COMPOSITE CONDUCTOR RAILS FOR RAPID TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS - STATE OF THE ART

By way of introduction some details of the rapid transportation networks planned in various countries are given together with an account of the kind of development work involved. Rapid transportation systems are intended to operate over distances of 200 to 600 km. Speeds of up to 500 km per hour are planned and so a whole series of problems not previously encountered have to be solved. The paper deals mainly with the problems concerning the conductor rail which has to supply the electrical power to the vehicle. The need for a lightweight ac rail makes composite rails attractive. A wide range of conductor rails available is presented and it is shown that the need for a lightweight rail eliminates a number of otherwise interesting designs. Factors such as corrosion resistance, rigidity and safety are discussed with a view to their importance and limits which can be tolerated.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at the Int. Hovering Craft, Hydrofoil and Adv. Transit Syst. Conf., Brighton, Sussex, Engl., May 13-16, 1974.
• Corporate Authors:

  Kalerghi Publications

  51 Welbeck Street
  London W1,   England 
• Authors:
  • Maitland, A
  • Rieger, W
• Conference:
  • Presented at the Int. Hovering Craft, Hydrofoil and Adv. Transit Syst. Conf., Brighton, Sussex, Engl., May 13-16, 1974.
• Publication Date: 1974

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 111-119

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Electric power supply; High speed vehicles; Railroad electrification; Rapid transit; Third rail
• Old TRIS Terms: High speed ground vehicles
• Subject Areas: Energy; Public Transportation; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00132947
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Engineering Index
• Report/Paper Numbers: Proc Paper
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 5 1981 12:00AM