:
"Electric Trains" redirects here. For the 1995 Squeeze single, see Electric Trains (song).An
electric locomotive is powered by electricity from
overhead lines, a
third rail or on-board energy storage such as a
battery or
fuel cell. Electric locomotives with on-board fuelled
prime movers, such as
diesel engines or
gas turbines, are classed as
diesel-electric or
gas turbine-electric locomotives because the electric generator/motor combination serves only as a
power transmission system. Electricity is used to eliminate smoke and take advantage of the high efficiency of electric motors, but the cost of electrification means that usually only heavily used lines can be electrified.