Davenport did build diesel-electric locomotives but this locomotive, typical of many such small industrial locomotives, did not have electric traction motors or a large generator. They used a 4 speed (each direction) manual transmission driven directly off the back of the clutch by a universal joint. Davenport used their own design of manual transmission that had the rear axle running through it to power it. The transmission could move up and down if it was on uneven track. It had siderods to transmit the power from the rear axle to the unpowered front axle. Chains could also be used to power the unpowered axle, if the customer specified it. It was called a diesel-mechanical locomotive. Most of their later models had a torque converter instead of a clutch. Of course, they could use gasoline engines if the customer requested it. The D8800 engine itself weighed some 2-1/2 tons, so that helped give the locomotive some needed weight for traction. Modern replacement engines do not usually weigh this much and tend to cause these little locomotives to be "light on their feet" for traction. Starting the D8800 was by pony motor on the side of the big block or a battery operated starter in that position.