How are phase breaks (AC) or power gaps (DC) handled by the locomotives?

July 16, 2019, 1:39 PM
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The catenary has breaks or gaps in its electrical continuity every once in a while at points where successive sections are connected to different substations. A neutral section of catenary is usually provided between the two live sections of different phases or connected to different substations. At such points, single locomotives do not drop their pantographs, although on-board equipment such as the traction motors, compressors, blowers, etc. are switched off manually by the driver before the neutral section is entered. The main circuit breaker (DJ) is also opened. (Warning boards at 500m and 250m before the neutral section are provided for this purpose). (Earlier, locos used to routinely drop their pantographs for all neutral sections; this is no longer standard practice.)

In the case of multiple unit operation, however, pantographs are usually dropped on all the lashed-up locomotives, to avoid the possibility of short-circuiting adjacent sections of the catenary. (The possibility is remote, as normally there is no power flow between lashed-up units, hence the pantographs may not always be dropped, depending on the particular operational procedures of a division.)

Source – IFRCA.org

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