About this event

The first electric railway was demonstrated in 1879 at the Berlin Trade Fair. In the interceding 132 years, electrification has progressed through many diverse implementations, from the simple third rail driving DC machines to autotransformer-fed 50 kV transmission lines feeding multi-stage electronic converters and induction machines, and with more than a few bizarre and short-lived developments in between. This lecture examines some interesting historical points before looking at the state of the art in electrification and electric traction for regional, high-speed and metro railways worldwide. As the environmental arguments for electric traction start to supplement the economic, we also look at future options for reducing the cost of electrification and demonstrate the environmental arguments for modal shift from road to electrified railway.