Traction power network

A traction power network is a power supply for supplying electric railways.

The construction of an independent traction power network is usually only useful when the railway operations carried out with single-phase reduced frequency as in Germany, Austria, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Alternatively, to dispense with the construction of a railway network if the phase current is converted into the substations of the web by means of rotary transformer or electronic converter in the time required for feeding the overhead line voltage and current. For paths that go with DC, this method is applied in principle. Even with railways that operate with single-phase reduced frequency, is made as namely in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony -Anhalt, Norway and southern Sweden. In these areas, there was no need to build up their railway power networks.

The German railway power network has a frequency of 16.7 Hz and has a 110- kV high- voltage transmission lines with a total length of about 7400 km and 15 kV overhead lines. It has due to the strong load changes anfahrender and delaying trains at various locations and several Einspeißepunkte the properties of a smart grid. Both own power plants as well as links to other composite systems and the Austrian and Swiss railway power network secure energy supply.

As a curiosity it should be mentioned that the single-phase powered at a frequency of 25 Hz Mariazellerbahn has its own railway power grid to supply their plants. Another exception is the slightly more than 20 km long Rübelandbahn with the unusual for Germany power system with 25 kV, 50 Hz

Areas with railway networks

  • Germany (except Mecklenburg -Western Pomerania and parts of Brandenburg ), total length 7959 km
  • Switzerland
  • Northern Sweden
  • Southern Norway, powered by the hydroelectric plant Hakavik, otherwise as in Sweden decentralized traction power supply
  • Austria. There are in addition to operated by the ÖBB 15 kV 16.7 Hz operated traction power network more traction power networks as a system with 25 kV and 50 Hz on the Raab - Sopron - Ebenfurter railway and a system with 25 Hz on the Mariazell Railway.
  • USA ( in the area around Washington and New York to supply the operation there with single-phase AC with a frequency of 25 Hertz tracks )
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