SOWAG - stationary power supply for railway carriages (including heating)

SOWAG system is used for stationary power supply for railway carriage. Stationary power supply not only includes heating (used in low outdoor temperatures) but also cooling (in high outdoor temperatures) and power supply for service and inspection activities.

The system consists of:

• 3kV DC power distribution board,
• disconnector poles,
• trackside terminals for powering railway cars,
• control and monitoring system,
• executive components and cabling,
• if required, integration with existing control and monitoring systems.

3kV DC Power Distribution Board

The 3kV DC power distribution board is housed in a dedicated building/container where energy is distributed to individual heating points. In addition to the 3kV distribution board, the building/container also contains:

• ground fault protection device,
• negative polarity cell,
• low-voltage auxiliary distribution board,
• 3kV disconnector control cabinet,
• field cabinet, part of the control and monitoring system.

Heating Point

The disconnector pole and trackside terminal form the heating point. The heating point is assigned to a specific track. There can be single or double heating points. In a double heating point, a single pole is installed with equipment for powering two tracks and two trackside terminals.

Control and Monitoring System

All elements of the SOWAG system are interconnected and monitored by the control and monitoring system. This system is characterized by its ease of use and high level of safety. It provides:

• control over the SOWAG system operation,
• recording of all events during system operation,
• recording of measurement data (current, voltage, power),
• data transmission to external control and monitoring systems,
• identification of employees powering the railway cars,
• granting permissions to employees.

Trackside Terminal

The trackside terminal, one of the elements of the heating point, is used to control the powering of railway cars. The heating point can only be operated by an authorized person who has identified themselves via the trackside terminal. Each trackside terminal controls the power supply for railway cars on a specific track.