The first electromotive ran on 1879 in Berlin, Germany. In Europe, electric trains developed as a more efficient alternative to the steam and diesel - electric power. Like diesel, electric trains employ electric motors to drive the wheels but, unlike diesels, the electricity is generated externally at a power station. Electric current is picked up either from a catenary (over head cable) via a pantograph, or from a third rail. Since it does not carry its own power-generating equipment, an electro locomotive has a better power-to-weight ratio and greater acceleration than its diesel-electric equivalent. This make electric trains suitable for urban routes with many stops. They are also faster, quieter and less polluting. The latest electric French TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse) reaches 300 kph (186 mph); other trains, like the London to Paris and Brussels "Euro star", can run at several voltages and operate between different countries. Simpler electric trains performs special duties-the "people mover" at Gatwick Airport in Britain runs betweens terminals.
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