File talk:B&O RR powerhouse.jpg

Description

This picture does not appear to show rotary converters but instead shows a row of generators driven by reciprocating piston steam engines. The large flywheels as well as the wood insulated circular piston chamber in the foreground are a dead giveaway. A rotary converter would be a large open frame salient pole electrical machine with a commutator on one side and a set of slip rings on the other. Thaddeusw (talk) 00:38, 2 August 2009 (UTC)

I am not an electrical expert, so I can't debate the technical details of this 1910 photograph. But the description shown is from the caption published in the April 1940 B&O Magazine, which states these rotary converters were used to convert 13,200 v 3-phase, 25-cycle AC to 675 v DC for the B&O's overhead third-rail system. The accompanying article by the B&O's chief engineer goes on to describe the 1936 project replacing these rotary converters with rectifiers.  JGHowes  ^talk 01:22, 2 August 2009 (UTC)

[Forwarded from en:File talk:B&O RR powerhouse.jpg by Athaenara (talk) 18:00, 24 June 2011 (UTC)]

Yes, these are very obviously tandem compound steam engines with Corliss valvegear. They're probably driving DC dynamos (rather than AC alternators), because of their small diameter. As we have plenty of rotary converter images already, there's no need to use these. Andy Dingley (talk) 16:16, 7 March 2012 (UTC)