It’s a funny old thing the way the world turns around and history repeats itself. Werner von Siemens commissioned the first successful electric tram line in Lichterfelde near Berlin, Germany, in 1881. Later, his name became the basis for the siemens unit of electric conductance. If this sounds familiar to you, you are on the right track. Werner von Siemens was also founder of the electrical and telecommunications company Siemens.
Those Early Electric Trams Heralded Greater Things to Come
The first Siemens electric trams drew current from their rails as the London Underground still does. However, two years later Siemens adopted the overhead rail system. Your scribe, being somewhat older than the general readership visited Johannesburg, South Africa in 1957 as a young lad.
He remembers noisy, double decker electric trams clattering along narrow railway lines embedded in the streets. From time-to-time an overhead pantograph connection failed, leaving the current collectors waving in the air. The traffic waited patiently while the driver used a wooden pole to reposition them. Ah what memories, however time and Siemens have moved on from that, which is turning out to be a good thing,
See Rapid Integration into Existing Systems
How Siemens Technology is Turning Tram Tradition on Its Head
One day a bright spark at Siemens – well several probably – wondered whether it would be possible to charge a battery with a pantograph as opposed to driving an electric motor. Tech Spot reports their idea is alive and well, and energizing hybrid semi-trucks on a test section of an autobahn.
Their diesel motors turn off obediently when electric power flows though from 670-volt electric cables overhead. This energy powers their electric motors while also charging their hybrid batteries. When the truck reaches the end of the test section the diesel motors take over again, with the hybrid battery on standby to assist.
We wish they could remain connected to electric power forever, just like those old electric trams once did. The important thing is to be moving in the right direction and Siemens certainly is.
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Preview Image: A Typical Modern Pantograph Design
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