On-board electrically peaking drive train for electric railway vehicles

This paper presents a novel drive train technology as a remedy to some of the problems that affect the design and the exploitation of electric railway vehicles. The base loading (energy necessary to overcome aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance frictions) and the peaking (power necessary to accelerate and decelerate the vehicle) are strictly separated. As in conventional electric railway drive trains, the base loading is still provided by the overhead line. However, the peaking power is provided by an on-board energy storage device. This architecture reduces the currents drawn from the overhead line and the problems associated with these currents. The potential advantages and disadvantages of this drive train are discussed for several types of electric railway vehicles. The feasibility of this drive train is discussed and propositions for future work are made.