Synopses & Reviews
This book presents a thorough survey of electric railway development from the earliest days of the London Underground to modern electrified main line trains. Coverage includes chapters on signaling and communications, power supplies, and a detailed survey about traction systems, both AC and DC. The introduction, first of mercury arc rectifiers, and later of power semiconductor controls, is also discussed in detail. The author has a long standing interest in engineering history and has written many papers on aspects of railway technology. This book will be of particular interest to scientists and historians interested in the development of electric railways.
Synopsis
Electric Railways 1880-1990 explores the history of the integration of both electric and diesel-electric railway systems and identifies the crucial role that diesel-electric traction played in the development of wireless electrification. The evolution of electrical technology and the modern railway produced innovations in engineering that were integral to the development of traction, power and signalling systems. This book presents a thorough survey of electric railway development from the earliest days pf the London Underground to modern electrified main line trains. The distinction between 'enforced electrification' and 'economic electrification' is also discussed and the pioneering role of J.J. Heilmann assessed.
Developed from many years of research into railway engineering, topics covered include signalling and communications, power supplies, and a detailed survey of traction systems, both AC and DC. The introduction first of mercury arc rectifiers, and later of power semiconductor controls, is also discussed in detail. The author has a long-standing interest in engineering history and has written many papers on aspects of railway technology. This book will be of particular interest to scientists and historians interested in the development of electric railways.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1. Telegraphs, track circuits and signals before 1890 2. Electric railways and American practice 3. Electrification of street railways 4. Heilmann, Ward Leonard and the electric railway 5. Electrification of British rapid-transit lines 6. Electrification 1900-20 7. Track circuits, describers and electrical signalling 1890-1920 8. Evolution of the electric railway 1920-40 9. Railway electrification and the thermal-electric locomotive 10. Converters, the mercury-arc rectifier and supply to electric railways 11. Signalling, communications and control 1920-40 12. Railway electrification 1920-40 13. Electro-Motive, General Motors and oil-electric traction 14. The mercury-arc rectifier locomotive 15. Railway electrification in Britain 1920-60 16. Signalling, communication and control 1940-70 17. Mainline direct current traction in Britain 18. Mainline alternating current traction in Britain 19. Solid-state electronics, motor control and the locomotive 20. Solid-state electronics in signalling, communications and control 21. The electric railway 1965-95; Bibliography Index