Knowra Railway electrification Railway electrification Railway electrification supplies electric power to trains through fixed infrastructure, usually overhead wires or conductor rails. It replaces or supplements onboard engines with power delivered along the track.
Pantograph : A sprung, articulated collector that presses against an overhead contact wire to transfer electricity to a train. Its contact with the overhead wire must remain reliable as speed and track geometry change.
Diesel locomotive : A locomotive powered by a diesel engine, often using the engine to generate electricity for traction motors. It can operate without continuous electrical infrastructure along the route.
High-speed rail : Passenger rail service designed to operate at substantially higher speeds than conventional rail. High-speed trains generally depend on overhead electrification for sustained high power.
Railway electrification cost : The capital and ongoing expenditure required to install and operate railway electrical supply infrastructure. Infrastructure cost is often the central obstacle to extending electrification.
Electric railway : A railway whose trains use electric traction, whether power comes from fixed infrastructure or onboard storage. Railway electrification is the infrastructure side of the broader electric railway.
Traction substation : A facility that converts or distributes electrical power for railway traction and feeds it into the railway supply system. Substations adapt grid power and feed the railway's electrical sections.
Battery electric train : A train that stores electrical energy in onboard rechargeable batteries to power its traction motors. It can bridge gaps in wired routes without requiring electrification everywhere.
Urban rail transit : Passenger rail systems serving cities and metropolitan areas, including metros, light rail, and commuter rail. Dense service and frequent stops make electric traction especially useful in cities.
Rail transport and the environment : The effects of railways on energy use, emissions, land, noise, and ecosystems. Electrification shifts emissions from trains to the sources of the electricity they use.
Volk's Electric Railway : A narrow-gauge electric railway opened in Brighton, England, in 1883 and still operating in modernized form. Its early operation demonstrates how quickly practical electric railways followed the first experiments.
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