Found this picture of scale 3 rail track. The Lionel Operating Train Society (LOTS) convention was held in Portland and the morning of July 12, 2007. The OPR sported a 3rd rail for the amusement of the Lionel folks. Photo by David Thompson.
Jason
B&O = Best & Only
Cool pic.
Handsome engine.
Thanks for sharing.
Bob Nelson
An excellent example of prototype 3 rail track (and one to win a wager on with those "infidels" ) is in Switzerland where, on one railway system, the poles carrying overhead wires end, and a 100 mile long run of three rail track commences--the power carried by the center rail, until the the end of the line. This is not a rack and pinion system for traction, where the center "rail" is for the gears to ascend steep inclines. Sorry I don't remember the railway's name, but if it is shown again on "Swiss Rail Journeys" I'll note it and post the name (so you wagering types can earn some train-spending loot).
Bob, I'm quite sure of the fact, and it is not a Rick Steve program.
Swiss Rail Journies is a British production, with inside-the-cab camera footage of the engineer, much through-the-windows footage, exterior, train mounted cameras are used, and views of the entire train from a chase crew, are shown. This series of programs (of which I've watched six to eight different trips, each using different, passenger railways) show the Alpine splendor of Switzerland from the passengers' point of view.
These trips are videotaped more like railfan excursions (though they are not excursions) than a typical European Tourist program would show, and facts about how many watts overhead lines carry, which rail gauge the train is on, and even the railway history and mergers are relayed to viewers.
Eventually, a re-run will be aired and I'll get the name of the line...if I live long enough.
More info on the Swiss Rail Journies series, Bob.
17 episodes were taped of 14 railways.
1. Fribourg Railways *
2. Transport Publique du Chablais
3. Chemin de Fer du Jura
4. Vereina Line *
5. Emmental Railway *
6.The Brunig Line *
7.The Davos Line *
8. 9. 10. The Montreau-Oberland-Bernois Railway
11. The Arosa Line
12. The Albula Line
13. The Engadine Line *
14. Jungfrau Railways *
The asterisk shows railways I believe I viewed shows of, but I can't guarantee the total accuracy.
There was a short stretch of track north of Sydney, NSW Australia that had a third rail for several years. The track had very sharp curves and was laid with special hard manganese steel rail imported from Britain.
This rail had very poor conductivity. The line was electrified at 1500 volts DC overhead, and a centre third rail of conventional steel was laid bonded to the outside rails for the return current.
Since the centre rail had no contact, it was very rusty, and I thought it looked like Gargraves "Phantom Line" track. I used this section of line on my journeys to and from school so I was quite familiar with it.
The underground trains of London Transport have four rail track, at 600 volts DC, with an outside third rail for pickup and a centre fourth rail for the return current. This is slightly raised above the running rails, but looks much like model track.
M636C
lionelsoni wrote:There actually are prototype examples: Washington, DC, formerly, and the London Underground and Bordeaux currently (so to speak...;-)
Bob,
The London Underground is one of the few networks in the world that uses a four-rail system. Is that what you mean by "so to speak...;-)"?Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railway_electrification_system
..........Wayne..........
Lionel was right, the future was a center 3rd rail in 1898- 1900!
The New Haven Railroad started center 3rd rail with Interurbans in the Boston Area. They then expanded to the Highland Division main line out of Hartford to New Britian, Berlin, and Bristol Connecticut.
Enter the State of Connecticut, think of it, a grounded rail, 2'4" to a hot rail, then another 2'4" to the other grounded rail. Un-Fenced! The State outlawed center 3 rail track.
The New Haven turned to a Westinghouse overhead wire system and used scrap from the Third Rail to build the overhead wire supports.
Don U. TCA 73-5735
No, Wayne. I was referring to the ambiguous adverb with which my post otherwise would have ended.
(By the way, the London Underground's voltage is actually 630, not 600 as M636C mentioned earlier, 420 positive on the outside rail and 210 negative on the center rail.)
Bob, my attempts to identify that railway on the "Swiss Rail Journeys" program, have come up negative, however some other interesting info was uncovered.
The Bremgarten-Dietikon-Bahn Railway uses 17.2 km of three rail, electrified track, but the third rail is closer to one outside rail, so it isn't an exact prototype for our toy track.
Also, another form of three rail common there, is dual gauge rail, whereby the standard gauge and meter gauge are combined, so that both standard gauge freight and meter gauge passenger trains can use the same track. Again, the third rail is not in the exact center between the outer rails, and it is a catenary powered system.
For a country about the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined, their rail system is simply amazing. More than 3000 km of govt. owned rail and 2000 km of privately owned lines. Twenty-eight standard gauge railways, and more than 100 discreet meter-gauge railways exist, and they have the best on-time record in the world. The entire coutry seems to run with the precision of a Swiss watch. And, once outside of a metropolitan area, the Country looks like an immense national park. For my next incarnation, beam me up to Switzerland, Scotty!
Donna, you might like to have this link, if you don't already have it:
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/loco/lok.cfm
It's a webcam mounted on a Swiss locomotive.
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