Sparks On The Catenaries For All Electric Engines In Tsw

Backround:

Why do you sometimes see sparks on the catenaries?
This phenomenon is part of the normal functioning of the train, causing only very minor wear
to material and presenting no risk for passengers. How can it be explained?

The sparking from catenaries can be explained by the flexibility of the (spring loaded) pantograph and the catenary (wire), sometimes causing the pantograph to separate from the cable. When the two components are less than one centimetre apart, the current continues to flow, due to the very high voltage which prevents the air from acting as an insulator. The passage of the current leads to ionisation of the air, i.e. a modification of the electrical charge of the atoms present in the air, which are no longer electrically neutral. It is this reaction that creates a spark, known as an “electrical arc”.

THIS SHOULD DEFENETLY BE SIMULATED

 

Good example on sparks on the catenaries would behaving if you had humid winter days

 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Gabe_1.0, we've logged this for further consideration by the Development Team.

 

Those sparks mainly appear when its the around freezing and a high air humidity or trough mist. Some trains then run with continuous sparks on all raised pantographs.
Would be great if it is weather dependent. Just make sure to disable this inside longer tunnels, they are rarely frozen.

 

you are my hero Dmitri )