A Catenary-Free Electrification for Urban Transport: An Overview of the Tramwave System

The integration of electrified mass transit systems in urban areas is normally a very complex task. In addition to the issues related to the space required for tracks, the use of electrical contact lines (catenary or active rails) introduces further safety-related constraints to the conception of urban transit systems. For that reason, catenary systems are often preferred despite their obvious visual impact. When active-rail systems are chosen, dedicated corridors must be constructed for mass transit to ensure that no other vehicle or person can be in contact with the electrified rail, involving more space usage. Due to the specific characteristics of urban transport, the research of new concepts for catenary-free power supply systems has been very active in the last decades.