IGBT Converters are Going to be Used for SBB Locos by ABB

For locomotives, which are driven by diesel or electricity, EMU and DEMU vehicles with AC Traction Motors, new microprocessor based AC-AC Traction System (MAS) offers the latest in technology combining IGBT based Traction Converter with DSP and microprocessor based embedded controls. Microprocessor based Locomotive Control system is used in conjunction with IGBT based traction converter to implement this solution. Federal Railway of Switzerland has granted ABB Switzerland an agreement valued approximately SFr 69.2m ($US 75.4m) to provide latest traction apparatuses for its convoy of 119 Re460 electric locomotives as a section of a SFr 230m middle-life renovation program. According to this contract, 202 IGBT traction converters will be supplied by ABB with an option for 38 additional units which are water-cooled. As per SSB’s opinion, it will be possible to reduce traction power consumption by 27GWh per year by converting the convoy to IGBT which is sufficient electricity to power 6750 homes.