Cityrail train overhead wires

[Xplorer]

Does anybody know the height of the wire the train draws electricity from, and the height of the wire that provides electricity to those wires (i.e. the ones above the main ones)

[boronia]

The height varies, but generally it would be in excess of 5 metres.

A d/d carriage is about 4.4 m high, and there is a fair bit of clearance above that.

[GM]

The upper wire is the Catenary, the lower the Contact Wire. GM

[Xplorer]

The upper wire is the Catenary, the lower the Contact Wire. GM

and what's the distance between the two?

[GM]

The contact wire is generally straight but the Catenary is in a Hyberbolic curve. GM

[simonl]

Hyperbolic or parabolic? And does that take into account the weight of the contact wire?

[boronia]

The upper wire is the Catenary, the lower the Contact Wire. GM

and what's the distance between the two?

The distance varies between support points. If you have a look at some, you should be able to work it out yourself.

[Ikarbus]

The contact wire is generally straight but the Catenary is in a Hyberbolic curve. GM

Isn't the catenary in a "catenary curve" i.e. of the form y=cosh(x)

[Landseer]

Train Power lines at rail crossing have a min height of 5.2 metres on main roads.
Normal power lines / phone lines minimum height 5.00m (Trees as well???)
Oversize truck permits is max height of 5.00 metres which gives us a clearence of 200mm (8") on rail crossings.
That is why we have OD routes in cities / towns

[boronia]

I noticed today that the wiring through Penrith Station is double catenary.

[tonyp]

I noticed today that the wiring through Penrith Station is double catenary.

That would be neither Hyperbolic nor parabolic but paradoxic.

[Doc68]

I noticed today that the wiring through Penrith Station is double catenary.

That would be neither Hyperbolic nor parabolic but paradoxic.

Not superbolic ??

[matthewg]

Go to <http://engineering.railcorp.nsw.gov.au/ ... lectrical/> and look em up.

There is a table in section 9.2 of document 'EP 08 00 00 01 SP'


The quick version -

Open Route 4.75m
Low Bridges, etc. 4.65m with written approval from the RailCorp Nominated Engineering Authority.
Absolute Minimum 4.57m under absolute worst case conditions.
Maximum Contact Height 5.8m
Maximum Catenary Height 9.2m at support.

A separate standard specifies level crossings, it says (among other things) 1m clearance must be maintained between the highest permitted vehicle allowed on the road route and the contact wire.