INCREASED TRACTIVE EFFORT YARD AND ROAD SWITCH LOCOMOTIVES

摘要

A locomotive suited for use as a switcher for road and/or yard work isprovided. Theswitcher comprises a mother unit having an engine for converting fuel intoelectricity. Themother unit includes two trucks supporting wheels on a plurality of axles, anda plurality oftraction motors to provide tractive force to the mother unit's axles. Theswitcher also includes aslug unit operatively coupled to the mother unit in a manner to transmitelectric power, signalsand hauling force. The slug unit can include at least one truck, which can beremoved from aretired locomotive and at least one traction motor electrically coupled to themother unit andoperatively coupled to the axle(s). Sufficient ballast can be added toequalize weight per axle.The switcher combines the power of a locomotive with more axles with themaneuverability of alocomotive with fewer axles.