Pantograph Contact strips

Leading manufacturer of carbon strips for pantograph rail systems

Mersen offers a large range of pantograph strips for electrical current collection for AC and DC networks.

Lately, Mersen has developed several grades specifically for high current applications, following the increase of current demand of the DC trains. This development was made possible by Mersen’s participation to the 2007 world rail speed record; the French high-speed train was powered through a single Mersen’s pantograph carbon strip.

Advantages

• Reliability and safety in operation (ADD - Auto Drop Device…)
• Longer life time of the contact strip and catenary wire
• Good electrical load capacity (demanded by high current applications)
• Environmentally friendly solutions
• Easy to maintain solutions
• DIN6701 bonded assemblies
• EN50405, IEC62499 and TSI (Technical Specification of Interoperability)-proven products

Mersen grades for contact strips

• Carbon materials tailored for pantograph current collection
• Plain and low-weight impregnated carbons
• Lead-free carbon materials (pure or copper-impregnated)
• Lubricating power
• EN45545 fire and smoke-proven behaviour

Designs

• Standard or Kasperowski designs
• Welded, bonded, and/or crimped
• Sheaths in aluminum, copper or steel
• Diverse options of design (ADD, integrated horns…)

Applications

• Railways (electric locomotives for passengers or freight, Electrical Multiple Units)
• Transit systems (light rail, tramways, some metros)

Grades for high-current applications

Mersen's innovation at the heart of today and tomorrow’s rail mobility

Mersen has developed a wide range of carbon grades to meet even the most demanding operating conditions, in particular since the current to be collected in DC applications has become higher and higher. In order to keep a low temperature behaviour of the contact strip and the catenary wire, Mersen engineered new grades optimizing the copper impregnation to get outstanding performances while keeping a low weight.

Working with universities and laboratories, Mersen created the P2805 and P3210, which are the leading grades in their categories, offering remarkable performances for such demanding applications and respecting the infrastructure. Operators all over the world take advantage of the low wear rate of these grades as well as the low temperatures in use at standstill and when moving, reducing the need for maintenance.

These grades are available for DC and AC applications as well and are TSI-compliant.

Contact our experts for more information.