Abstract :
After describing the lightning conditions which exist in the South African electrified-railway areas, the paper deals with the practical aspects of lightning protection as applied to electric locomotives, electric motor-coaches, overhead track-equipment and traction substations associated with 3 000-volt d.c. electrified systems. A brief history of the early difficulties experienced and the measures taken to overcome them is given, and Tables are included indicating the actual results obtained from various protective devices. Finally, the author´s conclusions are appended as to the most satisfactory means of protecting each section of a 3 000-volt d.c. electrified system. No account is taken of lightning effects on the extra-high-voltage transmission lines associated with the substation supplies as this subject is common to all high-voltage transmission systems and has been covered in other papers.
