High Voltage Overhead Testing Facility
LWR facilitates an overhead high voltage testing facility capable of generating voltages used on all European railway nets. Problems that for example would only occur on the German net, will now be found in the workshop. These then can be immediately solved, reducing overall service time!
Electric locomotives collect their current from overhead lines by unfolding their pantograph. This then presses against the underside of the overhead line. With physical connection now established, current flows through to the locomotive and back to the feeder station via the steel wheels on one or both running rails. This powers the locomotive!
The testing facility works very simple. first the locomotive is placed outside the workshop under the high voltage testing line. Next the operator switches on the power station inside the workshop which is connected to the testing line. This power station houses multiple transformers and rectifiers which can provide high voltages up to 25000 AC!
The operator can select a pre-programmed combination of voltage and frequency dependent on which system of the locomotive needs to be tested. After this has been done the locomotive unfolds its pantograph. Once contact is made between the overhead line and the pantograph, the locomotive is powered!
As the locomotive is powered various systems including the propulsion/tracktive systems and the auxiliary inverters can be tested.