General Information

Serial #

N/A

Part Number

2

Total Parts

2

AKA

trolley wire

Patents

N/A

General Description

copper [or copper-based alloy]

Dimensions

Note: These reflect the general size for storage and are not necessarily representative of the object's true dimensions.

Length

5.1 cm

Width

N/A

Height

N/A

Thickness

N/A

Weight

N/A

Diameter

1.2 cm

Volume

N/A

Lexicon

Group

Railway Transportation

Category

Operations

Sub-Category

N/A

Manufacturer

AKA

Unknown

Country

Unknown

State/Province

Unknown

City

Unknown

Context

Country

Canada

State/Province

Quebec

Period

Possibly between 1881- late 1950s.

Canada

Quebec Railway Light & Power Railway (QRL&P) was a small interurban railway line incorporated in 1881. Between late 1890s- late 1950s, the QRL&P was one of the longer interurban lines in the country. A railway line ran from rue St-Paul in Quebec City to Cap Tourmente, via Ste-Anne de Beaupre. (Ref. 1)

Function

To deliver electric power to the pantograph of electric train cars.

Technical

Sample of typical trolley wire in the form it has been used for over a century. The rail vehicle (streetcar, locomotive, interurban, whatever) has a trolley pole with a roller on the end, or a pantograph framework with a sliding contact block, which continuously contact the bottom of the trolley wire to feed electric current to the vehicle. Each mounting clip has two halves which reach into the grooves on the sides of the trolley wire; the two halves are bolted or riveted together (also around a hanger wire loop from above) to grip the wire vertically and horizontally but without fouling the bottom half where the trolley pole or pantograph shoe must pass. Trolley wires have been made from pure hard drawn copper; phosphor bronze, silver bearing alloys, and many others. Streetcar voltages have been 600 volts dc since the late 19th century; catenary wire systems are now used to at least 50,000 volts ac and/or dc. But electrical safety dictates lower voltages in urban areas. (Ref. 3)

Area Notes

Unknown

Details

Markings

None evident.

Missing

None.

Finish

Copper [alloy ?]

Decoration

N/A