AC Traction on the Southern Pacific
Southern Pacific AC4400CW No. 100 rolls down Soldier Summit, approaching Colton, Utah on July 1, 1995. A revolution was underway in locomotive design. AC traction motors were used rather than DC, featuring a separate inverter per motor. The primary advantage of AC traction is an adhesion level that is up to 100% greater than DC, with much higher reliability and a reduced maintenance requirement. General Electric constructed 2,834 AC4400CW units for North American railroads between 1993 and 2004.
AC Traction on the Southern Pacific
Southern Pacific AC4400CW No. 100 rolls down Soldier Summit, approaching Colton, Utah on July 1, 1995. A revolution was underway in locomotive design. AC traction motors were used rather than DC, featuring a separate inverter per motor. The primary advantage of AC traction is an adhesion level that is up to 100% greater than DC, with much higher reliability and a reduced maintenance requirement. General Electric constructed 2,834 AC4400CW units for North American railroads between 1993 and 2004.