3D-scanning system for railway current collector contact strips

Undisturbed collection of current from a contact wire of the catenary constitutes one of the basic elements in reliable operation of electrified rail transport, particularly when vehicles move at high speed. Quality of current collection is influenced by the construction of catenary and current collectors, as well as by the technical condition and regulation of these two elements. Total contact force of a current collector head on contact line and the condition of contact strip surface determine the quality of the contact between a current collector and contact line. This paper presents an innovative stand for diagnosing contact strips on current collectors with the use of 3D imaging technique. The stand has been tested in laboratory and during trial exploitation on a railway line. Implementation potential of the proposed method has been confirmed.