US rail oddity?

rjhowie

Active member
From what I have noticed on Trainz and actual pictures it seems that the electric train overhead wires seem to have awfully higher poles than other places?
 
From what I have noticed on Trainz and actual pictures it seems that the electric train overhead wires seem to have awfully higher poles than other places?

I don't know why, but it could be that these systems were among the earliest. The New Haven Railroad (The New York, New Haven, and Hartford), was one of the earliest to use it and was a test bed for Westinghouse, General Electric, and Edison. Their system tends to be shorter and probably what you are used to seeing.

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4114/5445286197_b38e1948cb_z.jpg ca. 1910-1911 - present

And on the Boston and Maine near the Hoosic Tunnel

http://hoosactunnel.com/images/eSteamerHoosacTunnelSta4-6-2sm.jpg ca. 1911-1946

These were both built by the New Haven since the NH owned the B&M at that time.

The PRR catenary system was built a lot later ca. 1920s versus 1910s and used a different voltage system. The NH was 11,000V at 15Hz versus 25KV at 60Hz which we use today. The high-tension lines are carried on the top too.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5288/5213057811_4a9f641afb_z.jpg

So really there's probably a lot of reason why the system is taller, probably for safety reasons? It could also be because our trains are bigger and taller. :)

John
 
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From what I have noticed on Trainz and actual pictures it seems that the electric train overhead wires seem to have awfully higher poles than other places?

The height of the catenary wire is dictated by the room available in tunnels and under bridges. If the tunnels and bridges already exist then there is no decision to be made.
 
I'll bet panto height is different too. Most pantos I know of have a 12' reach, but if you look at the New Haven and Pennsy pantos, I'm pretty certain their panto height is more than 12'.

I reckon that the GG1's had a panto reach of more than 12', maybe 18' max.

Anyone know?
 
PRR could reach 22' above rail. Reading catenary could too, but was typically about 18'-20'. In the Center City Commuter Tunnel, it is, I believe, about 15'.
 
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