Automated Guideway Transit System Propulsion

Westinghouse Electric Corporation has supplied propulsion equipment for rapid transit systems for nearly a century. Over the years, operating experience has given us the background to develop and supply propulsion equipment which is increasingly efficient, reliable and compact. From this experience, we have developed propulsion equipment for the rubber-tire Automated Guideway Transit vehicles which are commonly called people movers. We now have over a decade of operating experience with the propulsion systems in our people movers currently in use throughout the United States. The basic propulsion system includes a semiconductor rectifier that converts three-phase alternating current to controlled direct current for the series-wound DC traction motors. During acceleration, voltage to the traction motors is varied by phase control of the main rectifier. The traction motors are also used as generators through a separate rectifier circuit during dynamic braking.