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A diesel engine runs an electrical generator to power electric motors on wheel axles. The figure is taken from Smithsonian Institution, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

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Diesel-electric locomotives generate electricity to turn traction motors

A diesel engine runs an electrical generator to power electric motors on wheel axles

Unlike cars that use mechanical transmissions, diesel-electric locomotives use a high-efficiency diesel engine to turn an electrical generator. The produced electricity powers individual electric traction motors mounted directly on the wheel axles. This eliminated mechanical clutch slip while delivering maximum rotational torque at low starting speeds.

Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway - 5984 and - 9184 diesel locomotives (Rozet, Wyoming, USA) (42030212145) — James St. John · CC BY 2.0 · licence · source

Where this comes from

Smithsonian Institution

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Tags: locomotive, diesel, railways

Diesel-electric locomotives generate electricity to turn traction motors: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: A diesel engine runs an electrical generator to power electric motors on wheel axles. The figure is taken from Smithsonian Institution, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a technology fact?: Yes. It sits on the Technology shelf, one of 1,090 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.