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Old 7th January 2014, 13:47
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Beeyar Wunby Beeyar Wunby is offline  
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Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: NW Norfolk
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Hi Melanie.

The railway derives its own feed for traction current from the Grid. But if the grid isn't producing for some reason, then there'll be nothing for electric trains.

When the driver of a moving electric train sees the Line Light go out, he/she will make a decision to coast to somewhere convenient - hopefully a station if it's not too far. The air compressor(s) on the train will stop working, so the air supply (which usually feeds the brakes,suspension & doors) will run down. The internal lighting will go down to half level (emergency lighting) as it is now running off the on-board 120V batteries, as are all the driver's control circuits.

So - providing the battteries and air last long enough the train will coast to a station and the passengers will then alight and probably have to get a bus.

Obviously diesel (and steam) trains could still trundle round under their own power....until they got stuck behind an electric one.

I'm pretty certain that although the signalling centres have generators, the signals themselves wouldn't work, which would stop all trains anyway.

If you want to know any more just ask, there is NO such thing as a stupid question on the railway.

Best wishes
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