Description of the project:

The vehicles are hybrid, meaning they have an electric motor that can be powered by a diesel generator or by the overhead catenary system (OCS). When the vehicles are connected to the OCS, the operation of the diesel generator is reduced, and power is supplied via the overhead catenary. The operational advantages of this system are a higher speed of the vehicles when travelling uphill, which takes about 10 to 12 minutes, and a smoother and more comfortable ride for the drivers, as they do not have to shift gears, and the diesel engine runs continuously at 1,800 rpm. The following questions were solved: - How many substations are needed to power the vehicles? - Which catenary and feeding design is needed to avoid overheating the contact wire? - Which must be the protections of the substations in front of short-circuits? - How much energy will be used to move the vehicles?