Amtrak's 25 Hz Traction Power System - Specifications and Statistics

Specifications and Statistics

The 25 Hz system was built by the Pennsylvania Railroad with a nominal voltage of 11.0 kV. The nominal operating voltages were raised in 1948 and are now:

  • Catenary (Traction) Voltage : 12.0 kV
  • Transmission Voltage: 138 kV
  • Signal Power:
    • 2.2 kV 91⅔ Hz - NY Penn Area. 60 Hz used 1910-1931. 100 Hz installed but quickly changed to avoid interference caused by simultaneous AC and DC electrification.
    • 3.3 kV 100 Hz - Paoli/Chestnut Hill. 60 Hz used 1915/18-1930.
    • 6.9 kV 91⅔ Hz - all electrification work from 1930 onward.

As of 1997, the system included:

  • 951 miles of 138 kV transmission line,
  • 55 substations,
  • 147 transformers, and
  • 1104 miles of 12 kV catenary.

Over 550 GWhr of energy are consumed annually by locomotives on the system. If this was consumed at a constant rate over the entire year (although it is not in practice), the average system load would be approximately 63 MW.

The system power factor varies between 0.75 and around 0.85.

Read more about this topic:  Amtrak's 25 Hz Traction Power System

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