AC or DC for heavy-haul locomotives?

This episode breaks down the practical differences so fleet managers, engineers, and rail enthusiasts can choose the right traction technology.

What you’ll learn

• Why AC traction is becoming the go-to choice for heavy-haul:
• How efficiency and energy use compare:
• Maintenance, reliability and lifecycle:
• Braking and safety advantages:
• Operational trade-offs:

Who should listen

• Rail operations managers evaluating fleet upgrades
• Locomotive engineers and maintenance planners
• Transportation policy and sustainability teams
• Anyone curious about why modern locomotives increasingly use AC traction

Quick FAQs covered

• Do trains use AC or DC motors? (Modern heavy-haul and many diesel-electrics use AC traction; legacy and some urban systems use DC.)
• Why is AC often better? (Higher adhesion, regenerative braking, lower maintenance and better load adaptability.)
• Are diesel locomotives AC or DC? (Many contemporary diesel-electrics use AC traction systems driven by onboard inverters.)

Episode formatConcise technical explanation, real-world application examples, and operational implications for performance, safety and cost.

Tune in to understand the advantages, limitations and decision factors when selecting AC versus DC traction for heavy-haul rail operations.

You can read detailed article about this podcast topic here:

https://mikurainternational.com/whats-the-difference-ac-or-dc-locomotive-propulsion/