3 Rail in "Real-Life"?

@Marek posted:

Hi guys,

I found this online:

Link is this: ELL New Cross to Shoreditch

It's a London Overground Train, but don't the tracks remind you of our 3-rail world?

I thought it was cool to see what "3 Rails" in scale would look like in real life, and just wanted to share

Mark
FunHob Ambient-Techno-Down-Tempo Music: Study-Work-Day-Dream-To

Why is this posted in the 3-rail scale forum?  It is now moved to where it belongs.

Here's a real 3-Rail Prototype.

3-Rail in Demodara, Ella, Sri Lanka

The UK transit actually uses 4 rails. The outside rail is the power, the rail between the two running rails is the return/negative. The reason they did the return in the middle, rather than through the rails, is that the UK subway in many places was built using Greathead shields with in turn has metal tunnel linings, and they didn't want return current leaking through the earth to the metal, which could cause electrolytic corrosion.

Some subway systems, that run on rubber wheels, could have used an inside third rail like that for the ground, but they instead if I understand have a connector on the running rail that grounds to the train.

Other place that sort of used an inside third rail was the trolley system in Manhattan and parts of the bronx, the power was in a channel between the two rails, rather than overhead wire.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

Here's a real 3-Rail Prototype.

3-Rail in Demodara, Ella, Sri Lanka

Man, that's so neat!

Makes me feel better knowing doing a toy-train layout!

Thanks!

Mark
FunHob Ambient-Techno-Down-Tempo Music: Study-Work-Day-Dream-To

@OGR posted:

Why is this posted in the 3-rail scale forum?  It is now moved to where it belongs.

Sorry, my bad - thanks for moving it

Mark
FunHob Ambient-Techno-Down-Tempo Music: Study-Work-Day-Dream-To

Around the turn of the last century the New Haven used live unprotected center third rail on several of its trolley lines. Have a look here.

- Mike

There is a place in France which LRT runs on center system which looks like Markin' stud rail.  Butthe stufs only energize when thevar is over it.  It runs in streets, over sidewalks....