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How Train and Tram Pantographs Work
Most of us will h
ave seen pantographs in action above trams or trains and perhaps not fully understood how they work. If you haven’t heard the term before, it basically refers to equipment mounted on top of the roof of an electric tram or train that collects power by direct contact with the overhead wire (called the Catenary). Usually there will be a single wire and the return current flows through the rail. The modern day pantograph is like an updated version of the Trolley Poles used on the older style Trolley Buses. Although reasonably reliable, the Trolley Poles on the older style electric buses where prone to come off the wires at times, and potentially cause traffic chaos on a busy road.
This interesting video clip show how a pantograph and catenary operate.
This video show trams in action in Leeds (UK) in the late 1950’s.
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Well done for finding this great video, it remnds me of my of the 1950;s Grimsby Cleethorpes Transport trams ..thanks from 71 years young.
A great piece of film in there I spied about 4 or 5 Bradford Vans built by the Jowet company I still have a 1951 Bradford sitting in my garage it was completely restored back in 1992 and is in operating condition .