Iron ore train under a frosty electric wire

[jimboylan2]

There is a YouTube video of a modern Philadelphia, Pennsylvania trolley (tram) car doing the same thing, but in a city street! I used> Philadelphia Trolley Ice < as a YouTube search term and it was the top result.

[JuiceJackNut]

Wow, listen to that crackle. To bad we don't have many electrics in the states.

[SantaFe19484]

Why is the pantograph making sparks? Is that normal? Does it have anything to do with the weather?

[BarneySaysHi]

@SantaFe19484 The pantograph is bouncing off the ice that has frozen onto the wire. Every time it leaves the wire it creates a spark. And looking at the amount of sparking, there was quite some ice on the wire.

[TheWelly888]

Awesome arcing! I bet your fellow passengers loved you having the window open on such a cold night - lol!

[motormuller]

@TheWelly888 There were no other passengers in my car...

[MsFreighttrain]

@motormuller its the gaps between the wagons as they pass .....

[Cazkumali]

@motormuller whats arching mean

[Cazkumali]

@motormuller A Freight train going by on 0:57

[miked9372]

its like a strobe that you can see far away makes it nice for safety but only in winter :(

[kn00tcn]

so bright!

[sanyigz]

what is this whistleing sound? the normal traxx don't have such sound.

[motormuller]

@sanyigz  Yes I also noticed the noise was unusual! Maybe it is these new modern locomotives. Does anyone know?

[Kromaatikse]

@motormuller I haven't been up-close to a genuinely new electric locomotive, but the newest EMUs make similar sounds on a lesser scale. The IGBT inverters they use have a much higher switching frequency than thyristors.

[malmkongen]

@motormuller Yes, the new Iore locos tend to spin just a tad when being pushed. The whistling sound can be annoying as hell while driving them. Give humid weather type such as rain or snow, and it can sometimes be a nightmare.. :P

[motormuller]

@malmkongen Lucky people who get paid to run these machines!

[BlitzWiesel]

Sehr nice!!

[poraka1]

The point I am making is that, where there is overhead wire, electric loccomotives should be used, instead of diesels, shown in that video. There were only 2 eletrics on that long iron train, but if diesels were used, between 4 or 5 would be reqired to haul it. Oh I just love that arcing.

[poraka1]

That video was fantastic. here in Australia except for Queensland coal trains all freight trains are diesels under the wires. Just loved that arcing on a cold frosty night.

[motormuller]

Thanks! I must say heavy diesels are enjoyable too!

[Kovi707]

Have anybody already got a pretty shower of sparks on his head when leaning out of the window of a train in Finland? :D

Look at 0:53.

[Kovi707]

or in Sweden? :D

[Tjita1]

They usually don't go far from the pantograph.. Sometimes though, you almost don't need to have the headlights turned on.. :P

[TheDane2006]

Nice lightningshow, but as mentioned earlier the time of the recording is around 14:30 a new years day, is there no daylight at all douring the day at that period of the year so high up north?

[BrotherBearly]

Just like we up north of the Arctic Circle have polar day (midnight sun) in the summer, we also have something called polar night in the winter. That mean that for a few days each year the sun never sets (summer), and the sun never rises (winter). In Kiruna where I live a few miles north of where this was filmed we have polar sun from 30 May to 15 July and Polar night from mid December to early January. But during midday the sun is close to the horizon making it more like twilight.

[vigo894]

It must feel really weird seeing the sun out at Midnight. Reminds me of the movie, Insomnia with Al Pacino. Finland really is the Land of The Midnight Sun. Truly enchanting land indeed. Maybe I'll come visit someday on my way to Denmark.

[Kentish85Town]

@BrotherBearly Never ceases to amaze me Brother how wonderful eloquent English yous Swedes speak. Talar du Svenska min van?

[motormuller]

I still find it exotic although I lived for many years in Luleå. The bright summer nights and short, dim winter days are mighty in some way.

[kurrbo]

No there is not. Between the 10th of december and around the 1:st of january the sun is below the horizon all the time.

[318Captain]

Dude, that was awesome

[driv3r97]

this is the police, step out of your vehichle and put your hands on the roof

great movie greetings from sweden

sverige äger

[lutrains]

bien, en pleine neige. Donne des Frissons.

[Metypeusz199]

very dangerous

[hornerm5]

If you look careful at front of train itseft, you will see blue flash (not the one on right side passing train) and you will see blue flash refluxtion on the side of passing train.

[Gordanovich]

This is excellent. Possibly the best arcing video i've seen.

[uploadJ]

Gives a whole 'nother meaning to the 'arc light'. Thanks for the vid! Five bars from me.

[KomatsuPC210LC]

Ist das mit den Stromabnehmern normal ???

[motormuller]

I believe the pantograph was ok but there was more light than usual this time because traffic was low on New Year's Day, weather was frosty, and the loaded train accelerated in twilight against a slight slope after a near stop.

[OneStoneAudioPhysics]

Yeah you are right. More ice causes more resistance causes more arc causes more light.

Und für dich: Ja das ist normal, kannst ja mal mittm Zug auf wenig befahrenen Strecken fahren. Die Münchner S-Bahn fährt ja z.B. auch mit 15kV und das leuchtet wirklich gut...

[JuanMarquez9]

Fantástico

Greetings from Portugal

[Isochest]

You got the same effect from the pantograph of your loco, too. The rain effect fom an electric loco's pantograph is good to watch, too!

[snakesnake4567]

Jävligt bra video.

Vad var klo´ckan ungefär när det här filmades, ser ut som om det är för eller eftermiddag.

[motormuller]

Cirka 14:30 vill jag minnas, strax innan tåget kom fram till Gällivare. Skymningstiden då Lappland visar sin allra trolskaste sida!

[snakesnake4567]

Har bara varit i lappland på sommaren, vore kul att åka dit på vintern också.

[EuroStar483]

Awesome railfanning video!!!! I really like IORE electric locomotives! 5 stars!

[soundseeker63]

Nice little winter fireworks display there, though it cant be much good for the durability of the contact wire??

[TheGondorian]

nope it isnt

[jim40135]

Wow that is really beautiful!

[cosmococo]

ottimo !

[ctmcmull1]

I would think that the arcing must be a fairly costly maintenance item, especially for wear and tear on the pick-up shoe. Is this true?

[motormuller]

So would I also believe but don't know any details. But it is surely beautiful - seeing those silent winter forests lit up in this cold blue light is reason enough to take the night train to Lapland!

[jim40135]

They only have to replace a contact strip on top of the pantograph. Much cheaper than replacing the whole pantograph!

[paolodipreli]

braaaaa !!! fem *****

[motormuller]

Tackar! :-)

[AzeroII]

Very good footage.

[newsGER]

geiles Video. Das hat was. Gefällt mir sehr gut.

[foobar93]

Sjyssta grejjer!