Inside an Electric Locomotive

[Bayfield Transfer Railway]

So, in Duluth MN is a Milwaukee Road EF-1 electric.  The thing is huge.  The GG-1, the Bipolar, and the Little Joe are also all really big.

Yet the Milwaukee also had little steeplecabs that used the same overhead catenary.

What the heck is inside an electric locomotive that makes them so big?  Diesels have the motor and generator; what's in an electric?  And why could the Milwaukee leave it out of their steeplecab switchers?

 

["JaBear"]

Gidday Michael, I’m probably over simplifying matters but to me it looks like a case of bigger size = more power = more heat to get rid of = bigger size.

If you look at a Milwaukee Road class EP-1, its power output is 3340 hp, continuous: a “Bi-Polar” 3180 Hp, continuous; a GG1 4620 hp continuous and a “Little Joe” 5110 hp, continuous.

Compare this to a Milwaukee Road class ES-2 steeple cab switcher with 475 hp continuous.

Here’s a link to the internals of a EP-3, 3396 hp, continuous......

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/MILW_Quill_drawing.jpg

.... what I hadn’t considered was the room taken up by the oil fired boiler and water tanks that supplied train heat.

Cheers, the Bear.

 

 

[ndbprr]

Not all electric engines employ the same method of ising the power
Some use the ac to run a motor which turns a generator that sends dc the motors running the wheels. That equipment is massive due to the timeframe of construction. Others need transformers to knock the ac down to more usable voltage as examples.

[gmpullman]

Classic Trains had an article dedicated to the GG1 in the Summer 2009 issue.

In it there was a cutaway view showing the myriad transformers, motor controllers, blowers, steam heat boiler, air brake compressor and boiler water tanks. Lots of stuff!

https://www.hotdoor.com/images/products/cadtools/samples/rick_johnson/GG1cutaway.jpg

See if you can get the issue, it is worthwhile.

Ed