A method for operating a traction vehicle, especially a locomotive, wherein the power delivered by a drive system is produced by at least two internal combustion engines, each of which is functionally connected to a generator for producing electric power, the engines preferably being gas engines, even more preferably lean gas engines. A previously determined number of separate power stages ranging from a minimum power up to a nominal power of the drive system is provided. The interval between all directly adjacent power stages is selected so that it corresponds to a constant fraction of the nominal power of the drive system.