Any recommendations on companies to rebuild traction motors and or overhaul generators ?

Thanks

Mike

What type of equipment? If it's fairly modern EMD stuff (D-77's and AR-10's), there are at least a half dozen companies around the country that will do that work fairly cheaply and easily.

If it's older, rare stuff, then any good electrical shop should do the job. We have several in our area that work on big motors for general industrial applications. However, since they are working on more unique on-of a kind items, they tend to be much more expensive.

Hello, they are Westinghouse 1443As

I think Westinghouse would fall under the rare category. Westinghouse motors and generators are defiantly more rare than EMD and GE stuff in the railroad world. The South Carolina Railroad Museum sent a main generator and a aux-generator-exciter (both Westinghouse) to a local electrical rebuild company called Hobgood Electric located in Jenkinsville, SC. This is a pretty typical electrical job shop capable of rebuilding just about anything. I believe it cost a little over $30000 to have them rebuilt (that included having the generator and aux-gen removed and installed on the locomotive), but that has been a decade or more ago. So I'm sure it will be more now, but like the above post said, most any well equipped electrical shop should be able to rebuild this.

Just make sure that the people doing the work seem knowledgeable about DC equipment. Big DC equipment is getting more and more rare these days, and I'm sure that there are some folks out there that have rebuilt plenty of AC motors and generators but have never seen a commutator.

http://www.acelec.com

A.C. Electric in Bangor, Maine do a lot of traction motor work on historic equipment.

Keith

1443? That's a somewhat rare motor. What is this for?

Many motor shops will still be able to work on DC traction motors. You are best to use a reputable shop that is not too distant from your location.

Make sure the shop is old and has piles of stuff laying around, manual machine tools, and some workers hanging around who are over 70 if possible.

I would get in touch with J.C. McHugh at McHugh Locomotive. They've done magnificent work on B&O SW-1 No. 8408 which is the backbone of the fleet at Wilmington & Western RR here in Delaware. McHugh took an SW-1 that was basically used up and made it new again. Contact info is here:

https://www.mchughlocomotive.com/

Best of luck on your project.

Here in Tucson, we use Bestway Electric. They rebuild motors for the mine haul trucks and can do pretty much any work needed on traction motors and generators.

A contact in the business suggests that those seeking work on Westinghouse rotating apparatus talk to M&A Motor Service in Birmingham, AL.

Mike,

What Tommy Gears said...

Take Care & WORK SAFE,
sammy

A.C. Electric in Bangor, Maine. These guys do everything from Diesel locomotive traction motors to trolleys for museums. The work is impeccable and will last you until forever.
Please mention the recommendation came from New England Steam Corp.
PM me for direct contact information, telephone, email, and postal addy.

Richard. I put their web address in my post above.

Keith

Keith: I was speaking of direct contact with the shop manager. He's a friend.

Glad you spoke up to endorse them as well. Good outfit.