Current Collecting Performance of Overhead Contact Line-Pantograph System at 425km/h

Abstract

In Japan speed tests in 300 km/h region have been carried out since Oyama Test Line recorded a 319km/h run in 1979. Meanwhile TGV recorded a 515.3 km/h run by an electric locomotive installed with a pantograph in 1990 and ICE did 406.9 km/h using similar train in 1988. High speed current collection tests over 400 km/h using electric railcars have been desired in Japan. Problems of high speed tests are: train speed approaching wave propagation velocity, multi-pantographs resonance, and too large uplift of contact wires caused by lift. It is necessary to keep wave propagation velocity of contact wire higher than train speed. CS contact wire and TA contact wire were compared in high speed tests because it was impossible to get a good current collecting performance by using hard-drawn copper contact wires. In December, 1993 using these contact wires we carried out high speed running tests of 400 km/h region on Jyoetsu Shinkansen with the test train STAR 21 which JR EAST built for high speed tests. This paper gives the current collecting performance of these contact wires predicted by simulation and running tests at 425km/h. © 1997, The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. All rights reserved.