Quality problems in railway transportation systems

The demand-based propagation of railway transportation has increased due to its numerous benefits for both passenger and burden transmission. Together with its contribution to help extenuating the traffic congestion and providing high capacity carriage of passenger and burden, comfort, high velocity and reliance, rail transportation system has become an essential in Turkey as well. Hence, first step of railway construction was taken in 1869 and after a period of stagnation many railway networks have been put into practice through sizable investments especially during last 20 years. This increase in traction loads has given rise to the effects on energy system and made the examination of the effects caused by rail transportation system on the grid compulsory. In this study, power quality problems encountered in railway systems are specified and harmonics which are regarded as one the most important quality issues are examined closely. Computer-based model of the system has been created and analysed in terms of harmonics in accordance with the data of real railway system. Recommendations aimed at the solution of harmonic issue in power system are submitted, experienced in simulation environment and the results are given finally.