LOCOMOTIVES: A SHIFT IN THE BALANCE OF POWER?

For the first time in four decades of dieselization, railroads are encountering real fuel difficulties. As an answer to that problem, electrification has been investigated by quite a few railroads, and soon, the world's first 50,000-volt alternating current electric locomotive will be ready to operate on the continent's newest electrified line in Northeastern Arizona. The 50-kv commercial-frequency AC system, which is being pioneered by GE, could well be a prototype for the system that would be applied to western lines. In the east, railroads would probably be electrified with 25-kv. The new 50-kv technology makes possible fewer substations and utilizes thyristor-controlled electric locomotives. The solid-state control and rectification equipment makes possible high-capacity freight locomotives. The 50-kv also involves a low cost catenary system.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1586268
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Based on a paper contributed by the ASME Rail Transportation Division.
• Corporate Authors:

  Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation

  P.O. Box 350
  Bristol, CT  United States  06010
• Publication Date: 1973-1-29

Media Info

• Features: Photos;
• Pagination: p. 35-36
• Serial:
  • Railway Age
  • Volume: 174
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Simmons-Boardman Publishing Corporation
  • ISSN: 0033-8826
  • Serial URL: http://www.railwayage.com

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Electric locomotives; Energy resources; Fuels; Planning; Railroad electrification; Supply
• Uncontrolled Terms: Energy crisis
• Old TRIS Terms: Fuel shortage
• Subject Areas: Energy; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00044560
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Railway Age
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 15 1973 12:00AM