IEEE OVERHEAD CONTACT SYSTEMS …grouper.ieee.org/groups/railtransit/ocs/OCS Reference... · Web viewA frame support structure, typically of galvanized steel, consisting of vertical

DICTIONARY OF OVERHEAD CONTACT SYSTEM TERMSIEEE OVERHEAD CONTACT SYSTEMS COMMITTEE FOR RAIL TRANSIT

DICTIONARY FOR OVERHEAD CONTACT SYSTEMS WITH PANTOGRAPH AND TROLLEY POLE OPERATIONS

REVISED DRAFT FEBRUARY 14, 2005

IEEE SUPPLEMENTARY DICTIONARY OF TERMS FOR OVERHEAD CONTACT SYSTEMS

Terms given in this dictionary are presently not given in the IEEE Standard Dictionary of Electrical and Electronic Terms, (IEEE Dictionary), or are not defined in it with reference to Overhead Contact Systems (OCS). Some terms given here are defined in the IEEE Dictionary, and are so annotated.

The purpose of this dictionary is to provide uniform terminology and definitions for technical terms used in OCS that supply electrical power to electric light rail vehicles (LRV) and streetcars with pantographs or trolley poles and to electric trolleybuses (ETB) with trolley poles. Terms used only in OCS for trolley pole operations are in italics.

Terms, which in OCS are synonymous, are shown (Syn). Where synonyms exist the NON- PREFERRED term has an asterisk (*).

OCS style can be either ‘Catenary’ where the contact wire is supported from a messenger wire by hangers, or ‘Direct Suspension’ where the contact wire is directly supported by a cross-span, bridle, trapeze, pendulum, resilient arm, bracket arm or cantilever.Either style can be either ‘Fixed Terminated’ or ‘Auto-Tensioned’. Terms that are exclusively to one style, are referenced FT or AT respectively.

All ETBs use swivel collector shoes to allow the trolleybus to deviate up to 12 or so feet each side of the trolley wires.

LRVs and streetcars with trolley poles use ‘fixed’ collector shoes, which allow them to track the correct trolley wire at turnouts without the use of electric frogs.

For proprietary names see Suppliers Catalogs..This dictionary does NOT define terms for ac-electrification OCS, but refers the reader to AREMA Chapter 33, which are recommendations prepared by the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance Association.

Dictionary of Terms for Overhead Contact Systems 1 of 56








1. Acceptance Measurements Final definitive records of the installed contact wire heights and staggers at OCS support and registrations, and at midspan.

2. Accessible Voltage* See “Step Potential”

3. Actual Span Length See “Span Length”

4. Adjustments, Final adjustments

Placing the conductors to the correct wire heights and staggers.

5. Airbreak; Half-tension Airbreak

See “Sectionalizing”

6. Alignment7. Track alignment

8. OCS alignment

The centerline or other reference line of the track or tracks in both plan and profile.The position of the OCS relative to the (superelevated) centerline of the track.

9. Along Track Feeder* See “Parallel Feeder”

10. Along-Track Movement (ATM)

11. (AT Systems)

The migration of catenary induced by BWs or tensioners due to thermal expansion or contraction of the conductors

12. Ambient Temperature

The weather related temperature of an OCS, which excludes temperature effects due to current in the conductors.

13. Anchor14. Anchor Base Pole*

15. Anchor Bolt

16. Anchor Bracket

17. Anchor Plate or Dead-Man

18. Deadend

19. Pole Base Anchor

20. Screw Anchor

See “Bolted-Base Pole”.

See “Foundation”

An attachment to the face of a civil structure (tunnel soffits, bridge deck, tunnel portal, boat section, retaining wall, parapet, etc.) for anchoring OCS.


See “Fixed Termination Assembly”

A pole which provides the ground level anchorage at its base or base-plate for a down guy from an adjacent anchor pole.

A specialty device with a helical cutting blade that is ‘corkscrewed’ into the ground as an





21. Self Supporting Anchor (pole)

anchorage for a down-guy

An anchor pole without a down-guy.

22. Arcing When associated with commutation between pantograph and contact wire, arcing is the sparking at the interface point when the pantograph is drawing current at speed. Arcing typically does more harm to the pantograph carbons than to the contact wire, weakening the surface of the carbon and causing it to be eroded. With metalized carbons, erosion of the carbon releases metal (commonly copper) often in minute globules the size of ground coffee. These settle onto the underside of the contact wire up to 10 feet from the arc, where they now act as a rasp on the carbon causing more erosion - this time mechanically.

Arcing is typically caused at “hard spots” along the contact wire.See “Hard Spots”

Arcing can be minimized by trains powering down before reaching known hard spots, and by avoiding getting into regeneration mode, which can be a source of current equal, if not greater, than normal traction current values.

Arcing is preventable by avoiding designing hard-spots into the system due to the use of section insulators, direct push-off registrations, resilient arms and sharp changes in gradient.

23. Assembly24. OCS Assembly A discrete configuration of components used in an OCS,

and identified in combination for ease of reference. See “Assembly Reference”Assemblies such as trolley wire switches, frogs, crossings and curve segments are usually referred to as “Special Work” in the industry.

25. Assembly Reference

An alphanumeric code assigned to a discrete group of components, and that describes the materials list for one standard configuration, in which only the lengths of pipes or wires can vary.

26. Auto-Tensioned OCS conductors terminated with





(AT) Equipment balanceweights, springs or hydraulic tensioning devices to maintain constant tension over a specified range of conductor temperatures by compensating for conductor thermal expansion and contraction.

27. Autotransformer (AC)

28. System 29. Substation

See AREMA Chapter 33.

30. Auxiliary Messenger or Auxiliary*

A third conductor typically installed with hangers above the contact wire and beneath the messenger wire of a catenary system and forming ‘Compound Catenary Style’

31. Backbone A span guy or along track span-wire between structural supports used primarily to align contact/trolley wires around a curve using a series of pull-offs attached along the backbone.

32. Backguy* See “Guy”.

33. Balanceweight Assembly (BWA)

The tensioning gear with weights that are installed at each end of a tension section of an auto-tensioned OCS.See “Tension Section” and “Half Tension Section”

34. Balanceweight Stops, or Temperature Stops*

Mechanical means for preventing further movement of balanceweights beyond a specified range of movement.

35. Barn Hanger A support more commonly used with trolley wire than with contact wire, that is usually fixed directly to the underside of the protective troughing or sheeting that is customarily attached to the trolley barn roof.

36. Basic Impulse Insulation Level (BIL, bil)

See IEEE Dictionary.

37. Bent See “Bridge Bent”

38. Blow-off Lateral displacement of the contact /trolley wire due to wind.

39. Boat section Civil engineering term for an open concrete structure that is below the general ground level.

40. Body Span Wire The center wire of a three-wire head span used





mainly to carry the radial and wind loads exerted by the messenger wires.

41. Bolted Base Pole A pole with baseplate for use on a foundation with anchor bolts (as compared to a plain or planted pole which is directly embedded in stone or concrete).

42. Bond

43. Impedance Bond

44. Rail Bond (traction)

45. Structure Bond

An electrical connection between metal hardware (rails, poles, rebar, etc) that eliminates voltage difference

An inductive device bridging an insulated rail joint that allows passage of traction return current while preventing passage of signaling current. An impedance bond is typically housed in a metal box 1ft. deep and up to 3ft. square, that is located close by or between rails and connected across an insulated rail joint.

Electrical connection between two rails in OCS return circuits and rated for the full traction return current.

An electrical connection between a structure and the rebar cage of the foundation and/or to a ground rod, or to a grounding circuit of a civil structure.

46. Booster Transformer or Suction Transformer (AC)

See AREMA Chapter 33.

47. Bracket Arm or Mast Arm*

The frame usually supporting a direct suspension single contact wire or trolley wire directly from a pole without using a hinge. (A bracket arm, which is hinged to a pole, has the preferred term “cantilever”.)

48. Bracket See “Pole Bracket” or “Anchor Bracket

49. Break* See “Section break” or “Airbreak”

50. Bridge

51. Overpass

52. Bent

53. Bridge Barrier

See “Overpass”

A Structural Engineering term for a portal frame or transverse framework, as used to support the deck of a bridge.





The name given to a permanent protective shield on an overbridge spanning over electrified tracks or over trolley overhead wires, for the purpose of shielding the overhead conductors from vandals, and/or protecting people from electrical danger. Also see ‘Construction Barrier”.

54. Bridging The act of connecting across sectionalization points by pantographs.

55. Bridle A span guy or wire between structural supports used primarily to provide support to a cross-span wire or pull-off attached approximately midway along the bridle.

56. Bridle Suspension A short (4 feet to 6 feet long) loop of wire that supports a single contact wire from a horizontal (cantilever) pipe or pulley.A short (6 feet to 8 feet long) loop of wire that supports a messenger wire from a pulley in AT equipment.

57. Building Attachment

An eyebolt or other OCS mounting on a building.

58. Bull Ring A steel ring usually 2” to 4” in diameter to which two or more aerial (span) guys may be attached.

59.Bus Path The locus of the center point of the front axle of a trolleybus along a transitway. NOTE. Not necessarily the centerline of the transitway.





60. BW Balanceweight

61. BWA Balanceweight Anchor or Balanceweight Assembly

62. Bypass Switch See “Switch”

63. Cable Outlet* See “Feeder Spout”

64. Cadweld A proprietary thermic welding operation

65. Cantilever66.67. Back-to-back

cantilevers

68. Cantilever Assembly

69. Long-Reach Cantilever

70. Multi-Track Bracket Arm

71. Reach

72. Reduced Height Cantilever

73. Twin Cantilevers

74. Two-Track Bracket Arm

A hinged bracket arm*

Cantilevers mounted on opposite sides of poles which are located between tracks.

An OCS support frame typically for mounting a messenger support or suspension fitting and a contact wire registration assembly that is mounted on a pole or portal beam drop bracket using hinge fittings.

A cantilever assembly whose reach (see below) typically exceeds 13 feet.

A frame rigidly attached to a pole and serving three or more tracks.

The dimension between the face of the pole and the contact wire, or in the case of several contact wires, the furthest contact wire from the pole.

A cantilever where the system height of the OCS is (typically) more than one foot less than the standard system height, thereby requiring reconfiguration of the basic cantilever shape by lowering the messenger wire support.

Two cantilevers installed side-by-side on spreaders on one pole, each supporting its own OCS, and both OCS serving the same track. Have application in overlaps and at crossovers where two catenaries will normally have differential along-track movement.

A frame rigidly attached to a pole that serves two adjacent tracks to one side of it from which the OCS for each track is supported.





75. Two-Track Cantilever

A single OCS cantilever frame serving two adjacent tracks to one side of its supporting pole, and catering to the independent movement of the catenaries in AT systems.





76. Catenary

77. Dictionary Meaning

78. Simple Catenary Style

79. Compound Catenary Style

80. Stitched Catenary Style

81. Inclined Catenary Style

82. Low Profile Catenary Style

83. Chordal Catenary Style

84. Contenary

The combination of two or more OCS conductors, with hangers and in-span hardware, but not including supports and cantilevers.

The curve assumed by a perfectly flexible cord of uniform weight and cross-section hanging freely between two fixed points.

Auto-Tensioned Simple Catenary (ATSC) and Fixed Terminated Simple Catenary (FTSC) styles each comprised of a contact wire supported from a messenger wire by hangers.

Comprising a contact wire supported by an auxiliary wire, which, in turn, is supported from a messenger wire by hangers.

A two conductor catenary system to which a stitch wire (messenger bridle) has been added at the supports to improve catenary dynamics.

An arrangement of OCS conductors, where the messenger carries the horizontal (radial) load of the contact wire (and auxiliary wire) on curved tracks, in addition to providing vertical support, and in which the contact wire closely follows the centerline of the track. Inclined catenary has excellent commutation performance, has great economy of OCS support structures, but is difficult to install and to replace.

A version of simple catenary with a small system height, (2ft. 0in. to 2ft. 6in. compared to 4ft. 0in. of standard simple catenary) which permits both conductors to be supported and registered from a single cross-span wire for improved aesthetics. As a consequence of the small system height the maximum span is typically limited to about 150 feet.

A catenary system in which the messenger (and auxiliary) are installed vertically above the contact wire. Also known as Tangent-Chord style.

A twin contact wire system.

OCS construction wherein the messenger of a simple catenary system is locally substituted





with a contact wire, that can be installed alongside the primary contact wire to create a catenary system of extremely small system height which is a practical solution for wiring bridges with very low clearances.





85. Catenaries Dynamics

The interactive relationship between “current collectors” and contact/trolley wires at operating speeds.

86. Chording of Curves On curved route the propensity of the contact wire to “cut the curve” between points of registration.

87. Clamp

88. Contact Swivel or Fixed Clamp

89. Parallel Groove Clamp

90. Pipe Clamp

91. Strain Clamp

92. Suspension Clamp

A fitting with bolts and nuts that be fixed in position on a pire or conductor, and yet can be removed (unbolted) and re-used at another position.

The fitting on the end of the steady arm or registration pipe, which attaches to the contact wire

A piece of hardware used to clamp two or more parallel wires together.

A piece of hardware used to attach various types of components to a pipe.

A piece of hardware used for deadending a wire or conductor under high tension.

A piece of hardware used to support a tensioned conductor or cable in a hanging arrangement, the greater part of the applied load being due to conductor weight.

93. Clipping In The sagging (regulating) of the OCS conductors to correct tension, and clamping at the supports and installing the hangers.

94. Collector Strip* See “Contact Strip”

95. Commutation*

96. Commutation Performance*

The act of picking up electrical power from an overhead contact wire by pantograph or trolley pole.

See “Current Collection”. See also “Bridging”

See “Catenary Dynamics”

97. Component (OCS) An item of OCS hardware as commonly supplied complete by manufacturers.

98. Compound See “Catenary”





Equipment99. Compression Type

Fittings* or Compression Fittings

Fittings that require a hydraulic press to crimp or otherwise form a mechanical joint usually with one or more conductor using a sleeve or ferrule. Fittings that require the forcing of one or more pins into a solid conductor in order to effect a mechanical connection.

100. Conductor Bar* or Conductor Beam*

See “Conductor Rail”

101. Conductor Joints OCS conductor joints carry full catenaries tension and full conductor current. Factory jointing of conductors is performed before final extrusion of the finished conductor, and joint between the individual ‘stock’ bars may either be scarfed and braised or fusion butt welded. Field joints are usually mechanical, being cone type couplings, or compressed sleeves.

102. Conductor Rail Various shapes of rigid bar, e.g. “double lobe bar”, used in maintenance shops and under bridges as an alternative to a contact wire or trolley wire. Not to be confused with third rail.

103. Constant Tension OCS*

See “Auto-tensioned equipment”

104. Construction Barrier

A temporary barrier serving the purpose of a bridge barrier during construction/reconstruction of an overbridge spanning electrified tracks.

105. Construction Overlap

An OCS overlap without provision for sectionalizing. An “Uninsulated Overlap”

106. Contact Bar* or Rail*

See “Conductor Rail”.

107. Contact Strip The wearing strip on the head of a pantograph that enables an electric vehicle to draw power from an OCS. Typically made of carbon or metalized carbon, the strip may be in one piece or in four or five abutting pieces, with an overall length not more than 52 inches. The Pantograph head typically has two strips at approximately 13 inch centers. Each strip is either 40 cm. wide or 60cm. wide. In the past, other materials, such as copper and steel have been used with or without an integral greasing system.





108. Contact Wire (CW) The wire with which the pantograph or trolley pole makes contact for current collection. Normally made of copper or bronze, the wire is a single wire conductor usually with a groove to which hangers and clamps may be fitted. Cross section shapes include ‘round grooved’ with various copper cross sectional area from 106 kcmil to 350 kcmil, and ‘figure-9, Deep Section’ (335, 350 and 400 kcmil.)

See also “Trolley Wire” for trolley pole operations

109. Contact Wire Along-Track Movement (ATM)

See “Along-Track Movement”





110. Contact Wire Bridge At track crossovers, crossings and turnouts, a rigid bar or piece of contact wire, up to 5 feet long, is attached to the in-running contact wire, and closely above it, to form a slot for a second contact wire to pass through, thereby preventing differential uplift of crossing contact wires. Also called a ‘wire cross*’.

111. Contact Wire Clamp

112. For FT equipment

113. For (AT) equipment

The fixed clamp at the end of a registration arm or a steady arm, which is fitted into the groove of the contact wire or trolley wire to take the registration and wind loads.

The swivel clamp at the end of a registration arm or a steady arm that is fixed into the groove of the contact wire or trolley wire to take the registration and wind loads. The swivel is to accommodate along-track movement of the contact wire due to angular displacement.

114. Contact Wire Creep

115. Initial Creep

The ongoing stretch of a contact wire or trolley wire, which is under a sustained tension.

It has been shown that when a conductor is subjected to its normal tension, it will creep at a greater rate for the first 15 days under load than it will after the first month or so.

116. Contact Wire Deviation

When contact wires are staggered on straight tracks or registered on curved tracks the contact wire changes direction at each clamp, through an angle, which is termed the ‘deviation angle’. As a consequence a radial load is imparted to the registration arm or span wire.Experience suggests that the maximum deviation of the contact wire at any registration point should not exceed 7 degrees, nor should the radial load exceed 500 lb. under the worst conditions. The use of double registration arms is suggested for radial loads between 500 lb and 1000 lb.

117. Contact Wire Door Bridge

A bridging device between sections of contact wire that is mounted on the transom of doorframes of maintenance shops that can be opened to allow roll-up doors to open and close. Such a design may have a bridging piece that laterally overlaps the contact wire conductor rail





in which case it would not be suitable for use with trolley poles.

See “Trolley Door Bridge”.

118. Contact Wire Droop or Contact Wire Fall

The additional downward displacement of the contact wire due to temperature or ice. The increase in sag; not the actual sag.





119. Contact Wire Height (CWH)

120. Minimum Contact Wire Height

121. Maximum Contact Wire Height

The height of the underside of the contact wire above reference rail level or street (trolley bus) when not uplifted by the pantograph or trolley pole.

The minimum allowable contact wire height, usually at mid pan or under bridges, which takes due account of vehicle clearance envelope, vehicle bounce and track tolerances, OCS temperature effects and electrical clearances. May also take future track raising into account if so required.

The maximum allowable contact wire height within the vertical operating range of the pantograph or trolley pole.

122. Contact Wire Rise The dimensional rise of a contact wire under its own weight and tension, from grade over a distance.The increase in the height of the contact wire at midspan, due to the combined effect of :

An increase in contact wire tension at low temperature.

Wear of the contact wire. Uplift due to the pantograph or trolley

collector pole pressure.

See “Uplift”.

123. Contactor (OCS) A device, normally fitted on a contact wire or a trolley wire for making or breaking a circuit, or instrumental to switching of other circuits, such as traffic signal pre-emption, or ETB route selection.

124. Contenary See “Catenary – Contenary”.

125. Copper clad Conductor, also known as Copperweld

A wire with a steel center and layer of copper fused around it or a number of such wires stranded together.’

126. Corrosion

127. Electrolytic Corrosion

The deterioration of a substance (usually a metal) because of a reaction with its environment.

The destructive chemical action caused by local dc electrical currents to pipes, cables and other materials, often resulting from stray currents





leaking from the traction negative rail return of the OCS.

128. Counterpoise A buried wire or a configuration of wires to provide a low resistance grounding system.

129. Counterweight* See “Balanceweight”.

130. Creep The on-going permanent stretch of tensioned wires over time.

131. Crimp Type Fittings Fittings that require the squeezing down with possible indenting, of a sleeve through which two or more wires pass. For small wires a hand tool may be used, but for larger sleeves and conductors a hydraulic press will normally be used.

132. Crosby A type of clamp with a U-bolt and saddle that pinches two wires together so they hold tight.

133. Crossarm – Feeder

134. OCS Crossarm*

Typically a short cross bracket mounted high up on OCS poles that support feeders.

See “Cantilever”, “Bracket Arm”.

135. Cross Catenary* See “Headspan”

136. Cross Contacts* See “Contact Wire Bridge”

137. Cross Level

138. Cross Level Tolerance

The plane through the tops of the rails of a track in the transverse direction.

See “Track Tolerances”.

139. Crossover (Special Work)

An OCS assembly that permits two sets of trolley wires to cross each other, either at right angles, or a straight or curved skew angle.

140. Cross-Span A single wire fastened between two supports that crosses the track or roadway just above contact wire level and supports one or more contact wires. See also “Headspan”.

141. Current Collection The act of picking up electrical power from overhead contact/trolley wire by pantograph or trolley pole.

142. Current Collector





143. For Pantographs

144. For Trolley Poles

The contact strip at the top of a pantograph, which rides along under the contact wire to collect current. See “Contact Strip”.

The carbon insert housed inside the trolley shoe and normally 3 ½ inches long, which rides along under the contact wire collecting current.

145. Curve Construction

146. Inside Curve

147. Outside Curve

An arrangement where OCS support poles are on the inside of the curve, necessitating the use of bracket arm construction.

Poles are on the outside of the curve.

148. Curve Hanger See “Single and Double Curve Hanger.”

149. Curve Rail (Special Work)

A short version of a curve segment for shallower turns.

150. Curve Segment (Special Work)

An OCS assembly used on trolley wire systems that permits the trolley poles to transfer to a curved rail in order to take an angle in the trolley wire with 10º to 45º deviation.

151. Curve Span A cross-span on a curve with one or more double curve hangers or a curve segment.

152. Curve Supports

153. Inside Curve

154. Outside Curve

An arrangement for an OCS where the poles are on the inside of the curve.

Poles are on the outside of the curve.

155. Cut-In-Switch A type of directional switch in the trolley wires where a section of trolley wire is cut out in order to insert the switch special work.

156. Cut-Out A section insulator used in the trolley wires for sectionalization: but only installed in positive trolley wires.

157. CW Contact wire

158. CWA Contact wire anchor.

159. Deadend The direct termination of a conductor under





tension to a pole, beam or wall.

160. Deadend Assembly See “Fixed Termination Assembly’

161. Direct Suspension System

An OCS with direct support of a trolley wire from a cross-span wire, bracket arm, resilient arm or resilient hanger in both AT and FT systems.

162. Disconnect Switch See “Switch”

163. Door Bridge* See “Contact Wire Door Bridge” or “Trolley Door Bridge”

164. Double Curve Hanger An overhead assembly used in cross-spans to support trolley wires in large radius curves. Each hanger typically provides up to 2 ½ º deviation in the trolley wires.

165. Double Insulation Insulation provided by two physically separated insulators, to create a safe working zone for maintenance staff between energized equipment and grounded equipment. A separation of at least six feet is preferred.(Requirements are described in California PUC GO 95 and other codes.)

166. Down Guy See “Guy”

167. Droop Fall of a conductor from its height at normal temperature, due to temperature change and/or ice coating. Droop is an increase in sag, rather than the total sag of a conductor.

168. Drop Bracket A fitting attached to the underside of a cantilever registration pipe that carries the steady arm or registration arm

169. Dropper* See “Hanger” or sometimes used ambiguously as “Feeder”.

170. Drop Vertical or Drop Pipe

A steel frame or pipe rigidly attached to the underside of a portal or bridge deck for mounting an OCS support and/or registration assembly.

171. Dual-mode or Dual-Powered Bus, or a Hybrid Bus or Rail Vehicle.

An ETB or rail car designed to operate either by self-powered or by electricity taken from an OCS or third rail.





172. Dual Operation or Dual Mode Operation

Where rubber tired and rail vehicles share the same R-O-W.

173. Duct, Duct-Line An enclosed conduit i.e. pipe, etc. for electrical cables, typically underground, or mounted on, or embedded in, civil structures.

174. Dynamic Load See “Live Load”

175. Dynamics See “ Catenary Dynamics”

176. Ear, Trolley Ear, or Line-Ear

The normal trolley wire clamp used to suspend the trolley wire. Also called a ‘Clamp’. See Manufacturers’ Catalogs.

177. Elastic Arm* See “Resilient Arm”

178. Elastic Hanger A form of resilient arm with a limited use due to being of lower strength than a normal resilient arm.

179. Elastic System A term applied to a trolley OCS where the trolley wires are free to uplift under the pressure of the current collectors at the supports. Typified by the use of pendulum suspensions comprising one hanger or two articulated parallel hangers.

180. Embedded Poles OCS poles without base plates that are directly inserted into socket-type or open foundations and fixed by concrete, grout or compacted backfill.

181. Encumbrance* See “Pole Encumbrance”.

182. Envelope

183. Combined Vehicle Envelope

184. Pantograph Clearance Envelope

185. Structure Clearance Envelope

The rail vehicle dynamic envelope plus the effects of track alignment and cross-level tolerances.

The combined vehicle envelope applied to the pantograph plus a typical 6” lateral ‘running’ allowance for safety and a typical 8” vertical allowance above static contact wire level. Only steady arms and registration arms are permitted within this envelope.

The combined vehicle envelope plus a safety clearance allowance typically 6” all round, into which no part of the fixed facilities e.g. bridges, stations, signal, trackside ‘houses’, etc. shall intrude.





186. Trolley Pole Clearance Envelope

187. Vehicle Dynamic Envelope

188. Vehicle Static Envelope

The dimensioned space around the vehicle trolley pole(s) depending upon the position of the trolley wire(s) and the vehicle.

The maximum envelope of a vehicle when it is free to lurch and sway.

The maximum envelope of a static vehicle

189. Equation – Stationing

Typically the mathematical adjustment at a point along an alignment where the “running” stationing is interrupted or restarted.

190. Equivalent Span or Ruling Span*

A weighted average span of a given tension section of conductions used in sag-tensioned calculations.

191. Exclusive Right-of-Way

ROW only accessible to the Agency’s own vehicles.

192. Exothermic Welding A type of welding where a ‘charge’ is ignited which burns with intense heat and melts adjacent sections of metal allowing them to fuse together.

193. Eye-Bolt See “Building Attachment”

194. Eye of Pullover* See “Heel of Steady Arm”

195. Eye Setting* See “Heel Setting”





196. Face of Pole The absolute nearest part of a pole from the track for structure clearance purposes. Structure clearance requirements do not include base plate and top of foundation unless these are located significantly above the level of the rails and intrude into the clearance envelope.

197. Facing Turnout; Facing-Point Turnout

A track turnout that can be entered with point of switch entered first in the normal direction of travel (see also “Trailing Turnout”)

198. Factor of Safety The margin of safety in terms, usually of strength, between the breaking load and the maximum design operating load expressed as a ratio.

199. Fall See “Contact Wire Fall” or “Messenger Wire Fall”.

200. Feeder Spout or Feeder Outlet*

A short pipe installed through the wall of a tubular pole, through which a feeder cable exits the pole.

201. Feeders Conductors that supply power to or augment the power-carrying capacity of the conductors in an overhead contact system.

202. Final Adjustment The positioning of an OCS to the correct alignment and wire height, tightening up of all components and any remedial work prior to operation.

203. Finial* See “Pole Cap”.

204. Fittings Small components used in the assembly of cantilever frames, cross-spans and terminations.

205. Fixed End The dead-ended termination of a conductor.

206. Fixed Tension* See “Fixed Terminated, (FT) equipment” and “Auto-Tensioned, (AT) equipment”.

207. Fixed Termination Assembly

An assembly for dead-ending a conductor.

208. Fixed-Terminated (FT) Equipment

OCS with dead-ended conductors, either “Catenary” or “Direct Suspension”, (fixed terminations). The tensions in FT equipment vary with temperature, being higher at low





209. Single Contact Wire Style (FTSCW)

210. Tramway Style Equipment*

temperatures and lower at high temperatures.

A style of Direct Suspension OCS FT equipment.

A style of Direct Suspension OCS FT equipment.





211. Floating Section

212. AC

A section of OCS equipment between two insulators which is neither bonded to the live conductors, nor is bonded to ground, and whose line potential is unknown.

See AREMA Chapter 33 - “Neutral Section”

213. Foundation (OCS)

214. Anchor Bolt

215. Anchor Plate

216. Core-formed

217. Dead-Man*

218. Earth-formed

219. Gravity Foundation

220. Guy Anchor Foundation

221. Piled Foundations

222. Precast Concrete

Customarily a concrete block for the embedment or attachment of an OCS pole or down guy, or part of a civil structure (viaduct, overpass, tunnel, etc) for embedding or attaching an OCS pole, support bracket or down guy. The most common type of foundation in the US is a concrete pier with anchor bolts. This is usually made by pouring concrete directly into an augered hole in which the anchor bolts/reinforcing cage is already aligned. Sizes range from 2 ft 0in diameter to 3ft.6in diameter, and depth below ground from 10ft. to 18ft. depending upon loading and ground strength.

A bolt inserted into a concrete foundation to form an attachment for a pole or support bracket.

A buried plate at the end of an anchor rod used with down guys.

A foundation that has been poured leaving a core hole which will accept an OCS pole without a base-plate firmly installed to line and level using grout.

A mass buried in ground (usually a rectangular block of concrete) to which a down guy wire is directly or indirectly attached.

Where the concrete is directly poured into an augered hole against the bare earth.

See “Spread Footing” below.

A foundation for a down guy.

Steel pile foundations using a 24 inch diameter steel casing or a 10in x 10in I-beam have been used as foundations for anchor-base poles.

Usually a pier type casting with anchor bolts,





223. Foundation (cond)

224. Concrete Sleeve type

225. Rock Foundation

226. Spread Footing

which is placed into an oversize earth-formed augered shaft and grouted or back-filled to line and level. Precast foundations can be manufactured under factory conditions with supervision and testing staff in attendance to ensure the required quality, both in dimensional accuracy and materials quality. Precast foundations avoid the problems of getting large quantities to remote track side locations, and avoid many site problems associated with winter and summer weather. On operating railroads, precast foundations should reduce the need for track occupation compared to cast-in-place foundations.

This foundation type was very successfully used on a very large project in the Kalahari Desert. High strength concrete sleeves (pipes), 18 inches overall diameter, 2 ½ in. wall thickness and 10 feet long were directly embedded into a 30 inch diameter earth formed core hole using the excavated granular material as backfill. This was compacted around the sleeve using 4in diameter pneumatic hammers. A plain steel pole was inserted into the sleeve and clamped into line and level with a custom made jig that attached to the top of the sleeve. More of the granular material was compacted around the pole leaving 6 inches space at the top. Typically one bag of “concrete mix” was mixed up in a small portable concrete mixer, placed in the top of the sleeve, tamped and trowel finished with a watershed. The benefits of the sleeve are similar to those of pre-cast foundations, and the use of the excavated material and the low requirement for water in the remoteness of the desert were particularly good economies.

When surface or sub-surface rock is encountered anchor bolts can be directly embedded into core hole drilled into the rock deep enough to carry the pole overturning moment but discounting the thickness of fractured rock.

A shallow foundation typically 1ft 0in to 2ft 0in thick, but with a large area, typically 6 ft by 12 ft. but can be larger or smaller depending upon





overturning load and ground strength.

227. Frog (OCS)228. Fixed Frog

229. Electric Frog

A solid metal device (casting) in the trolleywires that guides the direction of travel of a vehicle trolley pole at locations where two trolley wires diverge from a single wire.

An electrically operated device above the trolley wires that switches the ‘track’ of the frog as required.

230. Frog (track) A rail component used at the intersection of two running rails to provide support for vehicle wheels thus permitting wheels to cross over or join rails of other tracks.

231. Gain 1. The flattened part of a round pole ready to receive the mounting plate of a cross arm or bracket arm, or

2. A plastic molding type packer for interfacing between a round pole and a cross arm or mounting plate of a bracket arm.

232. Glastic A proprietary insulating material ¼” to 2” thick used to form troughs for protection of the trolley overhead from damage caused by dewired trolley poles or to provide a safety barrier for linemen working on live wires in close proximity to uninsulated overhead beams and pipes.

233. Grade Crossing A crossing of a highway, railroad track, other fixed guideway, or pedestrian walk or combination of these at the same level.

234. Grade Separation The vertical separation at a crossing of a highway or walkway from a rail track by the provision of a bridge or underpass.

235. Gradient (Contact Wire)

The average slope of the contact wire between two adjacent OCS supports relative to the track.

236. Grounding The act of directly bonding a pole or stucture to a ground rod by means of a cable, to prevent a voltage developing on a pole which might shock a person who might touch the pole.

237. Ground Rod A conducting rod serving as an electrical connection with ground. Typically a less-than-





one inch diameter copperclad steel rod 10 feet long driven into the soil. More than one rod may be required to achieve the low resistance value specified for any particular OCS installation.

238. Grounding Switch An electrical switch typically between an OCS conductor and a ground rod, to enable the conductor to be grounded for safety when de-energized.

239. Ground Wire The conductor installed for the purpose of providing lightning protection and electrical continuity between the supporting structure of the overhead contact system and the common return or grounding system.

240. Guy

241. Down Guy Or Back Guy*

242. Guy Anchor

243. Guy Guard

244. Head Guy

245. Span Guy

246. Sidewalk Down Guy

A steadying or positioning wire, or span wire.

A wire attached high on a pole and coming down at an angle to an anchor in the ground.


A protective strip, often of light colored plastic, typically 10 feet long, which fits around the lower end of a down guy for increased visibility.

A wire, usually between two pole tops, for the purpose of transferring an anchor load.

A wire between two poles, or buildings for supporting an OCS.

See “Sidewalk Guy”

247. Half Tension Section or Half tension Length*

In AT equipment, the segment of OCS between a midpoint and a BW, or between a fixed termination and a BW. See also “Tension Section”.

248. Hand Hole An access hole in a pole, or duct-line, for cable installation or inspection





249. Hanger

250. For Direct Suspension

251. For Catenary

A support for a contact wire or trolley wire, normally used to support it from cross-spans.

A series of light wire, light cable, light strap or light rod assemblies for suspending the contact wire from the messenger wire at regular intervals (typically every 15-30 feet).

Catenary hangers are usually designed to avoid current flowing through them from the messenger to the contact wire and vice versa, by incorporating insulating components.

252. Hard spot Hard spots along the contact wire are typically points where the contact wire does not lift under the influence of pantograph pressure, as much as it does along the rest of the wire. As a consequence the pantograph is momentarily forced down from its normal trajectory. This may cause a separation of contact just beyond the hard spot due to pantograph inertia, and the inability of the pantograph springing to quickly raise the pantograph head. As a consequence arcing may occur which is harmful to both pantographs and contact wire. See “Arcing”Hard spots are caused by kinks in the contact wire, by heavy fittings such as section insulators, and by direct push-off registrations, all of which should be avoided in the mainline OCS where trains travel at speed and draw normal levels of current.

253. Harp Hardware mounted at the top end of a “Trolley Collector Pole” that houses the “Trolley Shoe”.

254. Headspan or Cross Catenary*

An OCS support structure with two or more wires that straddles the tracks and supports several catenaries, or several single contact wires in multi-track area. See also “Cross-Span”, “Body Span”, “Steady Span”.

255. Headspan wires In a two-wire headspan, the combination of headspan wire and cross-span wire, and in a three-wire headspan, the combination of a headspan wire, steady span wire and cross-span wire, required for a complete headspan

256. Heel of Registration The pivoted end of a steady arm opposite to the





Arm or Steady Arm or Eye of Pullover* (Catenary)

end with the contact wire clamp.

257. Heel Setting Dimension (Catenary)

The dimensioned height of the pin or hinge at the heel of a steady arm or registration arm, above the plane of the contact wire.

The heel setting is designed to minimize uplift of the contact wire due to the radial load in the registration arm caused by contact wire deviation.

258. Hog of Contact Wire Arching of a contact wire between catenary supports. Prevalent in FT systems at low temperatures – opposite of sag.

259. Horns (pantograph) The curved or angled downwards ends of the pantograph head, which lift ‘out-of-running’ wires onto the contact strip, as they converge.

260. Hotel Power Electrical power taken by a vehicle for uses other than traction.

261. Hydraulic Tensioner A mechanical device comprising a long cylinder filled with liquid or with gas which with its associated parts is installed at one or each of the anchor poles to compensate to some extent for variations in conductor tension due to ambient temperature.

262. Impedance Bond See “Bond”

263. Inclined Catenary See “Catenary”

264. Inductive Switch An electro-mechanical switch with an electronic receiver placed just above diverging trolley wires that can receive radio signals from ETBs in order to set the trolley wires for the route direction required.

265. In-Running Catenary The catenary for a track that has multiple catenaries (such as overlaps), which provides the passage for the pantograph.

266. Insert – Concrete A mechanical screw socket-type fixing for direct embedment into concrete usually placed before pouring concrete.

267. Insulated Midpoint See “Sectionalizing”

268. Insulated Overlap See “Sectionalizing”





269. Insulator

270. Bobbin*

271. Bell or Disc*

272. Cut-in Insulator

273. Insulators (cond)

274. Johnny Ball or Porcelain Strain

275. Insulator

276. No-Bo

277. Section

278. Standoff

279. Strain

280. Strut

281. Suspension

282. Synthetic

Any body or substance provided and designed for the purpose of surrounding, supporting or interrupting an electrical conductor so as to restrict the flow of electricity to a desired path.

A synthetic insulator that looks like a bobbin for thread.

A bell-shaped insulator of ceramic or glass used singly or in strings.

An strain insulator installed at a point along a conductor for sectionalizing purposes or to provide a ‘level’ of insulation.

A type of ceramic strain insulator, which has interlocking terminations for wires and is used primarily for guy, span wire or dead end insulation.

The brand name for a type of section insulator.

See “Section Insulator”

A solid core insulator with bending strength.

An insulator or a string of disc insulators used in line in a tensioned conductor or guy.

A standoff insulator used in compression members of cantilevers.

An insulator or string of discs, suspended in vertical position.

An insulator made from fiberglass, plastic or epoxy resin.

283. Jumper

284. Continuity or Full Current

285. Equalizing

Generally an electrical connection in the overhead contact system; a short conductor installed to provide electrical continuity.

A jumper capable of carrying full line current from one catenary to another longitudinally at tensioning overlaps and track turnouts.

A light jumper in the catenary connecting the messenger to the contact wire for electrical





continuity. Generally installed one in each span.

286. Kcmil, mcm* (Syn) The measured cross-sectional area of a conductor in thousands of circular mils.

287. Knuckle A rigid connection between two adjacent messenger wires and/or between two adjacent contact wires for their mutual alignment. Usually with insulation so as to prevent circulating currents or for maintaining electrical sectioning.

288. Lightning Arrester or Arrestor*

A device typically mounted on OCS poles and connected to the OCS, designed to protect the OCS and adjacent equipment, e.g. traction power substations and feeder cables, against lightning. Lightning arresters typically provide a path to ground through a spark-gap, with or without variable resistance elements.

289. Line Ear The name given in the days before grooved trolley wire was available, for the fitting that supported round trolley wire.

290. Line Guard A bunch of short (12”) steel wires with preformed twist that self lock around a conductor inside a support clamp to prevent the breakage o conductor strands due to fatigue.

See also “Messenger Liner”

291. Live

292. Live Load (structural)

293. Live Wire (electrical)

A load or force that is temporary in nature such as wind, ice, tension due to temperature change and the dynamic uplift force of a passing current collector.

A bare conductor carrying a voltage for power supply.

294. Load Gauge See “Gauge”

295. Long Turn Lane A segment of trolley wire OCS (trolley wire pair) parallel to the ‘through’ trolley wires used by ETBs in preparation for a right or left turn that allows ‘through’ ETBs to overtake.

296. Lug





297. Crimped

298. Terminal

An attachment to the end of wire or cable for an electrical connection made using a griping or crimping tool.

A crimped, soldered or bolted metallic tag with a hole used to terminate a wire or cable on a stud to make an electrical connection.

299. Magnetic Blow Out As assembly attached to in-running section insulators that quenches power arcs drawn by trolley shoes entering insulated runners.

300. Mast Arm* See “Bracket Arm”.

301. Master Overlap Chart (MOC);

302. Master Wiring Diagram (Syn)

Like an electrical sectioning diagram but including essential OCS design features and typically drawn to scale based upon civil alignment plan/profiles. An MOC will include provisional layout of the traction power substations, and the associated feeding/sectioning points in the OCS. Typically the location of additional operational sectionalization at track crossovers and pocket tracks will be shown. The type of sectioning arrangement be it an overlap, insulated midpoint, airbreak or section insulator will be indicated. On steeply graded track profiles the location of OCS fixed ends, midpoints and balanceweights will be given.

303. Maximum Operating Wind Speed

The maximum wind speed in which vehicles will continue to be operated at their normal speed. The wind speed selected for pantograph security calculations. Typically 55 mph for LRT Systems.





304. Maximum Sag The sag of conductors either at maximum conductor temperature or under a given radial ice loading, whichever is greater.

305. Mcm* See “Kcmil”

306. Messenger or Messenger Wire

The uppermost conductor in a catenary system. The conductor, which hangs in, the approximate shape of a catenary from which the contact wire is suspended by means of wire or loop hangers.

307. Messenger Liner A piece of insulating material inserted between messenger hanger saddles and messenger wires to prevent currents circulating through hangers.

308. Messenger Rise or Messenger Wire Rise

When given in tables for vertical clearance purposes:The increase in the height of the messenger wire at midspan, due to the combined effect of :

An increase in messenger wire tension at low temperature.

Wear of the contact wire. Uplift due to the pantograph or trolley

collector pole pressure.

309. Middle Ordinate* See “Stringline”.

310. Midpoint Anchor Pole (AT)

A pole adjacent to the midpoint structure where the midpoint guy is terminated.

311. Midpoint Guy (AT) The span guy that provides the midpoint restraint in AT equipment.

The broadly horizontal guy wire, (preferably of galvanized strand for its light weight), that is anchored to the messenger wire at the midpoint (cantilever) of a tension section of auto-tensioned OCS.

312. Midpoint Structure (AT) The OCS support structure approximately midway between the two Balanceweights of a tension section of AT equipment where the OCS is anchored against along-track movement.

313. Midspan Offset The deviation of the static contact wire from





the superelevated centerline of track at midspan.

314. Mixed Operation* See “Dual-mode Operation”





315. Negative Feeder – DC

316. Negative Feeder - AC

In a DC rail system, the traction current return cable connecting the track rails or negative contact wire to the substation negative busbar.

See AREMA Chapter 33. Negative Feeder.

317. Neutral Section (AC Only)

See AREMA Chapter 33. Floating Section.

318. No-Bo A proprietary type of section insulator. See “Insulator”.

319. No-Load Tension or Unloaded Stringing Tension

The messenger stringing tension to be applied to a messenger alone so that, once the contact wire is suspended from the messenger, the messenger assumes the desired final sag and tension.

320. Non-Bridging, Non-Commutating*

The act of not connecting across sectionalization points by pantograph.

321. Non-Riding* See “Out-of-Running”.

322. “Normal” Temperature, Normal Setting Temperature.

The selected temperature at which all the cantilevers in an auto-tensioned OCS are “square” (“normal”, mathematically) to the track.See “Normal Tension”.

323. “Normal” Tension 1. The nominal selected tension for a conductor.

2. The tension in a conductor of a fixed terminated OCS at “normal” temperature range.

3. The tension in a conductor of an auto-tensioned OCS when tensioned by balanceweights within the auto-tensioned temperature range – when the balanceweight stops are not engaged.

324. OCS Style The generic type of conductor configuration and tensioning system of a particular OCS.See “Catenary” and “Direct Suspension”.

325. Offset

326. Contact Wire/Trolley Wire Offset

The deviation of the contact wire/trolley wire in its static condition from the normal centerline of the track.





327. Pole Offset The dimension of the centerline of the pole from the centerline of the track.

328. Out-of-Running (OOR) Catenary

Where more than one catenary is installed above one track, OOR catenaries do not provide passage for the pantograph because they are higher than, or offset from, the in-running catenary.

329. Overhead Contact System (OCS)

That part of the traction power system comprising the overhead conductors (or single contact wire), aerial feeders, OCS supports, foundations, balanceweights and other equipment and assemblies, that delivers electrical power to non-self powered electric vehicles.

330. Overlap A span of the overhead contact system where the contact and messenger wires of two adjoining tension sections overlap before terminating at opposite ends.

331. Overlap Poles The structures that position the two contact wires in parallel within an overlap section.

332. Overlap Span That portion of the overhead contact system between two structures, where the contact and messenger wires of two adjoining sections overlap, thus allowing pantographs to transition from one tension section to the next under power.See “Sectionalizing - Insulated Overlap”

333. Overpass, Bridge*, Overhead Bridge* or Overbridge* (Syn)

Where a street, pedestrian walkway or railway crosses over the OCS tracks. NOTE. ‘Bridge’, ‘Overhead Bridge’, and ‘Overbridge’ are ambiguous terms unless the location, under-rail or over-rail, are included. For the OCS dictionary, Overpass is the preferred term for a bridge over–rail and underpass is the preferred term for a bridge under-rail. See also “Viaduct”

334. Pan An alternative name for the “head” of a pantograph, which carries the rubbing strips/carbon collectors*.

335. Pantograph A current collection device fitted on top of an electrically powered rail vehicle, hinged to allow it to vary in height as it rubs along the contact





wire.

336. Pantograph Clearance Envelope

See “Envelope, Pantograph Clearance Envelope”.

337. Pantograph Head The uppermost part of the pantograph that is fitted with the current collector.

338. Pantograph Pressure The nominal upward force exerted by the pantograph on the contact wire. Typically 18 to 22 pounds.

339. Pantograph Security The analyses of the lateral relationship of the pantograph with the contact wire at a support/registration and at midspan, under prescribed operating conditions, including allowances for crosswind, track tolerances, vehicle sway, pantograph sway, temperature range and installation tolerances.Based on these analyses, maximum stagger, maximum span length on tangent, and span lengths on curves are determined.

340. Pantograph Sway Lateral displacement of the pantograph induced by vehicle roll and lateral shock loads. Typical value 1 ½ " each way (independent of pantograph height), unless specified otherwise.

341. Pantograph Up-Lift The distance the contact wire is lifted as a pantograph passes.

342. Pantograph Up-Thrust*

See “Pantograph Pressure”

343. Parallel Feeder An along-track aerial bare or insulated cable mounted on the OCS poles; or an insulated cable installed in a trough or duct, which provides electrical power reinforcement to the OCS by means of T-connected feeder jumpers at regular intervals.

344. Parallel Running (Length)

The design length where the two parallel contact wires in an overlap are suspended at the same height.

345. Paralleling Station (AC Only)

See AREMA Chapter 33. Paralleling Station

346. Pendulum Support A type of support using two parallel hinges 12” to 24” long to support the contact wire keeping the contact wire oriented vertically as it lifts freely.





347. Pendulum Suspension An “elastic” hanger configuration in the form of a trapezoid hinged at each corner that maintains correct wire orientation of the trolley wire for use by trolley shoe and yet is free to move upwards under pressure from the vehicle trolley pole.

348. PH Hanger A stick insulator installed square or near-square to the trolley wire pair for carrying two trolley clamps at the correct wire spacing and that can maintain insulation levels between them.

349. Phase Break See AREMA Chapter 33. Phase Break

350. Planted Pole An OCS pole without a baseplate, that is directly embedded in a concrete foundation during pouring of the concrete, or grouted into a prepared corehole of a previously cast concrete foundation.

351. Pole (OCS) or Mast* An independent slender vertical structure with or without guy, used to support some part of the OCS.

352. Pole Bracket A connection or an assembly of small – part steel components by which a cantilever assembly or bracket arm assembly is attached to the pole.

353. Pole Cap The attachment over the top of a pole to prevent intrusion of rainwater. Fancy designs may be called “Finials”

354. Pole Encumbrance The across-track outside dimension of a pole and its attachments at vehicle level.

355. Pole Face 1. The side of the pole to which the cantilever or bracket arm is attached.

2. The side of the pole facing the track.

356. Pole Guide* See “Trolley Pole Guide”

357. Pole (Trolley) See “Trolley Pole”

358. Portal (OCS)

359. Beam Bracket

A frame support structure, typically of galvanized steel, consisting of vertical columns supporting each end of a horizontal beam. Two beams mounted on three columns would be termed a “compound portal”, etc.





A fabricated steel frame mounted on a portal beam, primarily for the attachment of cantilever assemblies.

360. Potential Equalizer (Jumper)

See “Jumper”

361. Power On-Off Switch A trolley overhead switch control system which operates in one position as the bus draws power from the overhead contact system and retracts to another position when the bus coasts through.

362. Pre-Emption Device A switch/contactor operated automatically by transit vehicles in city streets, which controls traffic signals to their favor.

363. Preformed or Preformed End Fitting

A trade name for a wrap-around type of dead end or guy grip.

364. Presag The static difference between the average contact wire height at the end hangers in a span and the height at midspan. Typically span/1000 in value.

365. Prestress (of conductors)

The tension, normally 30% to 50% of its breaking load, applied to conductor for a day or two to reduce long-term “creep”, after which it is reduced to normal tension for operations.

366. Profile (overhead) The vertical alignment of OCS conductors relative to the track.

367. Pull-Off* See “Wire Pull-off”

368. Pull-Off Arm* See “Registration Arm”

369. Pull Off Cantilever A cantilever that provides registration of the contact wire towards the pole in relation to the centerline of track.

370. Push Off Cantilever A cantilever that provides registration of the contact wire away from the pole in relation to the centerline of track.

371. Pulley (AT) A pulley block used in messenger support and in AT termination systems.

372. Pull-over* See “Registration Arm”

373. Radial Load A horizontal load comprised of static and





dynamic forces.

374. Rail Bond See “Bond”.

375. Rail Return The combination of track rails, impedance bonds, and cables that provides the electrical return path for the traction current from the rail vehicle to the substation.

376. Rake The installed backward lean of the pole from vertical, before loading, such that when loaded the pole does not lean towards the load once the load is applied.

377. Range (Touring) or Travel*, of an ETB.

The safe distance an ETB may move laterally away from its overhead wires-usually about 12 feet

378. Range of Pantograph379. Operating

380. Maximum

The operating height range for Pantographs to operate normally

The range of a pantograph between its upper limit stop, and its lock-down height.

381. Reach See “Cantilever Reach”

382. Registration or Alignment*

Lateral stabilizing (with or without support), of conductors to maintain a fixed horizontal location relative to the track.

383. Registration Arm or Steady Arm

The lateral restrainer on the contact wire at a structure or other point of registration, such as at a wire pull-off.

384. Registration Pipe The lowest pipe of a cantilever, to which a steady arm or a registration arm is attached, with or without a drop bracket.See also “Steady Arm”.

385. Registration Span Wire or Registration Span Guy

A span guy between poles for contact or trolley wire registration; usually the lower of two horizontal span wires.

386. Regulation* or Regulating*

See “Adjustments”

387. Resilient Arm 388. For Direct Suspension A contact wire or trolley wire support embodying

a sprung suspension, typically used under decks





389. For Catenaryor in tunnels where cross-spans and bridles cannot be installed.A combined registration and support assembly with vertical resilience, used for support of catenary conductors in situations of restricted clearance such as tunnels and overbridges, or for providing a soft contact wire suspension where a messenger or messenger bridle is not present.

390. Return Circuit The circuit for the traction return current utilizes track rails or negative contact wire to a location near to a traction substation, where it is connected by the “Negative Feeders” to the substation negative busbar.

391. Rigid Contact System Typically used in maintenance shops and at moveable bridges. An overhead contact system using an un-tensioned contact wire relying on continuous support, (such as proprietary aluminum extrusions or “T”-bars) or “barn hangers” at close spacing to supply the necessary rigidity.An untensioned self-supporting (copper) conductor rail, such as “double lobe bar”.

392. Riser A vertical conduit and cable supplying traction current from an underground feeder system to the OCS.

393. ROW Right-of-way; a definition of land ownership; the available space for a railway.

394. Rubbing Strip* See “Contact Strip”

395. Ruling Span See “Equivalent Span”.

396. Running Edges The inside faces of the rail heads of a track.

397. Saddle The fitting that supports a hanger on the messenger wire, sometimes fitted with an insulated lining to prevent current entering the hanger.

398. Safe Working Zone (1500 volts or less)

A zone around the OCS in which OCS maintenance staff can undertake routine OCS inspections and maintenance, without there being some electrically grounded equipment, except plastic sheet, wood, stone or concrete, etc within easy/accidental reach.





399. Sag The difference between the average heights of a conductor at its adjacent supports and its height at the lowest point in the span.

400. Sagging The act of installing messengers and other conductors to the correct tension by measuring conductor sag.

401. Sag-Tension Charts Charts referred to during wire stringing that give conductor tensions related to ambient temperature for use during the sagging operation.

402. Sag Rods On older electrified lines, the long steel rods that support the center section of a portal beam from extensions to the portal columns.





403. Sectionalizing or Sectioning*

404.405. Half-Tension Airbreak

406. Insulated Overlap or Airbreak*

407. Insulated Midpoint

The division of the OCS into electrical sections, while permitting trolley poles and pantographs to operate from section to section.

An airbreak where the two parallel contact wires are each at half tension and are cut into a single contact wire over a distance of 100 feet to 200 feet. Half-tension airbreaks do not require additional contact wire anchor poles, thus making them a practical substitute for section insulators. Not recommended for new construction since overlaps are more conventional.

A sectionalization point in an OCS formed by cutting insulation into the out-of-running sections of the two overlapping catenaries with at least minimum electrical clearance between them, which provide a continuous powered path for pantographs.

A sectionalization point in an OCS formed at an insulated overlap with fixed terminations, by cutting insulation into the out-of-running sections of the two overlapping catenaries. An insulated midpoint can thus provide sectionalizing while replacing a midpoint anchor in an AT tension section.

408. Section Break An electrical break in the overhead contact system. When two adjacent section breaks are installed, the section of OCS between them can be isolated and energized or de-energized.

409. Section Insulator or Section Isolator*

A device for isolating two electrical sections from each other.

410. Self Supporting Anchor Pole

An OCS anchor pole without a down-guy.

411. Selectric Switch A proprietary electro-mechanical switch for setting the route for ETB trolley collector poles at a turnout, that is operated by the interaction of two contactors judiciously placed in the trolleywire pair in advance of a trolleybus turn and triggered by the relative position of trolley shoes.

412. Shoe* See “Pantograph Head”, “Trolley Shoe”.

413. Sidewalk guy Used where a normal down guy anchorage would





occur on a sidewalk or other pathway and possibly be an obstruction to pedestrians and sidewalk vehicles.A sidewalk down guy is a down guy that is diverted to a vertical position for anchorage to the ground, by use of a horizontal strut braced against the pole at about halfway down the pole.

414. Simple Catenary See “Catenary”

415. Single Wire System* See “Direct Suspension”





416. Sleeve

417. Chaffing Sleeve

418. Ground sleeve, Reinforcing Sleeve or

419. “Dog Collar”

420. Pipe Sleeve

421. Repair Sleeve

422. Sleeve Foundation

A sleeve around a conductor to reduce damage from abrasion.

A steel sleeve placed around a steel pole at ground line to protect against corrosion damage.

A short length of smaller diameter pipe fitted into a larger diameter pipe to reduce the internal diameter of the larger pipe.

A compressed copper sleeve around a conductor to repair local electrical damage.

A custom-designed circular concrete tube placed in a drilled hole to provide a foundation for an embedded pole. See “Foundation- Concrete Sleeve Type”

423. Small Part Steelwork (SPS)

Steel brackets, frames, links, plates and yokes, etc, which are cut from stock steel sections for attachment of catenary assemblies, but not constituting part of a principal support structure.

424. Soffit The underside of a tunnel roof or bridge deck.

425. Span Guy, or Span Wire

See “Guy”

426. Span Length

427. Actual Span Length

The distance along track between structures as determined by the difference in along track stationings.

The horizontal length of contact wire between two adjacent support points (not necessarily the distance or difference in stationing between the support structures).

428. Span Width The distance across track or roadway (may be skewed) between the columns of a portal, headspan, or cross-span.

429. Special Work Generic description for the frogs, switches, crossovers and curve segments used in trolley wires for vehicles with trolley poles.

430. Spiral (Track) The transitions from tangent to curve track along which superelevation increases from zero to the selected value for the curve, and vice versa.





431. Splice, Splicer* A fitting for joining two conductors together capable of carrying the full current capacity and the breaking load of the conductor. The splice may be a mechanically using cones or set-screws, or use compression pins or a compressed sleeve, etc.

432. Spout See “Feeder Spout”.

433. Sprawl The ‘stringline’ of the contact wire on curved tracks with inclined catenaries.

434. Spreaders or Spreader Bars*

(1). On a pole, the 4ft. to 5ft. long brackets made of small angle or channel sections mounted on the front of a pole and facing the track, a pair of which carry two or more cantilevers. Each cantilever carries its own catenary, and the cantilevers are spaced sufficiently to allow independent along track movement of each catenary.(2). In the OCS, a device for maintaining a set distance between two ‘parallel’ conductors and used for registration purposes. See “Knuckle”.

435. Spring Tensioner A mechanical device comprising a long spring and associated parts installed in an OCS (usually at one or both terminations) which compensates to some extent for variations in conductor tension due to conductor temperature.

436. Stagger The (normally alternating) offset of the contact wire from the tangent or superelevated track centerline by registration at each support that causes the contact wire to sweep side to side over the pantograph head during vehicle operation.

437. Stagger Change Increase or decrease of wire stagger due to along-track movement of the OCS under the influence of balanceweights, as wire temperature changes

438. Stagger Effect The additional contact wire deviation above the normal value of wind blow-off in a span, whenever the staggers at each end of the span are unequal.

439. Stagger Gauge A mechanical or electronic device that can be mounted on track rails for measuring contact and





messenger wire heights and staggers.

440. Stagger Sweep Usually the rate at which the contact wire crosses the pantograph contact strip in inches per span length, with the purpose of setting minimum and maximum values.Typically 1 inch in 20 feet would be an acceptable minimum, and 1 inch in 5 feet an acceptable maximum.

441. Stand-Off Insulator See “Insulator”.

442. Static, Dead Load The weight of the structure and any permanent load applied to it. This will include wire tension loads at nominal temperature. Loads due to temperature change are considered “Live”.

443. Steady Arm A lightly loaded registration arm that serves to steady the contact wire from lateral displacement. See “Registration Arm”.

444. Steady Span A cross span guy for contact wires, usually the lower of two horizontal span guys.

445. Step and Touch Potential

446. Step Potential ( see IEEE Dictionary)

447. Touch Potential (see IEEE Dictionary)

448. Accessible Voltage (see IEEE Dictionary)

The potential difference between two points on the earth’s surface separated by a distance of one pace assumed to be in the direction of maximum potential gradient. Syn: Step Voltage*

The potential difference between the grounded metallic structure and a point on the earth’s surface separated by a distance equal to the normal maximum horizontal reach, approximately one meter. Syn: Touch Voltage*

Voltage difference between any two points accessible to passengers or workers on the transit system.

449. Stops* See “Balanceweight Stops.”

450. Stringing The process of installing overhead wires under tension

451. Stringline Value The distance between the track arc and its chord between catenary support structures, measured at midspan.





452. Structure A principal support for the OCS conductors, normally including foundation, pole(s), and cantilever(s)/bracket arm(s) or headspan/cross-span; or eyebolts and cross-span.

453. Structure Bonding See “Grounding”

454. Structure Clearance Envelope

See “Envelope, Structure Clearance Envelope”

455. Structure Spacing Chart

A design table of span length and track curves that shows the maximum OCS span length for a track curve of a given radius.

456. Stub-Ups Conduit bends, cast into concrete foundations, for later use with or without extension ‘risers’, to accommodate feeder cables.

457. Subassembly (OCS) A configuration of OCS components forming part of a larger OCS assembly.

458. Suction Transformer* See AREMA Chapter 33.

459. Superelevation Effect460. For rail tracks

461. For ETB

Displacement of the pantograph centerline from the vertical track centerline due to track superelevation.

Lateral displacement of trolley wires from a ground reference point, e.g. centerline of bus-path, due to roadway superelevation.

462. Surge Arrester* See “Lightning Arrester”

463. Swath (Pantograph) The swept area above railway tracks at contact wire level that is covered by the pantograph during train operations, into which no part of the fixed facilities, except the contact wire, may intrude.

464. Swath (Trolleybus) The swept area of the roadway covered by the plan area of the trolley bus when driving on a curved bus path.

465. Sweep* See “ Stagger Sweep’

466. Switch (OCS)

467. Disconnect Switch, Feeder Switch*

A switch typically installed at a sectionalizing point or at a traction power feeding point in the





468. Bypass Switch

469. Grounding Switch

470. Motorized Switch

471. Special Work Switch

472. Switch Mounting

473. Track Switch

OCS or for isolating the positive feeder cable at a substation. Such switch would be designed only to operate off-load, usually by hand, ‘hot’ stick or by motorized operation controlled remotely. See “By-pass Switch”.

At traction power feeding points, pad-mounted disconnect switches may be located within the substation compound or on the adjacent feeder pole.

Bypass disconnect switches are installed at the sectionalizing points in the OCS and are closed for normal train operations.

An electrical switch typically between an OCS conductor and a ground rod, to enable the conductor to be grounded for safety when de-energized.

An electrically operated disconnect switch under command from the Agency Operations and Control Center.

An electric frog for trolleybuses, or a plain frog for streetcars, to allow trolley poles to enter a diverging route at a track turnout.

Disconnect switches are customarily mounted on OCS poles, but can also be pad-mounted or mounted on walls.

A track turn out474. Synthetic Guy Strand A synthetic rope material, such as “Kevlar” or

“Phillystran”, used in cross-span guying and messenger bridles. Not normally used in trolley pole operation

475. System Height or System Depth*

The vertical distance between messenger and contact wires, at the support structure.





476. Tail Wire or Tail Guy*

The wire that joins the yoke plate to the balanceweight assembly or deadend

477. Tangent Chord Catenary

See “Catenary”

478. Temperature Stop* See “Balanceweight Stop”

479. Tension Reducer A strain reliever, usually a terminating guy connected at the shallow angle to a tensioned conductor to take up a portion of the tension.

480. Tension Length* See “Tension Section”,

See also “Half Tension Section”

481. Tension Section A length of OCS between two corresponding terminations with automatic tensioning or fixed terminations. See also “Half Tension Section”

482. Tensioning A method of controlling the configuration of conductors. Tensioning is normally performed by using balanceweights, but in certain situations, by spring or hydraulic tensioners.

483. Tensioner A device installed at one end or both ends of a conductor to maintain as constant a tension in the conductors as possible.Maybe spring or hydraulic units or balanceweight assemblies,

484. TES Traction Electrification System - comprising of the Traction Power System (TPS) and the Overhead Contact Systems (OCS).

485. TOR Top of rail (as a vertical datum).

486. TPFS Traction Power Feeder System.

487. TPS Traction Power System - comprising of the Traction Power Substations (TPSS) and the Traction Power Feeder System (TPFS) (i.e. duct banks and traction power feeder and return cables).

488. TPSS Traction Power Substation

489. Track Hog A vertical curve in the track alignment producing a crest.See also “Track Sag”





490. Track Raising Allowance

An allowance for additional vertical clearance at overpasses when determining OCS contact wire and messenger wire heights, to cater to future lifting of the tracks in order to improve the track structure.





491. Track Sag A vertical curve in the track alignment producing a dip.See also “Track Hog”

492. Track Tolerances

493. Cross Level Tolerance

494. Lateral Tolerance

495. Track Gauge Tolerance

496. Vertical Tolerance

Variations from design dimensions.

Allowable variation between the levels of the two rails (or the designated difference in levels on superelevated track).

Allowable variation in the track alignment.

Allowable variation typically from 4’ - 8½”.

Allowable variation in track height.

497. Traction Power The electrical power supply to the OCS

498. Trailing Turnout Tracks converging with point of switch last in the normal direction of travel.

499. Tramway Equipment See “Direct Suspension System”.

500. Transition Curve A curve of continuously increasing radius that connects a curve to a tangent or to a curve of larger radius.See “Spiral”.

501. Trapeze* See “Pendulum Support”

502. Travel* See “Range”

503. Travelers, or Stringing Blocks

Sheaves used in pulling wires during stringing preferably with one “cheek” that can be opened for inserting wires and pull lines.

504. Trolley Door Bridge A bridging device between sections of trolley wire that is mounted on the soffit of the doorframes of maintenance shops that can be opened to allow the doors to open and close. Such a design must have a bridging piece or conductor bar aligned between the trolley wire dead-ends to provide a trolley ‘path’ for use with trolley poles.

505. Trolley Pole or Collector Pole (Syn)

An electric power collector on a trolleybus or streetcar, which delivers current from the trolley wire to the vehicle.





506. Trolleybus, Trolley Coach*, Trackless Trolley*, Electric Trolley Bus*, ETB.

A trackless rubber-tired public service vehicle for passengers propelled by electricity, which draws power from the trolley overhead conductors by means of two (positive and negative) trolley poles.

507. Trolley Funnel See “Trolley Pole Guide”

508. Trolley Harp See “Trolley Shoe”

509. Trolley OCS, Trolley Overhead*

The system of overhead trolley wires and their supports from which vehicles with trolley poles collect currentSee “Direct Suspension System”.

510. Trolley Pole, or Trolley Collector Poles*

The long shaft mounted on the roofs of trolley buses, streetcars and a few Light Rail Vehicles, with a shoe (current collector) at the top end that presses upwards against the underside of the trolley wire, to draw current.

511. Trolley Pole Guide or Funnel

A device to steer the trolley pole collector shoe upward onto the trolley wire from the retracted position.

512. Trolley Shoe An assembly comprising a carbon insert fitted into the holder attached to the harp at the top of a trolley collector pole to collect current.

513. Trolley Wire See “Contact Wire”

514. Trolley Wire Pair The two trolley wires providing electrical power and return for ETBs. Typically spaced 2 feet apart in the US, bu t700mm in Europe.

515. Tunnel support (assembly)

A catenary, feeder, or return wire support assembly for use in tunnels and normally mounted in the tunnel soffit.

516. Turnbuckle A Threaded device inserted in a tension member to provide minor adjustment of tension or sag. (IEEE Dictionary)

517. Turnout (Track) The arrangement of a track switch and a frog with closure rails by which rail vehicles can be diverted from one track to another.

518. Twin Contacts (Wires)*

See “Contenary”.

519. Underbridge Supports

OCS supports used beneath overpasses and normally attached to their soffits.

520. Underpass or Underbridge*

Where a road or river crosses beneath the LRT tracks.





521. Uninsulated Overlap An OCS overlap without provision for sectionalizing. A construction overlap.

522. Uplift The difference in height of contact wire when at rest and when subjected to an upward force due to current collectors passing.

523. Variable Tension in OCS

A characteristic of Fixed Terminated OCS, where rise in conductor temperature due to traction current and/or ambient air temperature results in lowering of conductor tension due to the expansion of the conductors. Similarly low ambient temperatures cause contraction of the conductors resulting in a rise of conductor tensions.See “Auto-tensioned OCS” which is also termed “Constant Tension OCS”*.

524. Versine (OCS) See “Stringline Value”525. Viaduct A long civil structure with rail tracks that on

transit systems crosses over other rail tracks or over a road, or river or land, or buildings, etc., typically built on piers or bents.

526. Wind Stay or Steady A light rod that is provided to prevent collapse in compression of lightly loaded registration arms due to wind forces.

527. Wire Cross* See “Contact Wire Bridge”

528. Wire Gradient See “Contact Wire Gradient”

529. Wire Pull-off A pull-off using a registration arm, “Single or Double Curve Hanger” attached to the end of a guy wire, that does not directly support the contact wire, although it can be lifted by the vertical component of the registration load.

530. Wire Run The distance from anchorage to anchorage of an OCS conductor upon which the length of each OCS conductor is determined for requisitioning. A discrete Wire Run Number is assigned to each specific wire run for materials control purposes.

531. Yoke A steel plate or casting on which two or more wires terminate on one side and continue as one wire on the opposite side (usually yoke-shaped and with lever action to distribute loads from a Balanceweight to the messenger and contact wire).





DICTIONARY OF OVERHEAD CONTACT SYSTEM TERMS


Documents

IEEE OVERHEAD CONTACT SYSTEMS …grouper.ieee.org/groups/railtransit/ocs/OCS Reference... · Web viewA frame support structure, typically of galvanized steel, consisting of vertical