European trends and technologies in traction

Advanced semiconductors allow realization of traction systems with minimized weight and size, increased modularity and higher efficiency. These trends are driven by a growth in transportation volume, increasing passenger numbers, environmental concerns, and the desire for higher passenger comfort. After discussing trends and general traction systems, we go into the technical details of the power electronics transformer which has the potential to replace low-frequency transformers on board which are among the most bulky components in today' traction chains.