Selco Manufacturing: Your DC Power Distribution Manufacturer
Selco was founded in 1907 and built third-rail transit products for the original New York City Subway System. We continue to provide electrical power distribution products for construction, rail transit, electrical, highway, industrial, and utility use. We are ISO 9001:2015 and AISC certified at our 50,000-square-foot facility in West Caldwell, New Jersey.
When you work with Selco, you’ll benefit from our knowledgeable staff, dedicated customer service, competitive pricing, in-house detailing, complex fabrication capabilities, and fast turnaround times. We maintain close ties to leaders in every industry we work with to ensure that we stay at the cutting edge of the latest technologies and best practices.
At Selco, we offer a variety of DC power distribution products that suit the needs of mass transit and many other applications. Our product line includes:
- Terminating connectors
- Splice connectors
- Sectionalizing switches up to 6,000 amps
- Wayside power
- Snow melting equipment
- Stinger systems and control panels
- Cabinets
Why DC Currents are Best for Mass Transit
The current in the overhead lines of a mass transit train can be either AC or DC. When these lines are AC, the current enters a transformer within the train engine to reduce its voltage, and then a rectifier converts the current to DC.
To start a transit train from a dead stop requires a high amount of torque for the train to get traction and start moving. A DC series motor allows for, theoretically speaking, infinite torque. However, once the train is moving, the DC current is transferred to a shunt motor. Shunt type DC motors allow for greater speed and speed control, which makes it the more efficient option for controlling the train.
Some metro commuter train systems run directly on DC power. Due to the use of DC motors to drive these trains, some mass transit systems opt for DC power distribution to eliminate the need for the rectifier. However, AC power distribution is still necessary to produce reliable power for long-range electric trains or those that carry heavier tonnage, such as in mining applications.
DC Power Distribution Products
Contact us or request a quote for more information about the DC power distribution solutions provided by Selco Manufacturing.