Virginian railway motor-generator electric locomotive maintenance costs

AN OUTSTANDING advantage of electric traction for heavy mainline railroading is the lower maintenance costs realized with electric locomotives in comparison with other forms of motive power such as the steam locomotive or the diesel-electric. This attribute is virtually self-evident when it is considered that the electric locomotive is essentially a converter of energy, and is not burdened with power generators as are the self-contained types of motive power.