railway networks—where it is marketed as EMD Series 66. ... Map of the Gotthardbahn Gotthardbahn was the name of a private Swiss railway company which operated the railway line from Immensee (canton of Schwyz) to Chiasso (Italian border). ... The Brenner Pass (Italian Passo del Brennero) is a mountain pass that creates a link through the Tyrolean Alps along the current border between the nations of Austria and Italy, one of the principal passes of the Alps. ...

These factors led to high degrees of electrification in most European countries. In some countries like Switzerland, even electric shunters are common and many private sidings can be served by electric locomotives.

The recent political developments in many European countries to enhance public transit have led to another boost for electric traction. High-speed trains like the TGV or ICE can only be run economically using electric traction, and the operation of branch lines is usually less in deficit when using electric traction, due to cheaper and faster rolling stock and more passengers due to more frequent service and more comfort. In addition, gaps of unelectrified track are closed to avoid replacing electric locomotives by diesels for these sections. Note that the necessary modernisation and electrification of these lines is in most cases only possible due to state subsidies. For the group of heart conditions referred to as TGV, see Transposition of the great vessels. ... ICE 3 trainset near Ingolstadt The InterCityExpress or ICE (German pronunciation: ) is a system of high-speed trains predominantly running in Germany and its neighbouring countries. ...

Australia

Both Victorian Railways and New South Wales Government Railways, which pioneered electric traction in Australia in the early 20th century and continue to operate 1500 V DC Electric Multiple Unit services, have withdrawn their fleets of main line electric locomotives. The Victorian Railways operated railways in the Australian state of Victoria from 1859 to 1983. ... After much discussion in the young colony of New South Wales, the Sydney Railway Company was incorporated on 10 October 1849 with the aim of building a railway from Sydney to Parramatta. ... Trains of the Singapore MRT. EMUs are often used for rapid transit lines. ...

In both states, the use of electric locomotives on principal interurban routes proved to be a qualified success. In Victoria, because only one major line (the Gippsland line) had been electrified, the economic advantages of electric traction were not fully realised due to the need to change locomotives for trains that extended beyond the range of the electrified network. VR's entire electric locomotive fleet was withdrawn from service by 1987,^[10] and the Gippsland line electrification was dismantled by 2004.^[11] Similarly, the new fleet of 86 class locomotives introduced to NSW in 1983 had a relatively short life as the costs of changing locomotives at the extremities of the electrified network, together with the higher charges levied for electricity use, saw diesel-electric locomotives make inroads into the electrified network and the electric locomotive fleet was progressively withdrawn.^[12] The Bairnsdale railway line is a regional railway in Victoria, Australia. ... The Victorian Railways L class was a class of mainline electric locomotive that ran on the Victorian Railways and its successor V/Line from 1953 until 1987. ...

Queensland Rail, conversely, implemented electrification relatively recently and utilises the more recent 25 kV AC technology with around 1,000 km of the QR narrow gauge network now electrified. It operates a fleet of electric locomotives to transport coal for export, the most recent of which are those of the 3,000 kW (4,020 HP) 3300/3400 Class.^[13] Wickham Terrace entrance to Central Station - showing Queensland Rail QR sign QR, previously known as Queensland Rail and Queensland Railways, is the corporation responsible for the operation and maintenance of the railway system in the State of Queensland, Australia. ... 25 kV AC is one of the most common voltages used for railway electrification, usually at 50 Hz or 60 Hz depending on that countrys normal mains frequency. ... Narrow-gauge railways are railroads (railways) with track spaced at less than the standard gauge of 4 ft 8 in (1. ... Coal Example chemical structure of coal Coal is a fossil fuel formed in ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ...

India

In India both AC and DC type of electrified train systems operate today. 1500 V DC based train system is mostly operating in Mumbai area. It is being converted to 25 KV AC system. Rest of the India where routes are electrified mostly operates under 25 KV AC overhead wire.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Electric locomotives

• Railway electrification system
• Air brake (rail)
• Locomotive
• Railway brakes
• Boxcab
• Robert Davidson - electric locomotive pioneer
• Emily Davenport - electric locomotive pioneer
• Battery powered railcars
• Category:Electric locomotives

Overhead wire in Coventry, England Overhead wire and its suspension system in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA A railway electrification system is a way of supplying electric power to electric locomotives and multiple units. ... Piping diagram from 1920 of a Westinghouse E-T Air Brake system. ... Great Western Railway No. ... Brakes are used on railway trains to bring the train to a standstill. ... A 2-unit boxcab electric locomotive of the Milwaukee Road. ... Robert Davidson of Aberdeen was a Scottish inventor who built the first known electric locomotive in 1837. ... Emily Davenport. ... A railcar (not to be confused with a railway car) is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. ...

References

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers or IEEE (pronounced as eye-triple-ee) is an international non-profit, professional organization incorporated in the State of New York, United States. ... City lights viewed in a motion blurred exposure. ... City lights viewed in a motion blurred exposure. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 116th day of the year (117th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 116th day of the year (117th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 116th day of the year (117th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

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• Electric engines