An interesting look at the early days of railway electrification. The locomotive Ge 2/4 # 207 of the Rhaetian Railway, built in 1913 for the new and from the beginning electrified (11000 V AC 16.7 Hz) line Bever-Scuol, was powered by a huge Déri repulsion motor, driving the two coupled axles directly via a rod, without any gear. This engine was developed by the Hungarian engineer Miksa Déri . The detached sidewall of the body allows a beautiful view of this drive technology. The Ge 2/4 # 207 was built as the last of a series (201-207) by SLM and BBC, was in use until 1974 and exhibited in the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne since 1982.
From Wikipedia: A repulsion motor is a type of electric motor for use on alternating current (AC). It was formerly used as a traction motor for electric trains but has been superseded by other types of motors. Repulsion motors are classified under single phase motors. In repulsion motors the stator windings are connected directly to the AC power supply and the rotor is connected to a commutator and brush assembly, similar to that of a direct current (DC) motor.
