The Third Rail

Discussion in 'Other Reminiscences' started by Frank Sanoica, Apr 15, 2018.

  1. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    Chicago's Elevated Train system was extensive while I was growing up. Not elevated everywhere, though, where the Douglas Park El passed through Cicero, then Berwyn, ending there still when I was a small kid, it ran on the ground. Two sets of tracks, crossing every street, 1/8 mile apart, dangerous in more ways than one.

    The El was electrically-powered, at 600 Volts, Direct Current. Power was supplied to the cars by a "third rail", upon which slid big "brushes" mounted beneath the cars. In winter, often ice or snow build-up caused a most amazing variety of big bluish-white sparks on the third rail!
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    Dangerous it was! My Dad saw a dog electrocuted which happened to walk over the 3rd. and often enough a human suffered a similar fate:
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    Electric buses were instituted on Madison Avenue, which derived their power by overhead trolleys, much safer, but prone to oftener-seen failures of several kinds. The bus driver had only limited side-wise leeway while driving, and now and then his trolley became disengaged from the overhead wire, leaving a busload of folks rather irate.......
    Frank
     
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  2. Hal Pollner

    Hal Pollner Veteran Member
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    Other 600VDC systems used an overhead "trolley" pole for the 3rd rail.

    Hal
     
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  3. Frank Sanoica

    Frank Sanoica Supreme Member
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    @Hal Pollner
    The concept of "3rd. rail" implies that it forms one conductor to supply the traction moptors; the other conductor was the railroad rails, which of course had to be grounded.

    The busses in Chicago lacked that convenience of grounding, thus requiring that both conductors be overhead. Something about "complete circuit" being necessary!
    Frank
     
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