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List of railway electrification systems

A list of the different systems used on electric railways From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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This is a list of the power supply systems that are, or have been, used for railway electrification.

Note that the voltages are nominal and vary depending on load and distance from the substation.

As of 2023, many trams and trains use on-board solid-state electronics to convert these supplies to run three-phase AC traction motors.

Tram electrification systems are listed here.

Key to the tables below

  • Volts: voltage or volt
  • Current:
  • Conductors:
    • overhead line or
    • conductor rail, usually a third rail to one side of the running rails. Conductor rail can be:
      • top contact: oldest, least safe, most affected by ice, snow, rain and leaves. Protection boards are installed on most top contact systems, which increases safety and reduces these affections.
      • side contact: newer, safer, less affected by ice, snow, rain and leaves
      • bottom contact: newest, safest, least affected by ice, snow, rain and leaves
  • Red background indicates voltages no longer in use on the indicated location
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Systems using standard voltages

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Voltages are defined by two standards: BS EN 50163[1] and IEC 60850.[2]

Overhead systems

600 V DC

More information Country, Location ...

750 V DC

More information Country, Location ...

1,200 V DC

More information Country, Location ...

1,500 V DC

More information Country, Location ...

3 kV DC

More information Country, Location ...

15 kV AC, 16+23 Hz / 16.7 Hz

More information Country, Location ...

25 kV AC, 50 Hz

More information Country, Location ...


25 kV AC, 60 Hz

More information Country, Location ...

Conductor rail systems

600 V DC conductor

All systems are third rail unless stated otherwise. Used by some older metros.

More information Country, Location ...

750 V DC conductor

Conductor rail systems have been separated into tables based on whether they are top, side or bottom contact. Used by most metros outside Asia and the former Eastern bloc.

Bottom contact
More information Country, Location ...
Side contact
Top contact
More information Country, Location ...
Mixed
More information Type, Country ...

1,200 V DC conductor

All systems are third rail and side contact unless stated otherwise.

More information Country, Location ...

1,500 V DC conductor

All systems are third rail unless stated otherwise.

More information Type, Country ...
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Systems using non-standard voltages

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Overhead systems

DC voltage

More information Voltage, Country ...

AC voltage

More information Voltage, Frequency ...

Three-phase AC voltage

Two wires
More information Voltage, Frequency & phases ...
Three wires
More information Voltage, Frequency ...

Conductor rail systems (DC voltage)

Conductor rail systems have been separated into tables based on whether they are top, side or bottom contact.

Top contact systems

More information Voltage, Type ...

Side contact systems

All third rail unless otherwise stated.

More information Voltage, Country ...

Bottom contact systems

All third rail unless otherwise stated.

More information Voltage, Country ...

Conductor rail systems (AC voltage)

All systems are 3-phase unless otherwise noted.

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Special or unusual types

DC, plough collection from conductors in conduit below track

DC, one ground-level conductor

DC, two-wire

DC, power from running rails

DC, four-rail

More information Voltage, Type ...
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See also

Footnotes

References

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