BART stray current prevention

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:83087

Todd, P ^[1]

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1. BART, Oakland, CA (United States)

BART is a dc-powered transit system that uses its running rails for traction-current negative return. The use of the running rails as part of the electrical-traction circuit presents the engineer with two conflicting electrical requirements. First, the negative return must, at times, be connected to earth and structure to control electrical-fault currents and to limit voltages. Second, the negative return must be electrically insulated (isolated) from earth and structures to minimize stray current and the resultant corrosion. To satisfy both of these requirements, BART developed insulated rail fasteners and diode grounding. This paper describes these system features as well as recent efforts to improve the rail-fastener insulation and negative-return grounding.

• OSTI ID: 83087
• Report Number(s): CONF-940222--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
CALIFORNIA
CORROSIVE EFFECTS
DESIGN
DIRECT CURRENT
ELECTRIC-POWERED VEHICLES
ELECTRICAL INSULATION
FASTENERS
LEAKAGE CURRENT
MASS TRANSIT SYSTEMS
MITIGATION