An Electric Locomotive is a locomotive powered by electric motors which draws current from an overhead wire, a third rail, or an on-board storage device such as a battery or a flywheel energy storage system.

The first known electric locomotive was built by a Scotsman, Robert Davidson of Aberdeen in 1837 and was powered by galvanic cells.

Davidson later built a larger locomotive named Galvani which was shown at the Royal Scottish Society of Arts Exhibition in 1841.

Modern electric locomotives range from small battery-powered machines for use in mines to large main-line locomotives of 6,000 horsepower or more.

See also

Railway electrification system