 "shunting"); this closes both line contactors, the bridge contactor, and contactors #7 and #8, connecting all 4 traction motors in series and engaging all of the starting resistances (total resistance 17.66 ohm).Moving the controller handle to the next notch (running notch #1) initiates an incremental notching-out (shorting-out) of the starting resistances; unlike most Russian electric locomotives, on which the engineer directly controls the selection of the starting notches, in the ER2 the intermediate starting notches are switched automatically by means of an accelerating relay which regulates the train's acceleration (by monitoring the traction current's change, "see also