Future of Electric Railways: Advanced Electrification Systems with Static Converters for ac Railways

Railways are a vital part of the world economy, transporting both goods and passengers. Freight trains transport large quantities of goods, whereas high-speed trains are the fastest land passenger systems. At present, the majority of rail networks across the world are nonelectrified. They run diesel-powered trains that require refueling stations and produce high noise levels and pollutant emissions. On the other hand, electrified railways have a network that directly supplies locomotives by pantographs or conducting shoes. Because electric trains do not carry the energy source on board, they can be lighter and more powerful. However, electric railways have higher initial capital and maintenance costs and are, therefore, economically justified only if the traffic on the line is substantial.