An overhead wire mutual separating situation measuring apparatus detects separation of overhead wires with high accuracy in a manner that the overhead wires are placed with a predetermined amount of deviation. A light projecting unit irradiates overhead wires above a railway with a measuring light spreading in a strip shape in the width direction of the railway. Light receiving units receive light reflected by all or a portion of the overhead wires from the measuring light to output a measurement signal indicative of a contour of the overhead wires. Each light receiving unit mutually partially overlaps a measurement area such that the overhead wires within a predetermined measurement area fall within the measurement visual area of at least one light receiving unit. The processing device processes the measurement signal from each light receiving unit to detect a mutual separation of the overhead wires and the positional deviation thereof.

A motor vehicle has a control device, a first sensor and a global positioning device. The control device has a control unit and a data memory. At least one item of information about an arrangement of an overhead line is stored on the data memory. The control unit is connected to the first sensor and to the global positioning device. The first sensor determines a position of the overhead line relative to the motor vehicle and provides the control unit with the relative position. The global positioning device determines a global position of the motor vehicle and provides the control unit with it. The control unit, on the basis of the established relative position, the established global position and the information about the arrangement of the overhead line, calculates a position of the motor vehicle.

A motor vehicle has a control device, a first sensor and a global positioning device. The control device has a control unit and a data memory. At least one item of information about an arrangement of an overhead line is stored on the data memory. The control unit is connected to the first sensor and to the global positioning device. The first sensor determines a position of the overhead line relative to the motor vehicle and provides the control unit with the relative position. The global positioning device determines a global position of the motor vehicle and provides the control unit with it. The control unit, on the basis of the established relative position, the established global position and the information about the arrangement of the overhead line, calculates a position of the motor vehicle.

A tracked vehicle comprising an electric machine assembly, a first and a second track coupled to the electric machine assembly, and an electric connection device, connectable to a power supply apparatus outside the tracked vehicle and connected to the electric machine assembly to exchange electrical energy with the power supply apparatus during the operation of the tracked vehicle.

A tracked vehicle comprising an electric machine assembly, a first and a second track coupled to the electric machine assembly, and an electric connection device, connectable to a power supply apparatus outside the tracked vehicle and connected to the electric machine assembly to exchange electrical energy with the power supply apparatus during the operation of the tracked vehicle.

A rail installation has an overhead line in the region of a stop and at least one rail vehicle with a current collector for making contact with the overhead line. The overhead line has a central part having a limited, predefined length and an adjoining end portion. The central part has a substantially constant predefined height above a rail. The end portion has a height that increases outward from the central part. The current collector of the rail vehicle is raised and matched to the overhead line such that, as the rail vehicle enters the stop, sliding strips of the current collector have a height above the rail that is at least equal to the substantially constant height of the central part of the overhead line, and that is at most equal to the greatest height of the raised first end portion of the overhead line above the rail.

A rail installation has an overhead line in the region of a stop and at least one rail vehicle with a current collector for making contact with the overhead line. The overhead line has a central part having a limited, predefined length and an adjoining end portion. The central part has a substantially constant predefined height above a rail. The end portion has a height that increases outward from the central part. The current collector of the rail vehicle is raised and matched to the overhead line such that, as the rail vehicle enters the stop, sliding strips of the current collector have a height above the rail that is at least equal to the substantially constant height of the central part of the overhead line, and that is at most equal to the greatest height of the raised first end portion of the overhead line above the rail.

Electric railway systems are disclosed. In an embodiment, the electric railway system includes a continuous conductor, access points, connections, and a microwave link. The continuous conductor runs along the railway track for supplying high-voltage power to trains travelling on the railway system, and supplies high-voltage power to trains travelling on the electric railway systems. The continuous conductor is arranged as an overhead line suspended from poles or towers distributed along the railway track. The access points provide data communication with trains travelling on the railway system, and are arranged on the poles or towers above the railway track. The connections connect the electric railway system to an electric low-voltage power cable. The microwave link connects the access points.

A monitor device is provided with an imaging device that shoots an overhead line and a current collector, and a controller that processes an image. The controller includes a day or night determination processing section, and an image processing section that switches a parameter for recognizing the overhead line and the current collector in the image by executing image processing different in the daylight and at night based upon the result of the day or night determination. Further, there are provided reference photographic subjects to be shot by the imaging device in positions different from the overhead line and the current collector in an image area to be shot, and the day or night determination processing section performs the determination of day or night based upon a luminance average value of the reference photographic subjects inputted into an image input section.

A monitor device is provided with an imaging device that shoots an overhead line and a current collector, and a controller that processes an image. The controller includes a day or night determination processing section, and an image processing section that switches a parameter for recognizing the overhead line and the current collector in the image by executing image processing different in the daylight and at night based upon the result of the day or night determination. Further, there are provided reference photographic subjects to be shot by the imaging device in positions different from the overhead line and the current collector in an image area to be shot, and the day or night determination processing section performs the determination of day or night based upon a luminance average value of the reference photographic subjects inputted into an image input section.