GE's 5000th Evolution Series locomotive was just completed

GE's 5000th Evolution Locomotive just recently rolled off the show room floor. I know what you must be thinking-- so what, right? Well the Evolution Series of locomotives are the most efficient locomotives ever built in this world.

Beyond being the most efficient locomotive ever produced it is also the most environmentally friendly locomotive as well.

A little off the subject, are you aware of how a locomotive actually works? As probably is known by all they have enormous diesel engines. Many people have erroneously assumed that that is coupled to the drive train of the locomotive. But sadly nothing could be further from the truth.

A diesel engine as a prime motivator is not really a good thing at all. For one, it has to get up into its powerband before it can do much at all. The power band, for those of you who are unaware of what that is, is the operating RPM (revolutions per minute) where its peak torque is produced at. But guess what produces all of its peak torque off the line if you will-- that is correct, it is electric motors.

So for all of you that thought the diesel engine was the prime motivator of a diesel locomotive you were partially correct. You see the diesel motor turns an electric genrerator, which then in turn provides the power for electric motors in the traction system to operate. This is also the reason that the locomotive industry needs people like me-- both as an electrical engineer and as an IBEW Journeyman Wireman. I have worked with quite a few folks that worked for the railroad industry at one time.

So there you have it; the basic theory of operation of a diesel electric locomotive. And this is a story which prompted me to write about the 5000th GE Evolution Series Locomotive .