Who builds the electric traction motors for the current generation of EMD and Wabtec locomotives? Is this done inhouse, like both companies do with the diesel engines (Wabtec-Inhouse/EMD-Catipillar), or do they depend on outside suppliers?
When I worked for EMD 72 years ago, they built their own DC traction motors and generators.
Auxiliary smaller motors foir air-compressors, head-end power for suburban service, etc. were purchased.
This may have changed since. Especially with AC technology.
To my knowledge, EMD built their alternators in-house from the beginning (AR-10?). The first AC motors I remember on EMD power were on the 'white wonder' GM10B and they (like much of the other electrical gear) were outsourced from ASEA.
Be interesting to hear from Dave Goding on what was and wasn't built in-house as the AC 'revolution' proceeded into the MAC era.
Progress Rail/EMD builds all their motors in a factory in Mexico, San Luis Potosi, IIRC. Prior to that, the motors were built at EMD and then moved to Diesel Division in Canada after EMD closed the main plant building in LaGrange. Alternators were built in the Engine Plant building until recently in LaGrange, then moved with engine manufacture to a CAT plant.
Dave
daveklepper When I worked for EMD 72 years ago, they built their own DC traction motors and generators. Auxiliary smaller motors foir air-compressors, head-end power for suburban service, etc. were purchased. This may have changed since. Especially with AC technology.
Starting with EMD's MAC series traction motors and inverters were supplied by Siemens. The ACE series has this equipment supplied by MELCO. GE always built their own stuff.
Editor Emeritus, This Week at Amtrak
D.Carleton Starting with EMD's MAC series traction motors and inverters were supplied by Siemens. The ACE series has this equipment supplied by MELCO.
Starting with EMD's MAC series traction motors and inverters were supplied by Siemens. The ACE series has this equipment supplied by MELCO.
EMD built all the AC motors starting with the 70MAC in house in LaGrange, then London, ONT, now San Luis Potosi; not sure where the 60MAC motors were built. Melco and Siemens only supply the inverters. For Siemens, that included the entire inverter cabinet or cabinets plus a SIBAS inverter controller computer. Melco only supplies the inverter modules; EMD installs the inverters in the electrical locker it builds and controls the inverters with the EM2000 directly. The cost for the SD70ACe Melco inverters alone was less than 1/3 what Siemens charged for the inverters plus cabinet and SIBAS for the SD70MAC so it was a big cost savings to switch, along with more control over the system.
bogie_engineerEMD built all the AC motors starting with the 70MAC in house in LaGrange, then London, ONT, now San Luis Potosi; not sure where the 60MAC motors were built. Melco and Siemens only supply the inverters. For Siemens, that included the entire inverter cabinet or cabinets plus a SIBAS inverter controller computer. Melco only supplies the inverter modules; EMD installs the inverters in the electrical locker it builds and controls the inverters with the EM2000 directly. The cost for the SD70ACe Melco inverters alone was less than 1/3 what Siemens charged for the inverters plus cabinet and SIBAS for the SD70MAC so it was a big cost savings to switch, along with more control over the system. Dave
SD70MAC's used the 1TB2630 motor, SD80/90MAC used the 1TB2830 motors, about 4" bigger in diameter requiring a new truck frame, hence the HTCR-II. Those are Siemens designations as they did the electrical design, but the mechanical design was a joint EMD-Siemens effort for both. When EMD moved to the 70ACe with the Melco inverters, we wanted a more capable motor than the 1TB2630, so designed a new motor about halfway in between in diameter, the A3432. Melco had no involvement in that motor design. For export locos, EMD has a range of motors with either the diameter of the 1TB26XX series or A34XX series in various core lengths to fit the gauge and power requirements.
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