Automatic Control over Rail Breakage in Sections with AC Electric Traction

Abstract

An increase in the speed and intensity of movement of heavy trains on the most loaded electrified sections of railways leads to an increase in the probability of rail breakage and increases the severity of the consequences of the breakage. The method to control rail breakage in these sections and one variant of technical implementation of this method, which provide control for rail breakage not only for the cases of complete rail rupture, have been developed. The features of a change in the traction-current asymmetry in the rail line, when the rail breakage in one of the track rails, are determined. If a rail breakage occurs under the rolling stock, a jump in the traction-current asymmetry occurs in the part of the rail line freed from the rolling stock, when the last wheel set of the train is beyond a rail break point. At the train end of the rail chain or track line section, the traction-current asymmetry changes abruptly when the last train wheelset releases them. These jumps in the traction-current asymmetry provide the ability to fix the rail breakage. The measures are provided to exclude false control of rail breakage during short circuits in the contact network and during lightning discharges.