Paragraph on “Electric Locomotives” complete paragraph for Class 9, Class 10, Class 11 and Class 12

Electric Locomotives

The first Electric locomotives were run on batteries but modern day electric locomotives draw their power from over head wires or a third rail which runs parallel to the tracks. Electric locomotives have an arm on the top called the ‘pantograph’, when raised, this arm touches a high voltage un-insulated wire which runs overhead. The power drawn from this wire powers the electric motors in the engine thus allowing motion. As a backup system these locomotives also carry a series of chargeable batteries in them. Electric locomotives may weigh as much as 100 tons or more but they are capable of picking up speed much faster than other locomotives, they can haul much more loads and do not pollute the atmosphere. Needless to mention they use a renewable source of energy which is not the case with steam or diesel locomotives.