Author: Fred M. Dietrich, William E. Feero, William L. Jacobs

Date of Publication:  August 1993

Sponsoring Agency:  U.S. Department of Transportation - Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Research and Development

Performing Organization:  Electric Research and Management, Inc.

Report No:  DOT/FRA/ORD-93/07

Abstract:

The safety of magnetically levitated (maglev) and high speed rail (HSR) passenger trains proposed for application in the United States is the responsibility of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Plans for near future US applications include maglev projects (e.g. in Orlando, FL and Pittsburgh, PA) and high speed rail (the French Train a Grande Vitesse (TGV) in the Texas Triangle).

Concerns exist regarding the potential safety, environmental and health effects on the public and on transportation workers due to electrification along new or existing rail corridors, and to proposed maglev and high speed rail operations. Therefore, the characterization of electric and magnetic fields (EMF) produced by both steady (dc) and alternating currents (ac) at power frequency (50 Hz in Europe and 60 Hz in the U.S.) and above; in the Extreme Low Frequency (ELF) range (3-3000 Hz) is of interest.

This report summarizes and compares the results of a survey of EMF characteristics (spatial, temporal and frequency bands) for representative conventional railroad and transit and advanced high-speed systems including: the German TR-07 maglev system; the Amtrak Northeast Corridor (NEC) and North Jersey Transit (NJT) trains; the Washington, DC Metrorail (WMATA) and the Boston, MA (MBTA) transit systems; and the French TGV-A high speed rail system

This comprehensive comparative EMF survey produced both detailed data and statistical summaries of EMF profiles, and their variability in time and space, characterizing a range of electrotechnologies. EMF data represent a range of train or transit system operating conditions and locations (in vehicles, stations and waysides), as well as in traffic control and electrical power supply facilities.

EMF ELF levels for WMATA are also compared to those produced by common environmental sources at home, work, and under power lines, but have specific frequency signatures.
 

No. of Pages:  69