Rail Electrification Systems - Learn EVERYTHING About Them!

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  • Опубліковано 11 лис 2022
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    After a month-long break, Railways Explained is back!
    More than determined to continue RE's mission, for today's video, we decided to do an overview and presentation of, seemingly complicated, railway electrification systems.
    We tried not to go too much into technical details (anyway we did :) ) and to stick to the basic principles and essential concepts related to the systems in charge of providing trains with - electric supply.
    The story of the electrification of railways starts, of course, with the appearance of electric locomotives, but its development and constant improvement continue to these days.
    At the most superficial level, the electrification system includes the power supply system which includes several components such as transformers, catenary, contact wire, pantograph, and others, which we all discussed and explained in the video. Lets not forget the rail track which is used as a return connection needed to complete the electrical circuit and allow current to flow.
    It is possible to classify electrification systems according to several criteria. Most importantly, regarding voltages, European and international standards recognize six standard systems, where the division is made according to the nominal voltage and its characteristics (such as 25 kV, 50 Hz AC, 1,5 kV DC, etc).
    More important than that technical aspect is the fact that because railways developed independently from one another, within the borders of each national country, and with no cooperation principles included, these technical differences are causing many traffic issues, which is nowadays known by one of the keywords of European transport policy - Interoperability.
    In any case, electrified railways reduce environmental pollution, and enable more comfortable, quieter, and faster electric trains than steam or diesel.
    This is why, for us, we believe it's worth making this video, and, for you, it's important giving it a chance to understand, at least the basic aspects, of railway electrification.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 395

  • @Edward4Plantagenet
    @Edward4Plantagenet Рік тому +324

    Indian Railway is 84% electrified with 25kv OHE. By this electrification, India is saving $2 Billion+ each year. Last year 6366km Electrification done, soon 100% #Edit IR is 92% electrified by Dec 23.

    • @PurushNahiMahaPurush
      @PurushNahiMahaPurush Рік тому +47

      Yes bro! Soon Aluminum coaches will be introduced for Vande Bharat trains which will increase the fuel economy even more.
      Indian Railways has been doing really good since the last 8 years after BJP came to power. I hope this progress continues as Railway technology was ignored for a long time by most prior Indian governments despite India having one of the largest and oldest operating railways in the world.

    • @Abin_Bhowal
      @Abin_Bhowal Рік тому +1

      & that is the most scam project ever done in India. By burning huge amount of coal for Railway electrification isn’t environmental friendly even worse than Diesel locomotives emission. Newer Diesel locomotives have EPA Tier 4 emission norms which are next to Zero Emission. Indian Railway is just looking after Diesel fuel price which is a completely belongs to a pseudo system. A government organisation is purchasing fuel from another Govt organisation by paying public tax on Diesel fuel. What kind of stupid logic..!! 😂😂 whereas Maintenance of Overhead traction, traction Sub station are being neglected.
      Moreover Diesel locomotives provides greater Hauling capacity, longevity, much more Robust & reliable than Electric locomotives. Even in Countries like US,CN,AUS majority of trains are powered by Diesel locomotives which hauls largest freight trains in the world. Electric locomotives doesn’t have that Capability of hauling such longer freight trains in less Multi unit formation. Be it a 9000HP or 12000HP Electric locomotives. Steep gradients, Harsh weather conditions, disaster management it’s the Diesel which comes first in the game.
      Even After 100% electrification of Indian Railways plenty of Diesels will be under operation for catering freight trains.

    • @rudys3649
      @rudys3649 Рік тому +32

      Agree. Indian railways is under massive transformation since 2014. Look at the railway safety.

    • @SafavidAfsharid3197
      @SafavidAfsharid3197 Рік тому +23

      @Sen Se we also run double stacks cargo in india.

    • @vineethg6259
      @vineethg6259 Рік тому +56

      Fellow Indians, when you wish to say something to an international audience, please avoid the tone of bragging and chest-thumping if you can. Contrary to what you think, such chest thumping is not the sign of self-confidence, but actually reveals an underlying insecurity and inferiority complex. Self-confident peoples (and nations) don't brag, because they don't need to.

  • @bjturon
    @bjturon Рік тому +110

    The third rail electrification of Grand Central Terminal and Penn Station in New York City, the overhead electrification of the New Haven mainline NYC-New Haven, and electrification of several mountain segments in the American West, all occurred before WW1.

    • @1955DodgersBrooklyn
      @1955DodgersBrooklyn Рік тому +17

      not to mention mass transit being electrified all over the place in the early 1900s

    • @ClockworksOfGL
      @ClockworksOfGL Рік тому +16

      A lot of the US systems are so strange because railroads had to develop much of the technology themselves, over a century ago. And they’re not often compatible because it was different companies. The Pennsylvania had no need or incentive to build a system that worked on NY Central territory. And it probably didn’t faze anyone, big railroads were used to running propriety locomotives and equipment from the beginning.

    • @julosx
      @julosx Рік тому +6

      Some Pyrenean railway lines in France never knew steam trains since there is a lot of hydroelectricity available in this region, a resource much cheaper than coal. So several experiments were made between 1900 and 1910 including with 3rd rail or, at first, AC current just like in Germany or Switzerland. All this equipment (except the 3rd rail lines) were converted to 1500 V DC by 1920 for legal reasons.

    • @AllenGraetz
      @AllenGraetz Рік тому +2

      @@ClockworksOfGL That's a rather clumsy take. By the turn of the last century, almost all of them shared a common gauge. They also moved and interchanged rail cars. They may have owned the equipment, they may have had Alco or Baldwin build a type of locomotive unique to them, but they were sharing their private equipment ( not in an ooh la la way ).

  • @arator1979
    @arator1979 Рік тому +29

    Some corrections about Belgium. The highspeed railway network is operating on 25kV AC. The main railway network is indeed operating at 3kV DC, except line 162 that is also working on 25kV AC. The railway line between Essen (Belgium) and Roosendaal (the Netherlands) is also operating at 3kV except the last bit. Belgium delivers the power on that line. The same goes for the line between Liège and Maastricht. Belgian monovoltage trains can operate on the Dutch electrification, but at reduced power (50%).

    • @Garvm
      @Garvm Рік тому +2

      Same in Spain. 25 kV for high speed. 3kV for the rest.

    • @MrMarinus18
      @MrMarinus18 Рік тому +3

      The electrification and signaling systems are a bit problem for Europe. Mostly because the different systems are operated fairly equally. Germany has the biggest share but it's not by much so finding a standard to convert to is not easy cause over 3/4 of the network would need to change. The only slight positive kind of is that France also is split between 2 systems so they can't be the stubborn one that refuses to convert. France has often been the most disruptive member of the EU as it's very prideful and often reluctant to bend to the needs of the European collective when it comes at the expense of it's own interests.
      The biggest problem though will likely be Poland as Poland is busy making rail systems of it's own and with Brexit has kind of taken over Britain's role as the third player next to France and Germany.

  • @Peizxcv
    @Peizxcv Рік тому +34

    You only talked about European electrification systems though. China, India, Japan all have extensive electrified networks

    • @Edward4Plantagenet
      @Edward4Plantagenet Рік тому +20

      He is One of the members of "Europe is the garden, Europe is the World" Idea 🙄😒

    • @SeverityOne
      @SeverityOne Рік тому +3

      But are they fundamentally different from what is used in Europe (or elsewhere)? I think not. The thing about Europe is that (a) electrification started there and (b) there are many different systems, which is causing some issues.

    • @Peizxcv
      @Peizxcv Рік тому +16

      @@SeverityOne The title of this video literally has “worldwide” in it

    • @SeverityOne
      @SeverityOne Рік тому +2

      @@Peizxcv You mean, like from 4:50 onwards? Last time I checked, Australia wasn't part of Europe.

    • @langling4137
      @langling4137 Рік тому +7

      @@SeverityOne indeed, many of the electrification standards and various technical arrangements around the world based from Europe, so covering the video with just from European perspective should be enough (at least from technical perspective). Most of the systems outside Europe (e.g India, China) follow standard rules from there, although yes maybe they deserves to be mentioned because of their significant amount of electrification

  • @LuisFernandodaSilva1854
    @LuisFernandodaSilva1854 Рік тому +22

    Great video. In Brazil we use 3kVdc for rail systems (including a short stretch of freight rail) and 750Vdc 1500Vdc for metro and lrv systems. There is only one railroad for tourist purposes that is electrified with alternating current in the country. The Corcovado railroad uses a three-phase system (two phases on two separate trolley wires and one phase on the rails) at 750vAC. Our trolleybus system uses 600Vdc.

  • @Thedrek
    @Thedrek Рік тому +10

    Norways first AC electric railway opened in 1908 with a 6600V 25Hz AC- system. It was the 7th AC-system built at that date. The railway is still in operation as a museum, still using the 6600V 25Hz system.
    The second AC railway opened a year later, using a 10kV 16 2/3Hz AC-system. It was in use until 1966, when the voltage was increased to 15kV.
    The oldest electric line in Norway used a 400V DC system with overhead catanary, and opened in 1891.

    • @meongmeong3599
      @meongmeong3599 Рік тому +1

      Quite surprising 6600V 25 Hz was common back then. Mariazellerbahn in Austria use this standard too. Also some interurbans and commuter railway in UK and US

  • @VattenDemonen
    @VattenDemonen Рік тому +7

    The first electrified railway in Sweden was a industrial railway in Boxholm in 1890. But the fist lage railway was the Ironore railway in Kiruna in 1915. Sj also experemented with electro locomotives at the start of 1900.

  • @alexclement7221
    @alexclement7221 Рік тому +29

    5:40: Th earliest LARGE scale electrification in the US was the Pennsylvania Railroad (along with their 'sister railroad, the New Haven), which used 13KVAC @ 25 Hz. This was used until the 1980's all along the east coast. This was NOT chosen as a 'shift from the grid frequency', for 2 reasons: 1) The created their own 'grid', with powerplants creating electricity solely for the railroad, and 2) because, in many places, there was no 'grid' existing when these lines were electrified. Back then, many towns had DC electrification, in a myriad of different voltages and frequencies.
    Often, the frequencies chosen had little to do with any 'grid', but rather were because of the methodology of the period of how to calculate the line frequency. Back then, you used a stopwatch and a rotation counter on the machine to count how many revolutions the alternator made in a 60 second period. 1000/60=16.67, 1500/60=25, 3000/60=50, etc. Perhaps a motor does 10 cycles/revolution, therefore 150 rev's in exactly 1 minute = 16.67Hz.

    • @MrToradragon
      @MrToradragon Рік тому +1

      There was extensive 25 Hz grid in North America in early days of electrification.

  • @dhruvdoshi56
    @dhruvdoshi56 Рік тому +12

    India is heading towards 100% electrification

  • @789know
    @789know Рік тому +9

    The photo of USSR only using 3kv isn't correct. USSR and post soviet state use both 3kv and 25kv 50hz (heavily i think depend on time of electrification)

    • @Schnaitheimer
      @Schnaitheimer Рік тому +3

      Yes, I also noticed that mistake. It's quite similar to other countries, that most of the DC electriciation was done in early stages around the big cities for the suburban network and later, the long distance network was chosen to be electrified by AC.

  • @a_simple_atheist
    @a_simple_atheist Рік тому +115

    I love trains

  • @SnarkOrel
    @SnarkOrel Рік тому +5

    Actually, some ex-USSR countries use both 3 kV DC and 25 kv AC electrification systems (e.g. Russia and Ukraine)

  • @ridefast0
    @ridefast0 Рік тому +5

    I have seen photos of overhead electric powered steam trains, from Switzerland. An excellent transitional technology.

  • @spectrum_SH
    @spectrum_SH Рік тому +4

    I wonder why U never had a even a passing mention of Bhaarath which has one of the highest network of electrified rail.

  • @TonyP9279
    @TonyP9279 6 місяців тому +2

    The problem of scrap-metal thieves stealing power line infrastructure should be a "self-correcting" one- especially with the 35kV systems!

  • @daanwolters3751
    @daanwolters3751 Рік тому +4

    Interesting video, you did miss one point: while rails on DC lines generally are isolated to prevent electricity to seep into the ground. However for AC systems, the rail has to be grounded to prevent people touching the rails (at a crossing for example) from being shocked.

  • @AussieGunzel
    @AussieGunzel Рік тому +4

    4:50 there's an error with Australia. We use 25K volts AC in QLD and a few other areas of Australia.

  • @ChrisSmith-fr5oi
    @ChrisSmith-fr5oi Місяць тому

    Thanks for using metric units. Being in Australia I had full concept of this vid

  • @thepogpeople1517
    @thepogpeople1517 Рік тому +17

    You don’t mention spring tensioners, which are now the preferred tensioning system in place of weight sets and hydraulics in most markets globally

    • @johnkeepin7527
      @johnkeepin7527 Рік тому +1

      They are in use on Network Rail between west London (Hayes) and Cardiff (except for the tunnel sections that use overhead contact rail). The other difference on that line is the use of 50 kV for transmission, with ‘auto transformer’ reduction to 25 roughly every 10 km or so. Relatively few feeding sites are used, with most of the current being handled at 50 kV. The track is connected to the mid-point of each auto transformer, so in effect it’s +25/0/-25 kV, with 25 kV between the contact wire and the track.

  • @mattsmocs3281
    @mattsmocs3281 Рік тому +6

    Electric operated railroads have been a thing since 1886 when Scranton was the first to put in a working long term system with the troller. There was thousands of miles of trolley lines across the US by 1900 and full application railroad systems put through into NYC and Baltimore. Europe was behind the times at this point. The issue came when railroads stopped funding in infrastructure here but at some point there was almost 100,000 miles of electric trackage in the US

    • @meganegan5992
      @meganegan5992 Місяць тому

      Aye, shame that we gave it up thanks to diesel systmes being just slightly better than the idea of spending more money.

  • @langling4137
    @langling4137 Рік тому +14

    Btw it is also worth to mention that 3 kV DC used by Milwaukee Railroad and designed by GE became a benchmark of mainline DC electrification of that time. At that time motors can reliably designed for 1500 V ratings but not at 3 kV. So they use two 1500 V motors but connected permanently in series

  • @TheRossz
    @TheRossz Рік тому +4

    Lepo sastavljeno, hvala.

  • @macafadeal1
    @macafadeal1 Рік тому +5

    Portugal uses 3k DC in its most widely used line, the Cascais Line which runs through Cais do Sodré in Lisboa, to Cascais.
    This is the only line in Portugal with this voltage system bc it was originally built by private enterprises that developed the Estoril and Cascais regions.
    When the line was subsequently absorved into the national and state-owned network its use as an surburban line with very frequent services & extremely high ridership made it practically impossible to reconvert it to the national 25kV AC standard.
    This is also the reason why this is, ironically, the most used passenger line service AND also the most obsolete electrified mainline passenger service in Portugal. The only other lines worse off are the metric gauge and diesel lines, with metric gauge lines also being diesel.

    • @WhyFi59
      @WhyFi59 Рік тому +2

      Small correction: the Cascais line runs on 1.5 kV DC, not 3 kV.
      Indeed it is proving problematic nowadays, when ironically it was by far the most technologically advanced rail line in the country back when it was electrified in 1926, 3 decades before the first mainline (state-owned) railway was electrified in 1957. This also explains the difference in the technology used, owing to the different standards of the time.

  • @bhooralalojha2252
    @bhooralalojha2252 Рік тому +16

    Hope you expand your knowledge beyond wikipedia. India has been using electric rails DC since early 20th century (mumbai pune hill sector) to AC and now over 88% route coverted to electric also many metros run on third rail (chennai, amdavad)

  • @MuhammedGemci
    @MuhammedGemci Рік тому +18

    16:20 slightly incorrect, neutral sections are used to separate/insulate sections of overhead line fed by different substations. The reason that is done is not (fully) related to maintenance reasons, but rather to prevent phase to phase shorts. (TL;DR at end)
    The overhead electrification is a single phase load on the three phase power transmission system, and thus, in order to reduce phase imbalance, substations along an overhead line are fed from different phase; a line with say 6 substaions will have substations fed from L1-L2-L3-L1-L2-L3 phases respectively. Thus, a neutral section typically covers a long distance (usually one or two full mast spans which is not energized and usually grounded) to prevent any shorts. Trains are not necessarily required to lower their pantographs while passing a neutral section that covers the aforementioned one or two mast spans since the unenergized section is long enough to prevent a train shorting the two sections. Trains that have multiple pantographs throughout their entire length do have to lower pantographs or disconnect their main power switches, this is to prevent the train shorting different sections.
    The video mentions of a shorter neutral, (16:35) that is what's called a "section insulator" which does NOT separate different substations, but rather divide a single section into smaller parts, particularly at stations and sidings, also at mainline cross switches on multi-track mainlines. These are related to maintenance reasons, where you can de-energize a small section, ie 7th track at a station, without cutting power from the substation and de-energizing a 40km long portion. These "sectioning areas" can be built without using section insulators though, on a tensioning zone (where one set of wires end and an other wire starts) if the wires are installed in a way that keeps them insulated from each other, that also serves as a sectioning area, since one of the wires can be de-energized without affecting the other one. This is the preferred way as section insulators are costly and comes with speed restriction (modern ones can go up to 200 km/h if i recall correctly) that prevent them from being used on high speed mainlines.
    Now, it can be said that a neutral covering one or two mast spans is actually two "insulated wire sectioning areas" one right after the other, forming a ZONE1-GROUNDED-ZONE2 sectioning and thus providing enough separation between feeding zones of different phases. This is also preferred over using section insulators for the already mentioned cost and high speed reasons. Basically, one shouldn't (and wouldn't) see a section insulator on a high speed mainline, only sidings and platform tracks will have them due to these tracks having very low speeds.
    And finally, if a neutral section can't be built with insulated wire sectioning areas method due to track geometry (steep slopes or tight curves) or another reasoning, a neutral can be realized by having two section insulators placed a couple meters apart, providing enough separation between substation feeding sections. ALL electric trains passing through such a neutral will have to lower their pantographs or disconnect their main switches.
    TL;DR a neutral section is located at the border between two substation feeding zones, insulating them and preventing phase to phase shorts. However, for maintenance reasons, feeding area of a substation is divided into sections using sectioning areas. These are built preferably by keeping the wires insulated on tensioning areas, and if that is not possible or desired, then a section insulator (shown at 16:35) can be used. A neutral can be built by having two sectioning areas one right after another, preferably using insulated wires, and if not possible or desired, using two section insulators.
    Note that a DC overhead line does not have neutral sections since DC power does not have phases. It only has voltage level and plus minus polarity.

    • @langling4137
      @langling4137 Рік тому +2

      If i am not mistaken, systems with low frequency AC (like 16.67 Hz in Germany or 25 Hz in US and some system in Europe) also do not have phase breaks like their standard frequency (50/60 Hz) counterparts since their distribution are only single phase, not 3 phase like commercial grid.

    • @MrToradragon
      @MrToradragon Рік тому +2

      DC system however have sections insulated from each other and those sections are fed at the ends from different rectifier stations. In Czechia there is often as well added circuit that monitors voltage difference between those sections and if it exceeds certain voltage, lights on signal "lower pantograph" are turned on.
      As well sections (in theory up to 60 km) are fed from two phases of public grid by specially connected transformers so load is at least somehow distributed among phases. So the line is fed mor like L1+L2 and L1+L3. But it still has some issues, so most recently two converter stations were put in service in Řikovice and Otrokovice during conversion from 3 kV DC to 25 kV AC and those are tied, AFAIK, to one side of transformer in Nedakonice. Thus in theory there is uninterrupted section of some 45 km there is good chance that it will be soon expanded further 10 km to Přerov. But they most likely waits for complete reconstruction of line to Brno that should start around 2025.

    • @MuhammedGemci
      @MuhammedGemci Рік тому

      @@langling4137 don't they eventually connect to public grid though? At some point, you will have to take power from 3 phase grid. And to my knowledge, there's no way that you can connect a single phase load to three phase grid without causing imbalance, unless you build a converter station. Maybe there's a trickery that i don't know about though.

    • @MuhammedGemci
      @MuhammedGemci Рік тому +1

      @@MrToradragon all correct, while you don't necessarily need insulation between sections, it enables shutting down individual sections, and it also helps when voltage levels don't match. Rectifier stations do have some control over their output voltage, through tapping of input transformer and controlling of thyristors (SCR) that do the rectifying. By the way, i find it highly interesting to have a voltage monitoring system that warns train drivers about voltage mismatch and prompt them to lower pantograph. A really cool safety feature.
      As for AC system, the specially connected transformer is an ordinary single phase transformer whose primary is connected to two phases of the grid. Doing so has two important benefits; load is shared between two phases instead of one, and there's no ground return current. In fact, there can't be any ground return current unless the transformer at the beginning of transmission line is star connected, which is terribly unlikely for high voltage (100+kV) transmission system. All said, there are plenty ways to implement AC electrification, so it's hard to talk about a specific system without knowing the specifics.

    • @MrToradragon
      @MrToradragon Рік тому +1

      @@MuhammedGemci I would say it is hard to match voltages correctly and dynamically when those stations are operating at their capacity and voltage often drops to lower end of tolerance.
      I think they use something like star connection with one of the phases connected to rial, but there is good chance that it had developed over time and new substations differ from older one. There were some suggestions in the past to use balancers to get rid uneven load, but that was scrapped completely and now it seems like they will build inverter stations in pace of current rectifier stations (and it seems like in some places it will be possible just to add inverters) As well there are proposals for electrification of one line with 2x25 kV split phase system. But it will take some time.

  • @ahxishwe5664
    @ahxishwe5664 8 місяців тому +1

    i just joined this channel. Will watch as much as i just found this new love train trchnology.❤😂🎉

  • @BassandoForte
    @BassandoForte Рік тому +5

    You forgot Volks tramway in Brighton built in 1883... 👍

    • @mattsmocs3281
      @mattsmocs3281 Рік тому

      He also skipped spragg and Van Depoele who have still ongoing major impacts to electric rail ops.

  • @grassytramtracks
    @grassytramtracks 7 місяців тому +2

    The UK is both one of the only countries to use 3rd rail not on metro lines (most Southern, Southeastern and South Western Railway lines that go south of London trains are 750V DC 3rd rail and also Merseyrail in and around Liverpool) and also has a pretty under electrified network. Third rail is considered a legacy technology and no significant expansion of the current 3rd rail network is possible, which means that where they've built a new station at Headbolt lane on Merseyrail, they didn't electrify it, so they have to use battery trains to go about a mile (1.6km). Less than 40% of the national network is electric and when we do electrify routes, we can't do it properly. They electrified the mainline from Bristol to London, except for the fact they ran out of money and the wires stop at Chippenham and there the trains drop the pantograph and carry on on diesel to Bath and Bristol. They also used to run stopping services between London Paddington and Oxford, but because they also ran out of money to electrify the line to Oxford, those services stop at Didcot Parkway and there are separate trains that shuttle people between Didcot and Oxford. That's not because everyone in Didcot wants to go to Oxford, but because it's where you change if, like me you want to go from the west (Bristol, Bath, South Wales) to Oxford. Electrification to Bristol Temple Meads, Oxford, the branch lines in the Thames Valley is on hold indefinitely and electrification from Cardiff to Swansea was cancelled altogether

    • @seanolaocha940
      @seanolaocha940 5 місяців тому

      It seems bizarre to me that they wouldn't be allowed to extend third rail electrification to an existing system. I could understand if it was an entirely new line but for one station you'd have thought there'd be no problem. At least yous are doing better than we are in Ireland, we don't have a single mainline electrified and there aren't even plans to do it.

    • @grassytramtracks
      @grassytramtracks 3 місяці тому

      ​@@seanolaocha940 it's not 100% banned to make some small extensions but that's the exception, the rule is that there broadly shouldn't be any large scale 3rd rail electrification. I can certainly believe that there's some administrative headache to build another mile of 3rd rail

  • @yuriycas1719
    @yuriycas1719 Місяць тому +1

    DC does not suffer higher losses because it's DC but because it's operated at low voltage so it can be used by the train directly without a need for a transformer.

  • @GianUbertoLauri
    @GianUbertoLauri 11 місяців тому +1

    Objections to this video. One of the first images in the video (from 1:10 1o 1:14) is the Rete Adriatica 342, later (after 1905) FS E430. It was built in 1900 by Ganz-Mavag (Hungary). By 1905 the newly formed FS, the Italian state railways, had already decided to go for the electric traction. It ran on a 3-phase AC supply (with 2 overhead wires), 3.6kV, 16⅔ Hz (50/3 Hz) with two overhead wires. Italy fully discontinued it use in the second half of the seventies of the 19th century.
    The Swiss engine shown 6:06 to 6:14 was fed wik 3kV, 16Hz 3-phase AC (please notice the 2 overhead wires, as in the Italian lines). I think that Kándó designed the Hungarian engine with a rotary 50Hz 1-phase to 3-Phase (possibly to 16⅔ Hz) as he planned to do in Italy with the failed E 471 project.

  • @Bird_Dog00
    @Bird_Dog00 Рік тому +7

    Afaik there are only two countries world-wide who fully electrified their railway network: Switzerland an Armenia.
    In switzerland electrification was iirc mainly driven by coal shortages during WW1 as switzerland, lacking its own coal deposits, was fully dependent on imports from germany.
    In the interwar period the government built hydroelectric powerplants to supply the electricity - using coal-fired powerplants would kinda have defeated the whole point of the exercise.
    By WW2 about 3/4 of the network operated by the swiss federal railways (SBB) was electrified.
    Fun fact: in WW2, two steam-powerd switch engines operating in Zürich were converted to electric by installing a pantograph on the roof and electric heaters in the boiler, while retaining the option to run them on coal fire if needed.
    So yea, bascialy electric tea kettles on rails...

    • @Edward4Plantagenet
      @Edward4Plantagenet Рік тому +1

      There are 9 countries fully Electrified. Switzerland has 5200km network. Last year India did 6366km Electrification (Which is equals to those 9 countries' total network)

    • @Bird_Dog00
      @Bird_Dog00 Рік тому +1

      @@Edward4Plantagenet It's certianly possible that my information is outdated.
      A - sadly also somewhat outdated - factsheet I found on the indian railway website indicates about 50% electrification by 2016.

    • @MuhammedGemci
      @MuhammedGemci Рік тому +1

      Converting a steamer to electric while retaining the ability to run on coal? Pats off to those people! Do you know one such locomotive preserved and being displayed in a museum somewhere?

    • @Bird_Dog00
      @Bird_Dog00 Рік тому +1

      @@MuhammedGemci Sadly, I don't think they did.

    • @MuhammedGemci
      @MuhammedGemci Рік тому +1

      @@Bird_Dog00 awww :( Well, i guess there only being two of them and multiple wars happened since didn't help their survival.

  • @matsv201
    @matsv201 Рік тому +2

    4:24 "and no high voltage insulation existed"
    While that was true, it wasn´t the reason. They could easily have 4kV AC with just a simple rail-line step-down transformer. The real reason is that the first systems was short, and there really wasn´t a use for AC.
    5:26 That was not really the reason for AC rail lines. A normal DC line can power about 4MW, that is way more than any train used at that period in time. The real reason is that DC can't (or rather could not) be transformed. Transporting DC for long distances didn´t work, so AC was needed for end line transformers. If they needed endline transformers anyway, they could just put them on the train, reducing the number of transformers needed. Hence high voltage AC.
    5:48 Overheating is not really the issue. Or well, its a bit more complicated. When AC first was adopted, precision grind gears was not available. So the motor had to drive the wheels directly or via a copeling rod. 16.7Hz was actually made later. Early railway electrification was closed to 15Hz because they had there own grid. Early AC motors work via induction slipping. So while the magnetic rotate 15-16 times per second (or really half or a quarter of that, for 1 phase). The rotor slips behind depending on how magnetized the rotor is. This way when it at full magnetization the slippage may be as little as 10 or 15% making the motor fairly efficient.
    But if the the magnetic rotation would be 50 times a second (or well half that), with no gearing the wheel would need to be well to small. Also over time the motors developed with several motor coils for selection enabling larger traction at start. Later this was solved with bipolar motors and even later one gearing was developed, totally solving the issue.
    Eventually the 15Hz was adopted to 16,7Hz to integrated with the grid.
    One could say if you would have a 50Hz power to a direct drive AC motor with slippage, it would overheat. But people didn´t need to try that. they did understand that already. Because grid integration wasn´t a thing early on. There really was no reason to push 50Hz. 16,7Hz also have some other advantages. There are less of bounce in the system and they are also truly single phase, while most 50 and 60Hz system are split phase, having a few drawbacks.
    8:05 While the transformers are a bit heavier, this is not a huge problem. The simplest solution is simply to just ad a other trailing wheel. People who designed engines know what they where doing, they didn´t just let the axle load rise.
    9:10 When Denmark start making there rail line electrified they did so around the capital. That was during that time not connected via rail line to either Germany nor Sweden. The connection to Germany was first finished in the mid 90-tys and to Sweden in year 2000. At that time, multi system locos was already readily available.
    10:10 having system that operate with 1.5kV, 3.0kV as well as 25kV AC is not a problem regardless of electronics or not. With arc rectifier and a seriel/parallel selector (that is effectively a electromagnet with a breaker), all 3 can be run with out a issue with normal bi-polar motors. Having 15kV does complicate it a bit (while the transformers and rectifier really don´t care that much about the frequency)

  • @mardiffv.8775
    @mardiffv.8775 Рік тому +2

    I heard from a security guard that he witnessed a thief trying to steal copper wire from the railroad. He saw orange and blue flames in the distance. By the time he reached the site, he saw a black man. Not a man of African origin, but charcoaled black. He had been fried by 30 kV, or 30,000 Volts.

    • @humorpalanta
      @humorpalanta Рік тому +3

      Yep, 25 kV is not to play with. You don't even have to touch the cable as it will connect easily via air as well. So many people have died just by peeing on the cable from a bridge.

    • @mardiffv.8775
      @mardiffv.8775 Рік тому

      @@humorpalanta Thanks for the info. The copper thief tried to cut the 30 kV cable. Well, he will never do it again.

    • @humorpalanta
      @humorpalanta Рік тому +2

      @@mardiffv.8775 Do you think that is something?We had a gypsy guy that found a grenade and tried to cut it open with an electric cutter. Well, technically he was successful. But he will not do that again that is certain.

  • @don1estelle
    @don1estelle Рік тому +2

    Thanks for this very interesting video! Please will you cover the Permanently Earthed sections that Transport for Wales are going to used in Stations and at low Bridges and Tunnels 😊

  • @ArchonToten
    @ArchonToten Рік тому +3

    There's another type of third rail used by the Sydney light rail. In order to, well not kill passing pedestrians they use some kind of system that energies the rail in small sections and only beneath the locomotive. Outside of the cbd it uses a normal overhead.

    • @MuhammedGemci
      @MuhammedGemci Рік тому +4

      Alstom's APS system?

    • @ArchonToten
      @ArchonToten Рік тому +2

      @@MuhammedGemci That's the one, never looked up the name of it.

  • @rudys3649
    @rudys3649 Рік тому +2

    Subscribed. Good info. Thanks. Please make some videos on Indian railways tech.

  • @radupopescu9977
    @radupopescu9977 11 місяців тому +1

    At 8:46, the image is from Romania, near (about 2.5 km) Bucharest main train station.

  • @giogio6974
    @giogio6974 Рік тому +5

    Could you please make a video on Italy's HSR. It's a modern system just like spain and germany but it was reported that cost/km is 3-4 times higher than those countries. Could you also talk more about costs in your videos i feel like it would add a lot of value. Thanks

    • @giogio6974
      @giogio6974 Рік тому +2

      thanks for the like! Also forgot to mention that Italy HSR was the first in europe to have multiple private companies running on the HR since 2016. I think spain was second eventually

  • @jermainetrainallen6416
    @jermainetrainallen6416 Рік тому +8

    Thanks for the video. You're very good at explaining topics like these. I find it interesting how certain countries use different electrification systems than others and how problems that have arisen from that are being overcome. Keep up the good work👍

    • @RailwaysExplained
      @RailwaysExplained  Рік тому +2

      Thank you!

    • @jermainetrainallen6416
      @jermainetrainallen6416 Рік тому +1

      @@RailwaysExplained No problem😊

    • @georgen9755
      @georgen9755 10 місяців тому

      How is electrification connected to polytechnics and engineering workshops and laboratories ?
      How mobile phones one decade or so got connected to railway announcers ?? they have different pay packages and polytechnics different and engineering colleges different pay ...
      How elementary grade teachers got hike with electrification ? our jobs are ruined because I am not railway minister ........and mamtha banerjee prohibited many religious from entering the railway ground ......for conducting religious ceremonies
      I don't understand these shamiynas which bothers mamatha banerjee and nirmala the financial ministers ....
      Deemed universities after getting the contracts asking the local politics to collect professional tax .....collected at source ........without giving jobs ?

  • @neuralwarp
    @neuralwarp Рік тому +7

    I would like to know about trolley poles, and overhead switching in trolleybuses.

    • @mattsmocs3281
      @mattsmocs3281 Рік тому +2

      Trolley poles are the love child of Charles Van Deople’s troller and Spragg’s pole system when Charles combined the two concepts which solved the issues of both making it viable to use in 1887. This was early enough that his original system in Scranton and many other systems would use this style instead and became dominant over the bow style pantograph in more places than one would think. The poles can go through switches via the same reason they work, being a toller like on a fishing boat following behind pushed upwards it will follow where it is tugged, thus at a point it meets the frog and guides to the directional side it pulled through the guides.
      Although frogs aren’t needed in pantograph systems. Trollers can negotiate sharp curves, operate on wires towards the sides and are far more lenient with the wire. Infact there is some trolley lines with very loose hung wire which although is all over the place, it doesn’t matter as the troller tracks it fine. A pantograph meanwhile would get caught or push the wire to the side and thus de wire.

  • @stevedrane2364
    @stevedrane2364 Рік тому

    Thank you very interesting. . 👍

  • @peterkratoska4524
    @peterkratoska4524 Рік тому +2

    Interesting. Can you talk about the electric induction systems like that used by Vancouvers Skytrain Light rail?

  • @Xen_Prime
    @Xen_Prime Рік тому +1

    Also very interesting topic is electric locomotive arrangements.

  • @user-mc7ez6lm4x
    @user-mc7ez6lm4x Рік тому +4

    Why is the need for locomotives capable of traveling internationally is a dogma? We change locomotives in Russia at hub stations with ease even for passenger trains. At 90km/h you can not travel a typical North to South route in less then 2-3days, so if you don't change locomotive you still have to change the locomotive crew, that is not touching the route trans Siberian.

  • @jeffreyblack666
    @jeffreyblack666 Рік тому +1

    I would say those using AC did so before DC and solid state circuits were fully developed, and if people were making a power grid today from scratch, they would likely use DC.

  • @heidirabenau511
    @heidirabenau511 Рік тому +12

    Nice to see that this channel is back after a 1 month break!

  • @domenickeller2564
    @domenickeller2564 Місяць тому +1

    The reason for 16.7 Hz at 5:40 is not really correct. They needed a lower frequency for the motors as stated. But at first they chose 16.6666 Hz ( 16. 2/3 Hz) which is 50Hz/3. By choosing an integer divisor the conversion with mechanical systems is simpler. In 1995 it was changed to 16.7 Hz because asynchronous motors put stress on the national 50 Hz grid at high power if is 50Hz is an integer multiple of the chosen frequency. So a frequency that is not an integer divisor of 50Hz was chosen but which was still in the tolerances of the whole 16.66667 Hz infrastructure.

  • @blackov4235
    @blackov4235 6 місяців тому +1

    For 3kV DC Electrification system, what is the distance between each Power Supply is recommended ?

  • @bonetiredtoo
    @bonetiredtoo 5 місяців тому

    The UK started with 1500v overhead before WW2 when the Woodhead line was electrified in the 1950s and was based on the Dutch system of the time. It was designed that it could be converted to 25kv but in the event the line was closed in the 1980s. There were a number of other 1500v systems in use in the UK (London-Southend being an example) but these have all been converted to 25kv.

  • @sciamachy9838
    @sciamachy9838 Рік тому +2

    Not me waiting for the italian railway’s explained

  • @makunahatata6321
    @makunahatata6321 Рік тому +7

    Title should be " Railway Electrification systems in Europe"

    • @benbedothu
      @benbedothu Рік тому +1

      Railway electrification systems in the rest of the world are exactly the same.

    • @makunahatata6321
      @makunahatata6321 Рік тому +2

      @@benbedothu Even though they are more or less the same, they do have some uniqueness which should have been mentioned to justify the title of this video

  • @kanishkan
    @kanishkan Рік тому +1

    One thing I would really like to know is what is the regen efficiency for railways around the world

  • @jackx4311
    @jackx4311 Рік тому +1

    The City & South London Railway was opened in 1890, and the power supply was 500V DC.

  • @ebtclayspr
    @ebtclayspr Рік тому +1

    Nice video but one photo out of place. The black-and-white photo near the beginning of the film showing a Pennsylvania Railroad engine was taken in the Narrows just east of Lewistown Pennsylvania and has nothing to do with the electrification.

  • @lukask7445
    @lukask7445 7 місяців тому +1

    Still have no idea how to convert AC voltage to DC providing such huge power level the train requires.
    And how to convert 50 to 16 Hz.

  • @rezaalan3991
    @rezaalan3991 Рік тому

    Great video

  • @quelenos863
    @quelenos863 Рік тому +1

    thank you

  • @JosipRadnik1
    @JosipRadnik1 Рік тому +9

    A small correction: at 6:12, you show a locomotive of the Simplon Line. While that line was electric from the onset, it originally used a different system. Unfortunately I don't know the name in english. In german it's called "drehstrom" and it uses 3 lines to supply the engine with electric current. That's why you see two separate pantographs side by side on the picture. This system was later abandoned in favour of the usual 15kV, 16,7hz system that had become standard by then.

    • @meongmeong3599
      @meongmeong3599 Рік тому +6

      It's 3 phase system i believe. Italy once use 3 phase systems as their standard, before replaced by 3 kV DC systems.
      It's complicated system, and have limited speeds by modern standard (Italian system have maximum speed at only 100 km/h) due to complicated wiring

    • @JosipRadnik1
      @JosipRadnik1 Рік тому +5

      @@meongmeong3599 Correct, it's the same system as the italians initially used. As far as I know, it intially was introduced on behalf of italy since the simplon line was a italian/swiss joint venture.

    • @benbedothu
      @benbedothu Рік тому +2

      I wanted to point that out as well. It's interesting that the video mentions the groundbreaking idea of Kálmán Kandó of using 50 Hz for electrification with asynchronous drive, but that was only after he electrified most of Northern Italy. The Simplon line from Domodossola to Sion was electrified using three-phase AC so that it could connect to the already existing Kandó-system in Italy (that they preferred calling "Systema Italiana"). Even though the locomotive shown in Swiss-made, construction problems prolonged their initiation to the Simplon line, so electrified traffic started with locomotives borrowed from FS, some of which were made by Kandó's factory in Vado Ligure (partly financed by Westinghouse), some of which in the factory where Kandó developed the technology, at Ganz Villamossági Művek Budapest, Hungary.
      Later single-phase AC locomotives were developed because after the Great War, Hungary lost most of its coal mines, and that sparked the idea of nationwide electrification with a power grid in the head of Dr. Verebél¨y László, and Kandó saw this opportunity to promote the nationwide electrification of railways, instead of them using separate power plants, using 50 Hz AC. Soon the electrification of the Western half of Hungary started, all towns, industries and power plants, together with electrifying the Budapest-Hegyeshalom railway. This project was funded by British banks, and in response the locomotive bodies of the MÁV V40 class locomotives were built by Metropolitan Vickers.
      Kandó's locomotives used three-phase AC asynchronous motors, which are best for railway traction, under single-phase AC catenary, using an on-board rotary electromechanical phase-shifter (early inverter) to create the three-phase AC. English Electric had access to the technology through the funding deal, but couldn't reproduce the machines, and that's why 50 Hz AC mainline electrification could only become widespread after WW2 and the more successful French experiments with rectifiers. The Budapest-Hegyeshalom railway remained electrified throughout though, and the locomotives featured regenerative braking and automatic speed control, features other industries could only reproduce in the late 1980s. After WW2 Hungary also started using French rectifier locomotives and that's when the 16 kV catenary voltage was raised to 25 kV. Today almost every new railway, especially high-speed railways are built according to Kandó's idea, standardised by the advancements of the French industry.

  • @EpicThe112
    @EpicThe112 3 місяці тому +1

    5:04 3kv DC was formerly used in the US for Milwaukee RR which was the model RR for the European 3kv DC networks. Does anyone know what is the Substation distance for Norway Sweden 15kv 16 2/3 Hz Ac Germany Austria Switzerland 15kv 16.7 hz Ac my guess is 80 to 100 km or same as 25kv 50/6-0 hz AC

  • @uncinarynin
    @uncinarynin Рік тому +6

    It could also be mentioned that the geometric dimensions of overhead wire systems are different from one country to another. That refers to the height above the rail, but pantographs allow to be operated at different levels of overhead wires (typically the wires are high at level crossings to allow enough safety distance to crossing road vehicles, and low under some bridges or in tunnels, though new installations are built at constant level).
    More importantly the deviation from the centerline (200 to 400 mm, or a total width of 400 to 800 mm) can be different. Switzerland, Italy and the French AC network use the narrow system. Many other systems use the wide system. The total width of the pantograph wiper can be 1450 to 1950 mm, narrow pantographs might "derail" when used on a wide-zigzag overhead wire and wide pantographs might get too close to curved tunnel walls or fixed installations next to the track, causing collision or electric hazards.
    French multisystem rolling stock usually has 1600 mm wide pantographs, which works everywhere except in parts of the former Midi network, where 1950 mm pantographs are required, so they must take care which locomotive is used on which lines. Apparently rebuilding everything to AC would be so expensive that it's more economic to operate a fleet of mostly multi-system rolling stock.
    Different systems also require different materials of the contact piece of the pantograph, which might be graphite, copper, aluminium or a combination thereof.
    Therefore a Vectron MS locomotive can have four different pantographs and still not be able to go on every electrified line of the continental European standard-gauge network.

    • @langling4137
      @langling4137 Рік тому +2

      Wow, i never thought how much more complex it is than just signalling and voltage standards

    • @uncinarynin
      @uncinarynin Рік тому +2

      @@langling4137 It used to be even worse. Until the 1980s Switzerland had an even narrower pantograph and then in the 1980s changed the standard to be compatible to the French AC geometry. Even more recently Hungary required even wider pantographs, but has adjusted to allow Austrian and Czech pantographs to be used.
      Since the wires are basically straight from one mast to another (with the exception of a few exotic systems), allowing less deviation from the centerline means having to reduce the distance between poles in curves, which is more costly. On the other hand it's easier to electrify old tunnels which often have a circular cross section.

  • @HeaGuerilla
    @HeaGuerilla Рік тому +1

    Wrong map about russian electrification. Ingria is dc, but karelia is ac powered. It depends of ages of the electrification of republics railway.

  • @RAMKUMARRAM-dq4pm
    @RAMKUMARRAM-dq4pm 18 днів тому

    I have a question and didnt get answer for it after watching this video, single phase 25kV line used here and neutral is grounded through wheel and railway track, now my question is what ever is the amount of current flowing from 25KV phase goes to neutral (ground), how the circuit is completed here, and what about the losses when the neutral is grounded? Please answer

  • @rodrigoalvesdepaula5262
    @rodrigoalvesdepaula5262 Рік тому +2

    For decades, Brazilian railways had electrification. In 1922, Paulista Railways introduced electric locomotives built by GE and Westinghouse in its trunk line across Brazilian hinterlands - the electrification system was based on Milwaukee Road system in Montana and Idaho (3 kV DC). Paulista Railways was one for few owners of GE Little Joe locomotives.
    Paulista Railways electrification system was dismanteled in 1999 when American-built diesel-electric locomotives were in operation.
    More railways in Brazil had electric trains - Central do Brasil, Sorocabana and Rede Mineira de Viação (3 kV DC). All these systems were dismanteled during late 1990's.
    Nowadays, in Brazil, there are electrification system only in commuter trains (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte and Recife) and an unique heavy haul rack railway near São Paulo (yes, we have a ABT rack railway for heavy freight trains!) with powerful Stadler locomotives.

  • @lowercherty
    @lowercherty Рік тому +2

    Modern North American electrification. Modern inverter technology and brushless traction motors used in AC diesel locomotives make electrification much easier on the locomotive side. I see 50 kV overhead at single phase AC and commercial frequencies (60 hz in NA.). This makes things much easier on the caternary side.
    North America needs high tractive effort freight locomotives operating at relatively low speeds.

    • @kevinrkinsella
      @kevinrkinsella Рік тому +1

      25kv can be ‘encouraged’ to jump considerable distances and requires careful planning to avoid Corona discharge arcing problems. 50kv would be much more difficult to restrict to the overhead, it happily jumps onto grounded structures at the slightest excuse.
      Yes I know that makes it sound almost alive, if you’d ever worked with uninsulated high voltages wiring you’d treat it like an inquisitive 3 year old and be very concerned about what it might do next.
      Much US freight is moved in “well wagons” to allow boxes to be doubled stacked in each wagon. These boxes are literally at the top of the loading gauge, just skimming under bridges. With absolutely no room for Hi voltage catenary clearances (not even 25kv) the only way to introduce overhead wires onto most existing freight routes across the US would be to rebuild them.
      This would involve (as a minimum) Taller tunnels, Raised roadways where they pass over tracks, upgrading or constructing electrical distribution networks to feed the locomotives.
      Then there’s the big issue about road user behaviour. There’s enough trouble as it is with delays caused by owners and drivers ignoring the risks associated with crossing the railroad. Inevitably Overheight road vehicles will spark arcs (or foul the wires) as they conflict with the overhead kit at Grade/Level crossing.
      Either type of incident will take down the wires and shut the route awaiting repair teams. It’s one thing to clear lorry wreckage another to rebuild and re-tension the overhead catenary.
      All in all it’s going to be a very long time before Diesel is ousted from US rail freight haulage.

    • @lowercherty
      @lowercherty Рік тому +2

      @@kevinrkinsella I agree fully. Maybe 50 kV might be a stretch. That new high 25 kV caternary in India comes real close to what North America would need. They're running double stacks too, except theirs are even taller on straight flat cars. They are building a new from scratch backbone of new roadbed and tracks. These wires are high enough that road traffic should not be a problem at grade crossings.
      Think in terms of 20,000 HP running at full load for many hours on end out west.
      Yes, this would require extensive reconstruction in NA, especially in the east. Out west, any new construction is now high enough for 25 kV caternary over double stacks. There are still lots of legacy structures that won't, though double stacks, auto racks, and bi level passenger cars can go just about anywhere behind diesel.
      The east is another matter with many areas the taller cars just can't go.
      I agree it will be a long time before there is major new electrification in NA.

  • @PavelKohout77
    @PavelKohout77 Рік тому +4

    Yes, In Czech republic we have total mess. North is 3 kV DC, south 25 kV AC 50 Hz. But slowly we are switching DC lines to AC...

    • @julosx
      @julosx Рік тому

      Having two different system is not a problem by itself. In France there's the 1500 DC and the 25 000 AC and it works well as long you have traction vehicules able to handle both, like in Belgium. Back in 1964, the CC 40100s and Swiss Trans Europ Express railcars were able to handle all 4 different systems in Europe.

    • @PavelKohout77
      @PavelKohout77 Рік тому +1

      @@julosx It is a big problem, because it costs more money, because of need of changing locomotives on system borders (it costs time and time is money) or you need to use locomotives which are able to handle both systems (which is more expensive). Not mentioning that 3kV DC system is relic of 18th century - it really bad and ineffective and expensive (lower voltage results in higher current, you need to use more copper in wires, but it still do not compensate higher losses due to higher currents, you also need more power supply stations and locomotives can not use maximal power, which results in smaller acceleration and inability to use heavier/longer trains. Also higher currents destroys more the wires and the collectors which have to be renewed more often.) In this time of skyrocketing electricity prices and also skyrocketing prices of copper these disadvantages are even more serious...

    • @humorpalanta
      @humorpalanta Рік тому

      @@PavelKohout77 Soon your northern territories shall join the A-H Monarchy. Muhahahaha. Our secret plans are working! :P

  • @wahyufauji1997
    @wahyufauji1997 Рік тому +2

    Indonesia use 1500 VDC

  • @zulithern
    @zulithern Рік тому

    Please don’t judge Thailand, the rail wasn’t been electrification as of today. Some compartments are damage and of course insult for management. We’re currently getting electrified soon.

  • @matthewmclean1011
    @matthewmclean1011 Рік тому +3

    I need to ask I see in some systems that the above contact wire and catenary is replaced with what looks like a steel line and I am curious what that is called

    • @DangItshere
      @DangItshere Рік тому +2

      It's called a rigid caterary system or Rigid Overhead Electrical Line

    • @dasy2k1
      @dasy2k1 Рік тому +1

      Or Rigid overhead contact system ROCS

    • @MuhammedGemci
      @MuhammedGemci Рік тому +1

      It's rigid catenary, you attach the contact wire to aluminium holders which serve the duty of catenary wire, then you attach the holders to frequently placed supports. It's used primarily to reduce tunnel cross sections that has to use overhead power. However, the reduction in cross section is large enough to enable rigid catenary to compete with third rail. Even though the cross section is still larger than third rail, the difference is small enough that increased safety and possible voltage level makes it well worth it. As a result, most newly built metro lines use 1.5kV rigid catenary, oftenly coupled with DTO or UTO level of CBTC signalling system.

    • @matthewmclean1011
      @matthewmclean1011 Рік тому +1

      Thanks everyone 😀

    • @MrToradragon
      @MrToradragon Рік тому +1

      @@MuhammedGemci As well it enables electrification of lines wit old tunnels that otherwise would not be possible.

  • @bcb7655
    @bcb7655 Рік тому +3

    Do you know if aluminium overhead wires have been atempted ? With the energy transition, copper prices will skyrocket. This could be a solution.

    • @kevinrkinsella
      @kevinrkinsella Рік тому +5

      Compared to Copper, Aluminium doesn’t conduct well. In tension Aluminium is much weaker than Copper. Aluminium is much softer than Copper. These are just a few of the reasons Aluminium is not normally used to transport electricity to point of use. Perhaps confusingly High voltage distribution systems use spiral wrapped high purity Aluminium wire wrapped around a steel tensioner wire.

    • @0x8badf00d
      @0x8badf00d Рік тому

      @@kevinrkinsella By diameter aluminium is a worse conductor than copper, but by mass it's the other way around.

    • @jeffreyblack666
      @jeffreyblack666 Рік тому

      @@kevinrkinsella Trains rely upon a sliding contact to transmit power.
      Aluminium is not good for that due to its higher resistivity and faster corrosion (all exposed aluminium is covered in a thin oxide layer)
      But mains power transmission to houses, factories, businesses, etc don't have a sliding contact and can make a much better contact with the aluminium wire, so instead they go for weight. Aluminium has a lower resistance per unit mass. And then to give it strength they use a steel wire to hold the aluminium wire.
      And because it uses AC, you don't want the wire to be too thick.

  • @christbaumer
    @christbaumer Рік тому +1

    15:30 ÖBB Railjet spotted.

  • @arnomrnym6329
    @arnomrnym6329 Рік тому +1

    Thx 👍🏾😎

  • @MrStark-up6fi
    @MrStark-up6fi Рік тому +2

    I still wonder what those wires on the catenary that runs parallel to the overhead lines are for

    • @typhoon-7
      @typhoon-7 Рік тому +2

      Earth return cable. Or on a high speed line it's often another 25kV line because they're fed from a 50kV split transformer.

    • @MrStark-up6fi
      @MrStark-up6fi Рік тому +1

      @@typhoon-7 oh, thanks

    • @MuhammedGemci
      @MuhammedGemci Рік тому +1

      @@typhoon-7 if connected directly to the masts (without insulators) it's ground return cable. If connected via insulators, it's either a feeder wire (for bypassing a station/siding) or the opposite phase line for 2x25kV (or 50kV) split phase system.
      Important safety note; even if a ground return wire is installed, significant amount of current STILL flows ON the RAILS. And it can electrocute someone if certain conditions are met. Simply put, always observe safety procedures about return currents regardless of the existence of a ground return wire.

    • @typhoon-7
      @typhoon-7 Рік тому +3

      @@MuhammedGemci Yep, I'm a railway engineer. You too?

    • @MuhammedGemci
      @MuhammedGemci Рік тому +2

      @@typhoon-7 yep! And one of my interns was at a company that builds 25kV overhead.

  • @rico4.700
    @rico4.700 Рік тому +1

    Not to be annoying, but Denmark uses both 25kv AC and 750v DC electrification because of the CPH metro

    • @someopinion922
      @someopinion922 8 місяців тому +1

      Plus 1650 v DC in the S-train suburban lines.

  • @marzi_kat
    @marzi_kat Рік тому +3

    I thought that zig-zag pattern main purpose is to elimitate sideways motion of power lines caused by passing trains?

    • @MuhammedGemci
      @MuhammedGemci Рік тому +4

      Due to tensioning of wires and how the wires are attached to masts, the wires have highly limited sideways motion, they mostly move up and back down as a pantograph passes under them.

    • @Berkeloid0
      @Berkeloid0 Рік тому +5

      The zig-zag pattern is to make sure the line moves back and forth across the pantograph, so that it wears evenly. Otherwise it will very quickly get a hole cut into it if the wire was rubbing in the same spot all the time.

  • @marcmasguret9421
    @marcmasguret9421 Рік тому +5

    In Spain 1,5kv is also used in metric wide railways (former "FEVE") that operates mostly in the north. Also in some regional owned railways.

  • @JW-be8wf
    @JW-be8wf Рік тому +1

    Question: I understand how they keep the overhead cantenary systems isolated between substations using insulators and switches. What about the return path? How are continuous steel rails isolated? If they don't isolate the rails and thus the return path, the entire rail is one gaint return to multiple substations??

    • @samin90
      @samin90 Рік тому +1

      In AC current the return path is ground

    • @roger1818
      @roger1818 Рік тому +2

      There is no need to isolate the return path as it is a ground potential.

    • @jeffreyblack666
      @jeffreyblack666 Рік тому

      Yes, the entire rail acts as a giant parallel return path to multiple substations. This is why it needs to be kept at ground voltage. If it wasn't at ground voltage, different phases at the different substations could cause stray currents with all sorts of problems, and it wouldn't be safe to work on.
      But with it kept at ground voltage, there should be no current between the substations and you should be able to touch it and ground without any current through you.

    • @TheSrSunday
      @TheSrSunday Рік тому

      Some underground railways, like Metro Barcelona, use insulating pads under the sleepers in order to avoid stray currents corroding sundry infrastructure.
      Then there is the 25/50kV AC system, that uses a -25kV AC return feeder to the transformer substation, and several autotransformer substations between two transformer substations. That helps to avoid stray currents as the autotransformers "suck" the return currents.

    • @brownpcsuncedu
      @brownpcsuncedu 8 місяців тому

      It used to be very common in the US to put insulated joints in rails to divide the track into blocks for signaling purposes. So it would certainly be possible to introduce insulated joints to match the neutral sections in the overhead. As other folks have noted, though, it's not really needed if the rails are at ground potential.

  • @ricktrickshots2642
    @ricktrickshots2642 Рік тому +4

    I don't like technical videos but you managed to only put little fractions in, so it was a great video. But of course the ones about different countries rail lines are my favorite videos. 😂

  • @SumitPalTube
    @SumitPalTube Рік тому +2

    PS: 'World' here means 'Europe'.
    Nice information, though.

    • @domenickeller2564
      @domenickeller2564 Місяць тому +1

      True but almost all electric railway inovation came from europe

  • @Neethinify
    @Neethinify Рік тому +7

    See lesics video to see how Pantagraph works

    • @RailwaysExplained
      @RailwaysExplained  Рік тому +3

      That is amazing video!

    • @afmatias
      @afmatias Рік тому +2

      @@RailwaysExplained it would be nice to referencing it on the description, since you use several shots from that video

  • @firefox39693
    @firefox39693 Рік тому +12

    Rail electrification can work exceedingly well in Canada, the US, Australia, South America, the Middle East, and Eurasia. The biggest market for rail in those places would be freight, not passenger rail. If anything, electrifying freight trains would provide the demand needed to justify electrification in Canada. I live in Canada. I hate the fact we haven't electrified our railways.

    • @cyri96
      @cyri96 Рік тому +7

      American Freight companies only seem to work for short term gain, eletrification is something that's very lucrative in the long term but requires a high initial investment, which is why they aren't doing it

    • @ricequackers
      @ricequackers Рік тому +5

      If the Soviet Union was able to electrify an enormous line that crosses rough and extremely remote terrain and some of the harshest weather conditions in the world outside of Antarctica, then so can the much wealthier USA and Canada.

    • @TheFarix2723
      @TheFarix2723 Рік тому +1

      It really depends on the traffic volume of the specific lines. I would very much like to see studies done on how much volume is needed before electrification becomes cost beneficial. But I doubt most lines outside the main trunk lines have enough traffic volume to justify electrification.

    • @Genius_at_Work
      @Genius_at_Work Рік тому +1

      Another Problem that I can see are Double Stack Container Trains. Electrfying them might require rebuilding thousands of Bridges and Tunnels, to accomodate the increased Height for the Catenaries.

    • @xsc1000
      @xsc1000 Рік тому +4

      @@ricequackers Its not a technical problem, its just about money. Soviet planned economy didnt count profit.

  • @nikolaospeterson2495
    @nikolaospeterson2495 Рік тому +4

    'Droppers' are also known as 'hangers' between tyhe contact wire and the catenary messenger cable. This vid would come in very handy as I am trying to initiate an international not-for-profit education and promotional organisation as to promote electrification of railways (now updated due to this Climate Emergency ALL forms of human transport to get away from fossil-fuels and to simple GO ELECTRIC (with 'green' means of production of electricity).

  • @brooklynelite5428
    @brooklynelite5428 Рік тому +1

    Here in American our rail system know as amtrak sucks only one section is electrified and the the NEC and the rest is sad slow not many rail lines it's a mess we need help from our European neighbors across the pond. It should become a law all diesel gas operated trains must be converted to all electrified equipment meaning every train all run of the overhead wire system no need for diesel trains a trip from NYC to LA should take about 2 to 3 hours by train not days like I said America we need dire help and hopefully TRAIN DADDY can make amtrak a much desire instead of expensive airlines and or sitting in car traffic.

    • @AllenGraetz
      @AllenGraetz Рік тому

      99% of the US rail system is not Amtrack. Amtrack is the only bit that isn't great.
      The only law needed is one to educate the people ignorantly pontificating that a train should be able to travel NYC to LA in a couple hours.

    • @brooklynelite5428
      @brooklynelite5428 Рік тому +1

      @Allen G Yes that I know but the times we live in our rail network should be start of the art system should have been great like how the Europeans have rail system that makes our look like a joke. Maybe the United States should heavily invest into our rail system and maybe ours wouldn't suck.

  • @Zichoe
    @Zichoe Рік тому +1

    Worlwide in this video is europe

  • @db4423
    @db4423 Рік тому

    7:40 damn ...I looked

  • @pedrolopes3542
    @pedrolopes3542 Рік тому +2

    This is a huge mess, it is surprising it has not yet been standardized in Europe. More than half of Europe is already 25KVAC 50HZ, so just change the rest over the next 20 years.

    • @olafgogmo5426
      @olafgogmo5426 Рік тому +3

      Why? That's way too expensive, And it' not necessary. Modern lokomotives can use different systems. So the TGV runs to Stuttgart, German regional trains run to Arnhem and Czech Rail Jets run to Vienna. No big deal.

    • @pedrolopes3542
      @pedrolopes3542 Рік тому +2

      @@olafgogmo5426 every few decades, the rail lines need to be repaired/remodeled, they could simply change the system to a pan European standard whenever they remodel lines. There is no reason to be more expensive.

    • @RandomerFellow
      @RandomerFellow Рік тому

      A lower frequency = less losses over long distance. So 16 2/3Hz is better.

    • @pedrolopes3542
      @pedrolopes3542 Рік тому +1

      @@RandomerFellow whichever standards used, as long as is good enough and the same across all of europe would be an improvement.

    • @julosx
      @julosx Рік тому

      @@pedrolopes3542 No, too expensive. You have in this case to replace everything. It's much simpler and cost effective to service the installations what they need to male sure they work and that's it.

  • @metsalo1234
    @metsalo1234 Рік тому +3

    In Denmark 1,5kV DC is also used for the S-train network used in the greater Copenhagen area

  • @SharhbiniRauf
    @SharhbiniRauf Рік тому +1

    That old and lazy also dangerious tech, put parendev permanent magnet + generator specially made big one carriage.

  • @richardhetrick4770
    @richardhetrick4770 Місяць тому

    The the vast distances of western USA the upfront cost of electric rails is to high the diesal electric engine will be around for remote locations. Electric line wpuld be big cost for maintained of ways

  • @MorganTheTimeLord
    @MorganTheTimeLord Рік тому +1

    I see you’re using a lot of footage from other channels without giving credit

  • @MrMatavelhas
    @MrMatavelhas Рік тому +1

    You made a huge mess of the neutral section. Neutral sections usually historically exist in AC because of the need to avoid the mix of non sychronised AC currents. This ain't much of a problem nowadays, with the huge sychronized power grids but was certainly a problem un the old day when power grids where much smaller due to the problems of sychronization.
    It should be noted that a section insulator, is not a neutral section. It indeed exists to separate electrically two portions of OHL but it is only effective in conjunction with a train run blockage (for example, you want to perfom maintenance on the OHL on a certain section of track, this allows you to do so). A Neutral Section involves a non fed OHL portion, sometimes achieved through the use of two section insulators, where pantographs can pass up but with the main switch of the train off to avoid arching.

    • @janpf0624
      @janpf0624 Рік тому

      "This ain't much of a problem nowadays."
      Actually, this is a big problem in my country, even nowadays, because the 50Hz national power grid is three-phase current and it is mutually used by the railways too. To achieving a symmetrical power consuption on every phase of three, the phases are alternated, the double track main line never has the same phase above the adjacent tracks, as a following sections have not either. There are neutral sections with trackside signals as "shut down the current/power" and "switch on the current/power", respective "be ready to sink the pantograph", "sink the pantograph" and "raise the pantograph". If the turnouts have set the train route between the "even track group" and the "odd track group", the driver must sink the panto, because the short circuit between the different phases above the groups.
      The best solution is having own railway powerplants independent on the national grid (Swiss, German, Austrian railways)

  • @Umovni
    @Umovni Рік тому +1

    4:33 odakle to? :D

  • @emilijusgamingkelpsas
    @emilijusgamingkelpsas 2 місяці тому

    5:14 lithuania is well

  • @Indian_Rajput
    @Indian_Rajput Рік тому +3

    Indian Railways is master in Electrification of both freight and passenger lines.

    • @domenickeller2564
      @domenickeller2564 Місяць тому

      in *elecrifying*. switzerland has 99.99% elecrification. But man India is doing really great. puts to shame europe and the US.

    • @Indian_Rajput
      @Indian_Rajput Місяць тому

      @@domenickeller2564 India is 96% most latest data

  • @Mladjasmilic
    @Mladjasmilic Рік тому +1

    Why Slovenia used 3kV DC, while rest of Yugoslavia used 25kV AC?

    • @ivarnordlkken8082
      @ivarnordlkken8082 Рік тому +1

      Because most of Slovenia was part of Austria-Hungary before the war.

    • @ctwentysevenj6531
      @ctwentysevenj6531 Рік тому +4

      The reason why the Slovenia uses the 3kv DC is because in the inter war years , the Slovenian litoral was part of Italy. The Italian state railways electrified some lines in that territory. When that territory was returned to Slovenia in 1945, Slovenia had this infrastructure plus it acquired 16 FS 636 locomotives. As a result of this, Slovenia decided to keep the 3kv system. While the rest of Yugoslavia starting electrification in the 1960s went with the 25kv ac.

    • @benbedothu
      @benbedothu Рік тому +2

      @@ctwentysevenj6531 And later on Yugoslavia decided to expand the DC system, as the Rijeka-Zagreb line was also electrified with DC and used Italian locomotives. Later on, first Zagreb-Karlovac, then Karlovac-Ogulin, and latest, only a few years ago, Ogulin-Rijeka-Šapjane was converted to 25 kV 50 Hz. Šapjane-Rijeka can be switched back to 3 kV DC for Slovenian electrics to be able to operate.- Only Tito started electrifying with 25 kV 50 Hz, using Swedish ASEA-license locomotives, and later on that became the standard there as well.

  • @skylineXpert
    @skylineXpert Рік тому +1

    What we have in denmark only french can match...

  • @AndrewG1989
    @AndrewG1989 Рік тому +4

    Electrification is the way forward to making railways lot more greener because of climate change. Including electrifying lines that do need to be electrified. Especially in the UK including the Midland Main Line (Kettering-Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield and Leeds).
    And also electrification in the North of England such as the Transpennine route from Manchester Victoria to Leeds, Hull, Sheffield York and Doncaster and also in Scotland that some lines are also to be electrified.

    • @jackx4311
      @jackx4311 Рік тому

      The real justification for lines being electrified is for the cost savings; as for climate change - I take it you're unaware of real world events? According to the *ONLY* global weather monitoring system available, the weather satellites, what little global warming we saw at the end of the last century fizzled out in about 1997, and then temperatures levelled off for 20 years. For about the last 6 years, global temperatures have been *FALLING* - with all the indicators from solar research pointing the same way; that we're heading into a period of significant cooling, which could last anything from 30 to 90 years.
      The idea that humanity has more control over our climate than the Sun is utterly LUDICROUS.

  • @user-ne6yn5is2z
    @user-ne6yn5is2z Рік тому +3

    Во многих странах мира электрификация выполнена остаточными способами, по остаточному принципу, поэтому в этих странах электрификация создаёт остаточную экономию, даже в потребительском секторе экономики.

  • @Ergzay
    @Ergzay Рік тому +1

    Why didn't you cover Japan at all?

  • @HugeRademaker
    @HugeRademaker Рік тому +1

    In The Netherlands high speed trains (Intercity Direct, Thalys and Eurostar) run on 25 kV 50 Hz.

    • @Sacto1654
      @Sacto1654 Рік тому +2

      There are some trains on the _Nederlandse Spoorwagen_ network that can switch between 1.5 kV DC and 25 kV 50 Hz overhead power because they run express trains between Amsterdam and Rotterdam using the high speed lines.

    • @HugeRademaker
      @HugeRademaker Рік тому +1

      @@Sacto1654 *spoorwegen :-)

    • @Sacto1654
      @Sacto1654 Рік тому +2

      @@HugeRademaker Okay, "Spoorwegen." 🙂 After all, I'm not a native Dutch speaker, so...

    • @HugeRademaker
      @HugeRademaker Рік тому +1

      @@Sacto1654 Well done! Have a good weekend.

    • @Edward4Plantagenet
      @Edward4Plantagenet Рік тому +1

      In India, nearly every train runs on that 25kv, 50Hz lines.

  • @akihokokurosaki
    @akihokokurosaki Рік тому +4

    History of Railway Electrification in Europe Explained.