Motor starter contactors getting welded

[kwired]

If the same size and connected to the same shaft, why 2 motors? Why not just reverse a single motor? I interpreted this as being some milling machine (as stated) that does a different task in one direction as the other, and the motors are not the same, as shown in the photo. I would guess that perhaps one motor is 2 pole, the other 4 pole, something like that, which is why they could not use a reversing starter on one motor. Different speeds, different torques.

I have seen a belt conveyor before with a motor on each end, just mechanically works better for them to pull from the top side then to try to push the underside when you want to change direction. Maybe this machine has some mechanical limitation that would require motors in different locations to more efficiently drive the load in different directions?