Battery locomotives were the workhorses of locomotive use in the Homestake Mine. Every operating level had at least one locomotive and as many as four or five. These locomotives hauled ore trains, carried miners to work areas, took mechanics and electricians to problem areas, and moved tons of supplies and explosives used in the mine. Each battery locomotive was powered by a huge bank of batteries, the locomotive’s largest component. The batteries held a charge for the duration of a working shift, usually eight hours, and then had to be recharged by plugging them into a charging station, usually near the shaft. The operator had to step on a deadman switch on the cab floor to activate the locomotive, preventing inadvertent operation without an operator. This small battery locomotive was used in the upper levels of the Homestake Mine and, because of its small size, probably served as a tramming locomotive too small for ore trains. These trammers were also used on the surface throughout the shop and service areas.