It's Friday!!!!

[Tishimself]

See now I have even more questions. Are these things direct coupled? I'm guessing alternators, but probably back in the early days, DC correct? So are they using VFD's for the motors? and how do they excite the generators? PMG or? Diesels are usually fairly low rpm. So are they using a gearbox and 2 pole or direct and say a 4 pole generator? Or are they using something other than 60hz?

Those are questions that are above my pay grade. I do know that the engine can generate anything from 0-1600 volts at 480 amps. It's a lot of power. There is an ability to hook up the engine to a substation and use it as a generator in case of a power outage. The way it works is this. Engine turns a generator, generator creates juice. Juice is sent to the traction motors via cables from a power grid in the bowels of the engine. The traction motor is geared to the axles, and the gear ratio depends on the type of engine that it is. Much the same as the size of the drivers on a steam engine determines the type of engine it is.