Alstom adds a static charging system to its catenary-free range
Light rail without overhead cables is all the rage: electric vehicles that don’t require catenary avoid attaching structures to buildings and save cluttering the street scene with poles.
The major tram manufacturers have responded to the market demand for catenary-free systems and this mode of operation is now coming to the UK: last month Ian Walmsley reported in ‘Pan Up’ on the first tram for the West Midlands adapted by CAF for battery power.
Alstom has been one of the pioneers in the catenary-free field, with its APS system allowing trams to operate in the historic centre of Bordeaux and elsewhere without unsightly wires. APS (the acronym is not readily translatable) comprises a continuous electricity feed laid in the track bed. As the tram passes, power is supplied to the conductive segments via coded radio dialogue between the tram and the ground. Safety for pedestrians is maintained, as any segments not covered by the tram are not powered.
Now Alstom has come up with a fresh option: SRS (again, not readily translatable), a conductive static charging system to allow the recharge of on-board equipment (supercapacitors and batteries) on…
