BUILDING STRAY CURRENT CONTROL INTO THE REHABILITATION OF AN OLD TRANSIT YARD AND SHOP FACILITY IN A LARGE URBAN AREA

摘要

The yard and shop are located in downtown Chicago and belong to a suburban dc electrified railway that serves the south side and southern suburbs of the city. The facility was built in the early 20th Century and the design of rehabilitation began in 1996. Modern stray current control techniques were applied to the design of the rehabilitation to reduce the impact on the local utilities and to reduce stray current drainage. Work began with an assessment of existing stray current conditions. As many stray current control measures as possible were then designed into the new yard, commensurate with the overall railway operation and the safety of yard personnel. Measures included maximizing rail to ground resistance, minimizing negative circuit resistance, placement and cleanliness of ballast and an evaluation of existing stray current drainage. Construction will require about three or four years, during which time stray current control measures will be monitored for proper installation. Upon completion of construction, another survey will be made to evaluate the effectiveness of the techniques incorporated into the design.