DRIVE CONTROL DEVICE AND DRIVE DEVICE FOR RAILROAD CARS

A main converter (i) converts AC power from a generator at a primary terminal into DC power at a secondary terminal, an internal combustion engine driving the generator to generate the AC power, or (ii) converts DC power at the secondary terminal into AC power and supplies the AC power to the generator. A first inverter is connected to the secondary terminal of the main converter. A step-down circuit steps down a voltage of the DC power output by the main converter and supplies the stepped-down DC power to a power storage device. The generator, using the power storage device as an electric power source, operates as an electric motor to start the internal combustion engine. After the internal combustion engine is started, the DC power output by the main converter is supplied to the first inverter, stepped down by the step-down circuit, and supplied to the power storage device.