page_title: Traction motor
section_title: Railways
hierarchical_section_title: Traction motor / Transportation applications / Railways
context_page_description: A traction motor is an electric motor used for propulsion of a vehicle, such as locomotives, electric or hydrogen vehicles, elevators or electric multiple unit.
  Traction motors are used in electrically powered rail vehicles and other electric vehicles including electric milk floats, elevators, roller coasters, conveyors, and trolleybuses, as well as vehicles with electrical transmission systems, and battery electric vehicles.
context_section_description: Traditionally, these were series-wound brushed DC motors, usually running on approximately 600 volts. The availability of high-powered semiconductors (thyristors and the IGBT) has now made practical the use of much simpler, higher-reliability AC induction motors known as asynchronous traction motors. Synchronous AC motors are also occasionally used, as in the French TGV.
caption: Swiss Rhaetian Railway Ge 6/6 I Krokodil locomotive, with a single large traction motor above each bogie, with drive by coupling rods.
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