Developments towards an active pantograph

High wind speeds are liable to affect the performance of pantograph and overhead lines, due to variations in forces at the interface. One way of limiting potential damage under such conditions is to invoke blanket speed restrictions to trains, but these are disruptive and expensive. This paper describes some of the development work ongoing to produce a pantograph which can adjust itself to the local conditions to maintain normal service performance, and reduce the potential for damage in adverse weather conditions