Method of providing electric power to a railway train
This article is about the power system for railways. For other uses, see Third rail (disambiguation).
"Power rail" redirects here. For the use in power supplies, see Power rail (power supplies).
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A British Rail Class 442 third-rail electric multiple unit in Battersea.The contact shoe of a New York City Subway car making contact with the third rail. In the foreground is the third rail for the adjacent track.
A third rail, also known as a live rail, electric rail or conductor rail, is a method of providing electric power to a railway locomotive or train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost fully segregated from the outside environment. Third-rail systems are usually supplied from direct current electricity.
Modern tram systems with street-running, avoid the risk of electrocution by the exposed electric rail by implementing a segmented ground-level power supply, where each segment is electrified only while covered by a vehicle which is using its power.[1]
The third-rail system of electrification is not related to the third rail used in dual-gauge railways.
^Christeller, Reinhard (17 June 2020). "Innovative power supply technologies for traction systems in public transport". Urban Transport. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
A thirdrail, also known as a live rail, electric rail or conductor rail, is a method of providing electric power to a railway locomotive or train, through...
The ThirdRail is a U.S.-based online magazine concerning itself with rapid transit topics, including history and current events. It is currently published...
locomotive is a locomotive powered by electricity from overhead lines, a thirdrail or on-board energy storage such as a battery or a supercapacitor. Locomotives...
Emergency ThirdRail Power Trip is the debut album by American rock band Rain Parade, released in 1983. It is one of the most prominent records in the...
Dimension Extreme. On February 8, 2008, TWC launched a distributor called ThirdRail Releasing that released films aimed mainly at the home video market. On...
Light rail transit (LRT) is a form of passenger urban rail transit characterized by a combination of tram and rapid transit features. While its rolling...
Rail Class 73 is a British electro-diesel locomotive. The type is unusual in that it can operate from the Southern Region's 650/750 V DC third-rail or...
750 V DC thirdrail system used in Southeast England and on Merseyrail. As of October 2023, 6,065 kilometres (3,769 mi) (38%) of the British rail network...
Atlas Entertainment, LLC is an American film financing and production company, started by Charles Roven, Bob Cavallo and Dawn Steel in 1995. In 1990, Charles...
tunnel ceilings, or a thirdrail mounted at track level and contacted by a sliding "pickup shoe". Both overhead wire and third-rail systems usually use...
Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central...
Look up rail or rails in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Rail or rails may refer to: Rail transport and related matters Railway track or railway lines...
British Rail and the first British Rail units with both a pantograph for 25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead lines and contact shoe equipment for 750 V DC thirdrail supply...
a trolley pole or a bow collector. In some cases, a contact shoe on a thirdrail is used. If necessary, they may have dual power systems—electricity in...
loading gauge in Britain, was originally capable of operating on the UK thirdrail network, and has extensive fireproofing in case of fire in the tunnel...
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport using wheeled vehicles running in tracks, which usually consist of two parallel...
379 with dual-voltage capability which allows units to run on 750 V DC thirdrail, as well as use 25 kV AC OLE. The class were the final rolling stock orders...
of operating on 25 kV 50 Hz from AC overhead wires or 750 V DC from a thirdrail. Built in two batches in 1987–88 and 1990, the units were primarily used...
well. Light rail is generally powered by electricity, usually by means of overhead wires, but sometimes by a live rail, also called thirdrail (a high voltage...
Cheshire and Lancashire. The trains have the ability to operate on the thirdrail-powered sections of the network, with some units carrying onboard batteries...
trains they replaced led to major upgrades being required to the 750 V DC third-rail power supply used in the former Southern region. The collapse of Railtrack...
Contact rail may refer to: Overhead conductor railThirdrail Fourth rail Conduit current collection Current collector Ground-level power supply Guide...
The British Rail Class 450 Desiro are third-rail DC electric multiple unit (EMU) passenger trains that entered service during 2003. Used for outer-suburban...
The British Rail Class 92 is a dual-voltage electric locomotive, which can run on 25 kV AC from overhead wires or 750 V DC from a thirdrail. It was designed...
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