Are railway lines electrified?

Question

Help settle a dispute I have with someone.

Answer 1

One way to discover it would be to touch some of them. But mainly if you observe it will be enough. Specially if you see big red warning labels...   Or if you hear the engine of the train!

Answer 2

yes when the train is near to that part of the track

Answer 3

Some are, some are not. Most major routes are

Answer 4

With third rail and overhead wire systems yes.  The tracks are used for ground.  On other tracks the answer is possibly.  The tracks may have a very very low current in them.  When the train runs over the tracks the resulting connection is used to activate train signals and crossing gates.  This system was invented in 1872 by William Robinson.

Answer 5

If the trains are electric, then yeah. Most city commuter railways and subways are electric. But the cross country trains (freight, Amtrak, etc.) are usually not electric, so their tracks are not electrified.

Answer 6

yes they are the closer the train gets to say one part of the track the stronger the electrical current is.

Answer 7

If the track is electrified on the third rail, then that third rail carries and electric current. If it is electrified on the overhead rail then the rails do not carry a current to power the trains. The running rails of any track may carry a weak current to operate track circuit systems used in connection with signaling. Some may also have a telephone circuit bonded to them.

Answer 8

In the States very very few lines are electrified, alas.

A good many innercity and commuter lines are which is a good start.

I worked on one of the last long distance electrified line in the States and it was less than a thousand miles.

I have noticed traveling in Europe there there are a lot more electlrified lines but even there not all lines are.

For low density lines it is not economically feasible but it does not take much traffic to make sense, both economically and ecologically.

Answer 9

Here in UK, most trains are now electric.  High speed long distance routes generally use overhead power while commuter routes use third rail power (one rail is electricified).  The entire London Underground (subway system) runs on electrified rails