Thanks to Alan Belson for sending this picture.

Alan's comments below are copied from the thread which prompted this posting, and the first part refers to the modern trains used in the Channel Tunnel linking England and France.

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The locos run on 25kv ac single phase, one OH wire, neutral to a rail, with literally TONS (thousands) of small fan-cooled solid state triacs or diodes on board coupled to transformers. These pull up to 12,000KW. Not only will this allow three phase asynchronous motors (Eurostar) or 3 ph synchronous motors (type 92 freight) to be used, but the system copes with 50hz, 16.66hz, and DC voltages from 750-1500 and all stations in between using retractable shoes to pick up 3RD rail DC, if required, in all the various EU state railway (railroad) systems. I thought, Neat!!

Then I found in an old book I have, published in 1926, a photo of a 3-coupled overhead pantograph electric loco of 270,300lb drawbar pull running on 11,000v single phase, with 3-phase motors running through a rotary phase-converter, all up weight 570 tons. It is absolutely massive, and makes Mallard look like a tea-trolley. Made by the Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co. of America. At which time, of course, a poor old British fireman had to shovel over 20 tons of coal into a firebox between London and Edinborough.

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