TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY STUDY OF RAILROAD ELECTRIFICATION WITH HIGH VOLTAGE (10-50 KV) DIRECT CURRENT

High-voltage (10-50 kV), direct-current (HVDC) power distribution may prove to be an economically and technically attractive option for railroad electrification. There may be potential economic advantages in both wayside installation and operation, and in the propulsion equipment aboard the rolling stock. However, before an economic comparison with AC systems can be completed, the technical feasibility of DC systems must be determined, which was the purpose of this study. This study was directed toward the wayside equipment only. The problem of HVDC rolling stock was not considered. The preliminary analysis in this report shows no technical obstacle to the use of HVDC power distribution systems for application to the wayside portion of railroad electrification. Circuit breakers, which can be applied to these systems, are in various stages of development, and with reasonably directed research can meet the duty requirements. Likewise, rectifiers which can satisfy both current and voltage requirements are within the state of the art.

• Record URL:
  • https://railroads.dot.gov/elibrary/technical-feasibility-study-railroad-electrification-high-voltage-10-50-kv-direct-current
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Carnegie Mellon University

  Transportation Research Institute
  Pittsburgh, PA  United States  15213

  Transportation Systems Center

  55 Broadway, Kendall Square
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02142

  Federal Railroad Administration

  Office of Research and Development, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Uher, R A
• Publication Date: 1976-9

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 75 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Circuit breakers; Direct current; Electric power conditioning; Electric power transmission; Electric railroads; Electric substations; Feasibility analysis; High voltage; Railroad electrification; Railroad switches; Rapid transit; Rectifiers; Utilization
• Old TRIS Terms: Rapid transit railways
• Subject Areas: Energy; Railroads; Research;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00154009
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: FRA/ORD-77/05 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DOT-TS-11702
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Jun 17 1981 12:00AM