Diesel Electric
Locomotives with diesel-electric transmission are the most popular combination and they have been built with diesel engines ranging from 100 to 4000 Horse Power. The diesel engine is coupled to a direct current generator, or an alternator, and the electrical output is supplied to the DC traction motors. The electrical control scheme will regulate Voltage for speed control, and Current for torque control, and the combination of traction motor rotational speed and torque are transmitted to the rail as Tractive Effort and Rail HP.
The electrical output from an alternator is AC and this is rectified to DC using a silicon bridge and then a controlled supply fed to the traction motors.
The majority of diesel-electric locomotives up to 1969 were DC generation, the two notable exceptions being Hawk and Kestrel.
The first diesel-electric locomotive supplied under the 1955 Modernisation Plan was the English Electric Type 1 D8000 in 1957.
Locomotives with diesel-electric transmission are the most popular combination and they have been built with diesel engines ranging from 100 to 4000 Horse Power. The diesel engine is coupled to a direct current generator, or an alternator, and the electrical output is supplied to the DC traction motors. The electrical control scheme will regulate Voltage for speed control, and Current for torque control, and the combination of traction motor rotational speed and torque are transmitted to the rail as Tractive Effort and Rail HP.
The electrical output from an alternator is AC and this is rectified to DC using a silicon bridge and then a controlled supply fed to the traction motors.
The majority of diesel-electric locomotives up to 1969 were DC generation, the two notable exceptions being Hawk and Kestrel.
The first diesel-electric locomotive supplied under the 1955 Modernisation Plan was the English Electric Type 1 D8000 in 1957.