PowerRail
PowerRail – Let’s Talk Traction Motors
This article first appeared in the Railway-News magazine Issue 4 2021.
Powered by electricity and tasked with generating the power to rotate the wheels, traction motors play a vital role in keeping locomotives moving. When a traction motor goes down, repairs and/or replacement parts are needed, and time is of the essence to get the locomotive running back on track.
PowerRail proudly offers a complete line of new and remanufactured traction motors, with standard and premium rebuilds in stock for immediate delivery. They are approved by Class Is, regional lines, short lines, and passenger transits across the USA, as well as internationally approved. With an experienced staff and quality workmanship, PowerRail is an AAR M-1003 quality certified company. Utilising an OEM verification process and the SolidWorks CAD system, PowerRail’s engineering staff complete full product development, enhanced designs and failure analysis.
In addition, if you’re looking for improved reliability, lower maintenance costs, and extended service intervals for your traction motor, PowerRail offers state-of- the-art, enhanced design, BTR/axle bearing housing traction motor conversions. Conversions are available for most EMD and GE Models.
Benefits include eliminating brass support bearings and the wick assembly, allowing less maintenance and longer life. Tapered roller support bearings are sealed, eliminating wick lubricators, and the addition of oil. Tapered roller support bearings also only require a visual inspection of the seals every 90 days, versus sleeve-type bearings which require inspection and oil addition every 45 days. With the BTR traction motor, wheelset removal from the traction motor
is more simplified. And axle wheel gear assembly can be removed from the motor, complete with suspension bearings, and be applied to other motors, as required.
In addition to all the benefits that come from upgrading your fleet with BTR traction motors, PowerRail’s conversion to axle housing bearings, also known as ‘U-Tubes’, offers an improved design with heavier wall thickness at the commutator end, sensor holes drilled (ready for sensor installation), and cable cleat supports pre-installed.
