222:
off the wire either with a rope or a pole and walking it around to the other end. In some cases, two trolley poles are provided, one for each direction: in this case it is a matter of raising one and lowering the other. Since the operator could raise the pole at one end whilst the conductor lowered the other, this saved time and was much easier for the conductor. Care had to be taken to raise the downed pole first, to eliminate the damage caused by arcing between the pole and wire. In the US, the dual-pole system was the most common arrangement on double-ended vehicles. However, pushing of the pole (called "back-poling" in the US or "spear-poling" in
Australia), was quite common where the trams were moving at slow speeds, such as at
311:
509:
449:
210:
139:(now the CNE) in autumn 1885. Depoele's first trolley pole was "crude" and not very reliable, and he reverted to using the troller system of current collection for a commercial installation on a streetcar system in South Bend, Indiana, which opened on November 14, 1885, and on one in Montgomery, Alabama, in April 1886. However, within a few months, Van Depoele switched to the trolley-pole system for the Montgomery operation. Van Depoele and fellow inventor
242:, which "catches" the rope to prevent the trolley pole from flying upward if the pole is dewired. The similar looking retriever (see photo) adds a spring mechanism that yanks the pole downward if it should leave the wire, pulling it away from all overhead wire fittings. Catchers are commonly used on trams operating at lower speeds, as in a city, whilst retrievers are used on suburban and interurban lines to limit damage to the overhead at speed.
105:
46:
31:
156:
230:
169:
The grooved trolley wheel was used on many large city systems through the 1940s and 1950s; it was generally used on systems with "old" style round cross sectional overhead wire. The trolley wheel was problematic at best; the circumferential contact of the grooved wheel bearing on the underside of the
362:
streetcars quickly wear out in rainy conditions, lasting as little as eight hours instead of the expected one to two days for shorter older streetcars. The extra current draw shortens the life of the carbon insert. A worn-out carbon insert would damage the overhead wire, stopping streetcar service.
221:
cars capable of running in both directions, the trolley pole must always be pulled behind the car and not pushed, or "dewiring" is very likely, which can cause damage to the overhead wires. At terminus points, the conductor must turn the trolley pole around to face the correct direction, pulling it
249:
due to its length, natural straightness and strength, combined with its relative light weight and the fact that it is an insulator. Trolleybuses usually carried one with the vehicle, for use in the event of dewirement, but tram systems usually had them placed along the route at locations where the
464:
cars equipped with pantographs normally cannot operate on lines with overhead wiring designed for trolley-pole collection. For this reason, these systems and a few others worldwide retain use of trolley poles, even on new streetcars, in order to avoid the difficulty and expense of modifying long
253:
The poles used on trolleybuses are typically longer than those used on trams, to allow the bus to take fuller advantage of its not being restricted to a fixed path in the street (the rails), by giving a degree of lateral steerability, enabling the trolleybus to board passengers at curbside.
342:, a folding metal device that presses a wide contact pan against the overhead wire. While more complex than the trolley pole, the pantograph has the advantage of being almost free from dewiring, being more stable at high speed, and being easier to raise and lower automatically. Also, on
1190:
1118:
1103:
189:
converted its large system in the late 1920s. Philadelphia did not convert its trolley wheels on its remaining streetcars until 1978. Although a streetcar with a trolley wheel may evoke an antique look, the trolley shoe is modern and more practical as well as economical.
346:, they eliminate the need to manually turn the trolley pole when changing direction (although this disadvantage can be overcome to some extent through the use of trolley reversers). The use of pantographs (or bow collectors) exclusively also eliminates the need for
237:
Trolley poles are usually raised and lowered manually by a rope from the back of the vehicle. The rope feeds into a spring reel mechanism, called a "trolley catcher" or "trolley retriever". The trolley catcher contains a detent, like that in an automotive shoulder
484:
cars, converted its overhead power supply to be compatible with both trolley poles and pantographs on an interim basis, as the CLRVs and ALRVs use only trolley poles while the
Flexity fleet is equipped for both trolley poles and pantographs.
128:. While Wright may have assisted in the installation of electric railways at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), and may even have used a pole system, there is no evidence about this. Likewise, Wright never filed or was issued a patent.
357:
contains a carbon insert to provide electrical contact with the overhead wire and to lower the shoe to clear overhead wire hangers. Carbon inserts wear out and must be periodically replaced. The trolley shoe inserts on
Toronto's modern
185:" cross section. The sliding trolley shoe provided better electrical contact (with a reduction in arcing), and it dramatically reduced overhead wire wear. Many systems began converting to the sliding trolley shoe in the 1920s;
1185:
318:
All trolleybuses use trolley poles, and thus trolley poles remain in use worldwide, wherever trolleybuses are in operation (some 315 cities as of 2011), and several manufacturers continue to make them, including
143:
were "working on similar ideas at about the same time", and
Sprague employed trolley-pole current collection on an electric streetcar system he installed in Richmond, Virginia, in 1888, also improving the
645:
135:, a Belgian engineer who moved to the United States in 1869. Van Depoele made the first public demonstration of the spring-loaded device on a temporary streetcar line installed at the
206:
brings the electric current down to the vehicle. A metal pole may use such a cable, or may itself be electrically "live", requiring the base to be insulated from the vehicle body.
198:
A trolley pole is not attached to the overhead wire. The pole sits atop a sprung base on the roof of the vehicle, with springs providing the pressure to keep the trolley wheel or
370:
lines, very few tram/streetcar systems worldwide continue to use trolley poles on vehicles used in normal service. Among the largest exceptions are the streetcar systems of
1231:
917:
1123:
1210:
1163:
1200:
1180:
1175:
1143:
1138:
1108:
653:
353:
The trolley pole with a shoe at its tip is problematic for longer modern streetcars that draw more electricity than older streetcars. In
Toronto, the
1205:
1226:
383:
1153:
286:, on the other hand, must use two trolley poles and dual overhead wires, one pole and wire for the positive "live" current, the other for the
272:(i.e. a railway vehicle), a single trolley pole usually collects current from the overhead wire, and the steel rails on the tracks act as the
910:
781:
497:
493:
517:
431:
1098:
310:
245:
On some older systems, the poles were raised and lowered using a long pole with a metal hook. Where available, these may have been made of
1148:
481:
359:
152:, this 12-mile (19 km) system was the first large-scale trolley line in the world, opening to great fanfare on February 12, 1888.
1195:
1170:
1158:
1113:
859:
756:
694:
523:
Upon their introduction, trolley poles and the new electrical technology they represented were fascinating to writers, with their
1267:
1133:
903:
149:
1128:
508:
564:. Partway through the composition, the singer refers to a noisy passing streetcar, with its overhead trolley pole and sparks:
625:
280:
of underground pipes and metallic structures, most tram lines are operated with the wire positive with respect to the rails.
492:
are also set up to handle both trolley pole and pantograph operation in order to allow for compatibility both with Muni's
136:
1257:
1046:
730:
876:
448:
163:
773:
1001:
530:
In
January 1889, Boston introduced its first electric streetcars, which became so popular and noteworthy that poet
469:
132:
121:
98:
1262:
1041:
1021:
991:
556:
531:
371:
795:
1252:
443:
375:
299:
35:
986:
971:
926:
328:
1072:
1036:
945:
618:
277:
1082:
678:
287:
273:
186:
707:
350:(switches in the overhead wiring) to make sure the pole goes in the correct direction at junctions.
93:. The use of overhead wire in a system of current collection is reputed to be the 1880 invention of
1077:
1051:
1031:
996:
821:
686:
534:
composed a verse about the new trolley pole technology, and the sparking contact shoe at its apex:
399:
1056:
407:
403:
367:
159:
145:
209:
955:
855:
777:
752:
690:
598:
415:
391:
354:
343:
339:
218:
90:
334:
However, on most railway vehicles using overhead wire, the trolley pole has given way to the
395:
203:
140:
94:
749:
Latin
America by Streetcar: A Pictorial Survey of Urban Rail Transport South of the U.S.A.
125:
104:
45:
608:
411:
387:
324:
78:
1246:
1013:
976:
940:
848:
603:
551:
513:
427:
335:
74:
613:
199:
178:
39:
825:
799:
347:
86:
70:
30:
981:
561:
489:
461:
453:
282:
223:
182:
50:
734:
1026:
524:
239:
181:
was generally used with a newer grooved overhead trolley wire of a roughly "
155:
17:
895:
175:
402:. Smaller systems still using trolley poles for regular service include
213:
Modern trolley poles as installed on
Vancouver's low-floor trolley buses
229:
226:
terminals (also known as reversers) and whilst backing into the sheds.
117:
113:
97:, but the first working trolley pole was developed and demonstrated by
423:
314:
Pantograph(left) and trolley pole in use on Queens Quay West, Toronto
291:
246:
171:
131:
Credit for development of the first working trolley pole is given to
456:
in
Toronto: Two runners for pantographs flank the trolley pole frog.
877:""Knoxville, Summer 1915:" James Agee, Samuel Barber, Dawn Upshaw"
507:
447:
379:
320:
309:
228:
208:
154:
103:
66:
44:
29:
477:
473:
419:
295:
264:
170:
overhead wire provided minimal electrical contact and tended to
82:
62:
899:
174:
excessively, increasing overhead wire wear. The newer sliding
27:
Device allowing a tram to collect current from overhead wires
465:
stretches of existing overhead wires to accept pantographs.
708:"Patents of Invention and the Story of Canadian Innovation"
850:
Change at Park Street Under; the story of Boston's subways
202:
in contact with the wire. If the pole is made of wood, a
733:. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Archived from
394:(however, new Ĺ koda trams in Riga have pantographs);
1219:
1091:
1065:
1012:
964:
933:
233:
Trolley retrievers on the back of a 1949 trolleybus
112:An early development of an experimental tramway in
847:
554:wrote the now-classic orchestral and vocal piece
444:Toronto streetcar system § Electrical pickup
298:, also utilized the dual-wire system, as did the
566:
536:
472:, with the impending replacement of its legacy
772:, p. "" (in foreword). Coulsdon, Surrey (UK):
583:the bleak spark crackling and cursing above it
120:, was built in 1883, having been developed by
911:
796:"Problems With Trolley Shoes on Flexity Cars"
579:and swimming its gold windows and straw seats
8:
674:
672:
670:
918:
904:
896:
560:, based on the childhood reminiscences of
770:Jane's Urban Transport Systems 2011–2012
164:Twin City Rapid Transit Company No. 1300
53:with a pair of trolley poles on the roof
636:
545:The string you see to her leg is tied.
543:On every stick there's a witch astride—
541:A broomstick as plain as plain can be;
854:. Brattleboro, Vt.: S. Greene Press.
516:with trolley poles are still used in
496:(pantograph only), as well as Muni's
7:
494:current fleet of light rail vehicles
820:Munro, Steve (September 12, 2017).
569:A streetcar raising into iron moan;
539:Since then on many a car you'll see
250:trolley pole would need reversing.
108:Machining spare trolley pole wheels
794:Munro, Steve (February 22, 2018).
488:Large portions of San Francisco's
426:still uses trolley poles with the
396:Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), India
25:
875:Redmont, Jane (6 February 2008).
751:, p. 55. New York: Bonde Press.
573:belling and starting, stertorous;
300:Cincinnati, Ohio streetcar system
61:is a tapered cylindrical pole of
822:"Pantographs Up On Harbourfront"
432:Ashmont–Mattapan High Speed Line
150:Richmond Union Passenger Railway
148:and pole designs. Known as the
77:to the control and the electric
1227:Railway electrification systems
710:. Library and Archives Canada.
626:Railway electrification system
438:Compatibility with pantographs
1:
585:like a small malignant spirit
258:Single- and double-pole usage
137:Toronto Industrial Exhibition
1232:Tram electrification systems
1047:Electro-diesel multiple unit
685:, pp. 63–65, 67. Milwaukee:
306:Decline in usage on railways
73:from a "live" (electrified)
646:"Boston Transit Milestones"
1284:
1002:Conduit current collection
581:on past and past and past,
470:Toronto Transit Commission
441:
288:negative or neutral return
133:Charles Joseph Van Depoele
1042:Electro-diesel locomotive
1022:Railway electric traction
992:Ground-level power supply
846:Cudahy, Brian J. (1972).
768:Webb, Mary (ed.) (2011).
731:"Electric Trolley System"
575:rousing and raising again
557:Knoxville: Summer of 1915
408:Daugavpils, Latvia system
290:. The tramway system in
194:Description of the device
774:Jane's Information Group
747:Morrison, Allen (1996).
720:Middleton (1967), p. 67.
577:its iron increasing moan
527:-like sparks and power.
498:historic streetcar fleet
1268:Electric rail transport
972:Railway electrification
927:Railway electrification
683:The Time of the Trolley
587:set to dog its tracks;
1073:Traction power network
1037:Electric multiple unit
644:Koebel, Romin (2005).
619:Pantograph (transport)
590:
548:
520:
457:
384:"Subway-Surface" lines
372:New Orleans, Louisiana
315:
278:electrolytic corrosion
234:
214:
166:
124:, brother of swindler
109:
54:
42:
1083:Traction powerstation
679:Middleton, William D.
532:Oliver Wendell Holmes
511:
500:(trolley pole only).
451:
430:it uses to serve the
313:
232:
212:
158:
107:
48:
33:
416:Santa Teresa Tramway
187:Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1258:American inventions
1078:Traction substation
1032:Electric locomotive
997:Stud contact system
687:Kalmbach Publishing
650:MIT Open Courseware
504:Cultural references
99:Charles Van Depoele
69:, used to transfer
1057:Rubber-tyred metro
934:Current collectors
599:Current collectors
550:In 1947, composer
521:
458:
404:Hong Kong Tramways
368:heritage streetcar
344:double-ended trams
316:
235:
215:
167:
160:Trolley pole wheel
146:trolley pole wheel
122:John Joseph Wright
110:
101:, in autumn 1885.
89:. It is a type of
55:
43:
34:Trolley pole on a
1240:
1239:
782:978-0-7106-2954-8
400:Alexandria, Egypt
355:trolley pole shoe
274:electrical return
219:double-ended tram
91:current collector
36:Toronto streetcar
16:(Redirected from
1275:
1263:Locomotive parts
920:
913:
906:
897:
891:
890:
888:
887:
872:
866:
865:
853:
843:
837:
836:
834:
832:
817:
811:
810:
808:
806:
791:
785:
766:
760:
745:
739:
738:
727:
721:
718:
712:
711:
704:
698:
676:
665:
664:
662:
661:
652:. Archived from
641:
452:Overhead over a
376:Toronto, Ontario
217:On systems with
141:Frank J. Sprague
95:Frank J. Sprague
38:, tipped with a
21:
1283:
1282:
1278:
1277:
1276:
1274:
1273:
1272:
1253:Tram technology
1243:
1242:
1241:
1236:
1215:
1087:
1061:
1008:
960:
929:
924:
894:
885:
883:
874:
873:
869:
862:
845:
844:
840:
830:
828:
819:
818:
814:
804:
802:
793:
792:
788:
767:
763:
746:
742:
729:
728:
724:
719:
715:
706:
705:
701:
677:
668:
659:
657:
643:
642:
638:
634:
595:
589:
586:
584:
582:
580:
578:
576:
574:
572:
570:
547:
544:
542:
540:
506:
490:surface network
482:Flexity Outlook
446:
440:
360:Flexity Outlook
338:or, later, the
308:
262:When used on a
260:
196:
126:Whitaker Wright
79:traction motors
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1281:
1279:
1271:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1255:
1245:
1244:
1238:
1237:
1235:
1234:
1229:
1223:
1221:
1217:
1216:
1214:
1213:
1208:
1206:United Kingdom
1203:
1198:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1173:
1168:
1167:
1166:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
1121:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1095:
1093:
1089:
1088:
1086:
1085:
1080:
1075:
1069:
1067:
1063:
1062:
1060:
1059:
1054:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1034:
1029:
1024:
1018:
1016:
1010:
1009:
1007:
1006:
1005:
1004:
999:
989:
984:
979:
974:
968:
966:
965:Power delivery
962:
961:
959:
958:
953:
948:
943:
937:
935:
931:
930:
925:
923:
922:
915:
908:
900:
893:
892:
867:
860:
838:
812:
786:
761:
740:
737:on 2006-09-13.
722:
713:
699:
666:
635:
633:
630:
629:
628:
623:
622:
621:
616:
611:
609:Collector pole
606:
594:
591:
567:
537:
514:PCC streetcars
505:
502:
439:
436:
428:PCC streetcars
412:Rio de Janeiro
307:
304:
259:
256:
195:
192:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1280:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1251:
1250:
1248:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1225:
1224:
1222:
1218:
1212:
1211:United States
1209:
1207:
1204:
1202:
1199:
1197:
1194:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1172:
1169:
1165:
1162:
1161:
1160:
1157:
1155:
1152:
1150:
1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
1122:
1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1096:
1094:
1090:
1084:
1081:
1079:
1076:
1074:
1071:
1070:
1068:
1066:Power network
1064:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1023:
1020:
1019:
1017:
1015:
1014:Rolling stock
1011:
1003:
1000:
998:
995:
994:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
977:Overhead line
975:
973:
970:
969:
967:
963:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
941:Bow collector
939:
938:
936:
932:
928:
921:
916:
914:
909:
907:
902:
901:
898:
882:
878:
871:
868:
863:
861:0-8289-0173-2
857:
852:
851:
842:
839:
827:
823:
816:
813:
801:
797:
790:
787:
783:
779:
775:
771:
765:
762:
758:
757:0-9622348-3-4
754:
750:
744:
741:
736:
732:
726:
723:
717:
714:
709:
703:
700:
696:
695:0-89024-013-2
692:
688:
684:
680:
675:
673:
671:
667:
656:on 2006-09-20
655:
651:
647:
640:
637:
631:
627:
624:
620:
617:
615:
612:
610:
607:
605:
604:Bow collector
602:
601:
600:
597:
596:
592:
588:
565:
563:
559:
558:
553:
552:Samuel Barber
546:
535:
533:
528:
526:
519:
515:
510:
503:
501:
499:
495:
491:
486:
483:
479:
475:
471:
468:However, the
466:
463:
455:
450:
445:
437:
435:
433:
429:
425:
421:
417:
413:
409:
405:
401:
397:
393:
389:
385:
381:
377:
373:
369:
364:
361:
356:
351:
349:
345:
341:
337:
336:bow collector
332:
330:
326:
322:
312:
305:
303:
301:
297:
293:
289:
285:
284:
279:
275:
271:
267:
266:
257:
255:
251:
248:
243:
241:
231:
227:
225:
220:
211:
207:
205:
201:
193:
191:
188:
184:
180:
177:
173:
165:
161:
157:
153:
151:
147:
142:
138:
134:
129:
127:
123:
119:
115:
106:
102:
100:
96:
92:
88:
84:
80:
76:
75:overhead wire
72:
68:
64:
60:
52:
47:
41:
37:
32:
19:
1052:Multi-system
956:Contact shoe
951:Trolley pole
950:
884:. Retrieved
881:Acts of Hope
880:
870:
849:
841:
829:. Retrieved
815:
805:February 27,
803:. Retrieved
789:
769:
764:
748:
743:
735:the original
725:
716:
702:
682:
658:. Retrieved
654:the original
649:
639:
614:Contact shoe
568:
555:
549:
538:
529:
522:
487:
467:
459:
392:Riga, Latvia
380:Philadelphia
365:
352:
333:
317:
283:Trolleybuses
281:
276:. To reduce
269:
263:
261:
252:
244:
236:
216:
197:
179:trolley shoe
168:
130:
111:
59:trolley pole
58:
56:
40:trolley shoe
1191:Switzerland
1181:Former USSR
1154:New Zealand
987:Fourth rail
826:Steve Munro
800:Steve Munro
366:Apart from
270:trolley car
240:safety belt
87:trolley bus
71:electricity
18:Trolleypole
1247:Categories
1092:By country
982:Third rail
946:Pantograph
886:2015-05-08
831:October 2,
660:2012-08-01
632:References
562:James Agee
462:light rail
442:See also:
422:system of
348:wire frogs
340:pantograph
51:trolleybus
1144:Lithuania
1099:Australia
1027:Power car
571:stopping;
525:lightning
480:with new
460:Trams or
1164:timeline
1149:Malaysia
681:(1967).
593:See also
512:Classic
388:Route 15
183:figure 8
1201:Ukraine
1119:Germany
1109:Estonia
1104:Austria
118:Ontario
114:Toronto
1196:Turkey
1186:Sweden
1176:Russia
1171:Poland
1159:Norway
1139:Latvia
1114:France
858:
780:
755:
693:
518:Boston
454:switch
424:Boston
418:. The
410:, and
406:, the
398:; and
292:Havana
247:bamboo
176:carbon
1220:Lists
1134:Japan
1124:India
382:(the
329:Lekov
325:Ĺ koda
321:Kiepe
204:cable
81:of a
67:metal
1129:Iran
856:ISBN
833:2017
807:2018
778:ISBN
753:ISBN
691:ISBN
478:ALRV
476:and
474:CLRV
420:MBTA
386:and
327:and
296:Cuba
265:tram
200:shoe
83:tram
63:wood
776:.
414:'s
390:);
268:or
224:wye
172:arc
162:on
85:or
65:or
1249::
879:.
824:.
798:.
689:.
669:^
648:.
434:.
378:;
374:;
331:.
323:,
302:.
294:,
116:,
57:A
49:A
919:e
912:t
905:v
889:.
864:.
835:.
809:.
784:.
759:.
697:.
663:.
20:)
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