On 9 Jan 2005 20:52:05 GMT, Ignoramus27473
wrote:

By the way, the reilroad carriage looks like it came from a
locomotive, not a train car, as the photo caption says. Look at the
piece around the middle of the axle, the only purpose that I can think
of is power transmission from the engine to the axle.

That's a powered rail truck - the gearbox you see at the left of the
inner axle probably has a set of spur gears inside. And if you look
in the middle, parallel to the axles and under the truck pivot point
where the train car goes, you'll probably find a traction motor.

The power leads would go up through the hollow center of the pivot
point into the car. For an all-electric catenary system the tracks
are the ground, for a diesel-electric they would make a full circuit.

Want to build a self-propelled rail car? ;-)

It would take a bigger power source than your little 6.5KW Onan
(though that little bugger would be perfect for lights and heat when
not underway), and you need one built for 600 VDC or 1,200 VDC output
to match the motor voltage (unless you want to start with 480 VAC and
build some serious control electronics) but there are the raw
materials.

-- Bruce --
--
Bruce L. Bergman, Woodland Hills (Los Angeles) CA - Desktop
Electrician for Westend Electric - CA726700
5737 Kanan Rd. #359, Agoura CA 91301 (818) 889-9545
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