DRIVE DEVICE FOR RAILWAY VEHICLE

A drive device for a railway vehicle operates by receiving power supply from an alternating-current overhead contact line or a three-phase generator. The drive device for a railway vehicle is configured such that a voltage output from a main transformer is applied to alternating-current input ends in a converter circuit via a first switch. A first phase voltage among voltages output from the three-phase generator is applied to an alternating-current input end in a first leg of a brake chopper circuit via a second switch. Second and third phase voltages among the voltages output from the three-phase generator are applied to the alternating-current input ends, respectively, via the second switch.