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Design of Light Rail Transit

Overhead Contact Systems at


Complex Intersections
WILLARD D. WEISS AND JEAN-LUC DUPONT

Lt t rail transit (LRT) intersec-


ns and turning movements in
dOwntown areas present some
unique and complex problems in over-
head contact system (OCS) design.
pole loadings. Through the interactive
process, the program allows the de-
signer to optimize the overhead con-
tact wire profile by adjusting guy wire
tensions and attachment heights. Plan
However, OCS design procedures and drawings can then be generated at any
principles can be applied at such loca- scale and transferred to a computer-
tions to provide both economic con- assisted drafting (CAD) system for
struction and trouble-free vehicle op- plotting final construction drawings.
eration. SPIDER has been developed The SPIDER program, with its CAD
as a software tool to facilitate OCS interface, has been used extensively
design at complex intersections The for OCS design on LRT projects in-
program is interactive and permits effi- cluding the Sacramento, Guadalupe,
cient and accurate design of compli- and Long Beach-Los Angeles LRTs,
cated overhead guying networks. It the Lowell Historic Trolley, and on
performs the following analyses: several electric trolley coach projects
layout of overhead hardware, calcula- in San Francisco and Seattle. The pro-
tion of tensions in guying network, gram has demonstrated economies in
optimization of trolley wire profile, both the design and construction
and determination of resultant processes.

Morrison-Knudsen Engineers, Inc., 180 Howard Street, San Francisco, Calif. 94105.

408
System Design and Vehicle Performance 409

ONE OF THE WELL-KNOWN advantages of light rail transit (LRT) is its


ability to run on surface streets in downtown areas. Use of the street align-
ment, however, frequently necessitates sharp turns in the LRT tracks at
existing intersections. For the overhead contact system (OCS) designer, these
intersections can present some of the most challenging problems in the
system. Because the complex wiring arrangements at intersections are more
difficult to design for satisfactory current collection than on ordinary tangent
trackage, and because construction costs are disproportionately higher, it is
important that proven design principles and efficient analytical tools be
applied.
Anyone who has attempted to develop an OCS guying network manually
for even a simple LRT intersection will appreciate the complexities involved
and will recognize the value of a computerized process for accomplishing this
task in a practical and economic manner. Such a process can result in
technical solutions that are not only safer and more reliable, but also more
economical from the standpoint of both design and construction costs.

DESIGN APPROACH, PROCEDURES,


AND PRINCIPLES
The primary concern that must be addressed by the OCS designer is that the
overhead contact wire be supported in a position that will ensure smooth
tracking of the vehicle pantograph under all operating conditions. Second, the
arrangement of the overhead support system, besides being economic, should
be as aesthetically pleasing as possible, considering the sensitivity of the
typical urban environment. Finally, it is essential that the construction process
be considered in design, as temporary imbalances in the guying network
during construction must not overload a guy or support pole.
The design process itself is inherently complicated by several facts. The
typical intersection guying network, containing both horizontal and vertical
variables, presents an indeterminate loading problem. Guying tensions are
often highly sensitive to small changes in network geometry. Wire tensions
vary somewhat unpredictably with temperature variations. And, usually a
wide variety of options exists for guying arrangements, but the most favor-
able may be restricted by available support pole locations.
The typical intersection OCS design starts with scale drawings of the
existing intersection layout, including street widths, curb and property lines,
locations of overhead and underground utilities, and other potential obstruc-
tions. Superimposed on this is the track layout, including both vertical and
horizontal alignment geometry. Basic OCS criteria are then established,
including contact wire size, tension, height above rail, vehicle and panto-
graph characteristics, electrical clearances, environmental conditions, etc.
410 LIGHT RAIL TnNsn: NEW SYSTEM SUCCESSES

Once the basic criteria have been established, intersection OCS design may
proceed. In developing the optimum design, three objectives should be met.
First, the contact wire must be supported horizontally (registered) so that it
remains on the pantograph collector strip at all times; consideration should be
given to factors such as pantograph width, vehicle sway, track alignment,
pole deflection, wind blow-off, and temperature variation. Second, the con-
tact wire must be supported vertically at a constant height above the track to
offer a smooth profile to the pantograph. The "stiffness" of the contact wire
(resistance to uplift due to pantograph pressure) along the track should also
be as uniform as possible to achieve "sparkless" commutation between the
pantograph and the contact wire. In addition, at turnouts any converging wire
must remain sufficiently high above the horns of the pantograph to prevent
hooking of the converging wire under the pantograph horn. Third, guying
tensions and pole loadings should be kept to a minimum. The guying network
should be kept as simple as possible, to minimize the structural support
requirements and resulting costs, as well as visual obtrusion.
With these objectives in mind, the design process itself typically consists
of the following steps:
Pole locations—Selection of locations of support poles at the sides of
the streets;
Guying network—Development of a network of guy wires to register
and support the contact wire;
Tension calculations—Calculation of guy wire tensions and attachment
heights; and
Pole loadings—Calculation of loads in support poles.

Within the framework of this design process, the OCS designer should
keep in mind a number of important principles to develop an overhead wiring
installation that performs satisfactorily and is economical, safe, and aesthet-
ically pleasing. Some of these princi1es are discussed below, along with
descriptions of the individual steps involved. For further clarity, these steps
are illustrated in Figures 1 through 3, using the example of a single track
turning movement at a typical street intersection.

Step 1—Pole Locations


To the extent possible, the poles are located by the designer so as to best
accommodate the planned guying network layout. The pole locations,
however, are often restricted by the physical conditions encountered at the
intersection and by architectural requirements, which are not usually under
the control of the OCS designer. Restrictions that apply to pole locations at
System Design and Vehicle Performance 411

intersections are similar to those at any location in city streets: offset from
pole to curb; clearance to driveways, trees, and fire hydrants; and require-
ments for joint-use with street lighting or traffic signal equipment.
Building eyebolts may also be available to support the OCS, but at
intersections their use presents a minor drawback: their position is fixed, so
once installed, there is no opportunity for vertical adjustment to improve the
contact wire profile, as there is with a clamp on a pole. -
The selected pole locations for the example intersection with the given
track alignment are shown in Figure 1.

Step 2—Guying Network


In the next step, the designer examines the layout of the intersection and
looks for direct pole-to-pole cross-spans that are as close as possible to
perpendicular to the track alignment (say within ±50). These cross-spans or
"direct guys" form the starting point of the layout (see Figure 1). The
designer then locates additional "semidirect" guys, which are perpendicular
to the track but connected to only one pole. Next, the designer determines the
position of the remaining registration points by dividing the spaces available
between direct and semidirect registration points into equal segments that
satisfy the maximum deviation criterion. The maximum deviation at each
point is limited by the allowable radial load in the contact wire clamps used
(see discussion on hardware below).
The layout of the guying network is completed with either "constant
length pull-offs" or "variable length pull-offs." The constant length pull-off
method uses identical steady arms at each registration point, and a "brail"
wire, which parallels the contact wire throughout the curve, as shown in
Figure 2. The variable length pull-offs are short cross-spans between bull
rings, linked together and to the poles by a "backbone" wire (see Figure 3).
Several additional considerations must be taken into account when the
guying network is laid out. Some of these are discussed below.

Hardware
Before establishing the guying network, the designer must have an under-
standing of the available support hardware. Overhead hardware varies from
manufacturer to manufacturer, in addition, a given manufacturer may have
several types of hardware available depending upon the guying concepts to
be employed. Figure 4 shows several types of support and registration
assemblies. These vary not only in loading capacities but also in weight and
apparent "hardness," which is an important consideration in achieving good
commutation of the pantograph on the contact wire.
FIGURE 1 Intersection guying layout procedures, showing pole
locations, direct and sernidirect guy wires, and registration points.

23- 0 IHEIGHTS
CLAW

/
- -

POLES

WIRE

ADDITIONAL G&MING
CSTANT \ON THE INSIDE OF RVE
LENGTH
PIJLLOFFS -
/

-,
BRAIL _

CONTACT WIRE

FIGURE 2 Typical guying network using constant length pull-offs.


System Design and Vehide Performance 413

FIGURE 3 Typical guying network using variable length pull-offs.

Typically on new LRT projects, the hardware supplier is not known at the
time that the design is prepared, and "generic" or "neutral" designs are
required to permit competitive bidding. For extensions or rehabilitations of
existing LRT systems, it may be possible to call out the hardware of the
specific manufacturer that supplied the original equipment.
Generic designs may not fully utilize the capabilities of the hardware and
may necessitate adjustments after the supplier is selected. For example, the
designer may have assumed that the maximum allowable radial load in a pull-
off is 500 lb. Thus, for a contact wire tension of 3,000 lb. 10 pull-offs would
be required in a typical 90° turn. However, the actual hardware finally
supplied may be able to sustain a 700-lb radial load; with such hardware, only
7 pull-offs would be needed on the 90° turn, resulting in a much simpler
guying network.
This example highlights the importance of being familiar with the avail-
able hardware. Coordination between the designer and the various manufac-
turers before bidding is essential to ensure that the layout specified not only is
feasible to all manufacturers, but also uses the available components as
414 LIGHT RAIL TRi'srr: NEW SYSTEM SUCCESSES

CURVE HANGER PULL-OFF ARM

/ 7 -4TK
SOLID BAR TWIN PULL-OFF ARMS

PULL-OFF ARM WITH INSIDE GUY DUMMY MESSENGER

FIGURE 4 Typical contact wire support and registration hardware.

closely as possible to their rated limits. In addition, the design should be


reviewed and finalized with the selected manufacturer after bidding.

Inside Guying

A second consideration concerns the proper use of inside guy wires. Using
either the constant length or the variable length pull-off method, the guying
network on the inside of the curve (dashed lines, Figures 2 and 3) is not
needed for horizontal registration. However, inside guy wires are needed to
assist in supporting the weight of the equipment. This is particularly impor-
tant when more than one track is to be wired, or when additional hardware is
to be supported (section insulators, contactors for traffic signal control, etc.).
Furthermore, inside guy wires are needed so that most of the guying network
can be installed prior to contact wire stringing.
System Design and Vehicle Performance 415

Inside guy wires cause the inside and outside poles to pull against each
other, thereby increasing pole loading; therefore the number of wires should
be kept to a minimum. As a general rule, there should be at least one inside
guy wire at every second or third registration point.

Reduced Contact Wire Tension


To limit the radial loads in pull-offs, it is sometimes desirable to reduce the
normal contact wire tension in intersections, for example, from 2,500 lb to
1,500 lb. This permits a smaller number of pull-offs in the curve and
therefore a simpler guying network and reduced pole loadings.
Tension reduction, however, should be applied selectively, for two reasons.
First, the decreased tension in the contact wires makes it more difficult to
develop a uniform profile, and the resulting decreased tension in outside guy
wires diminishes their capability to provide vertical support to the equipment
without raising the clamp heights. Second, the guys used as tension reducers
themselves add to the complexity of the installation, both structurally and
aesthetically, which may offset the positive effect obtained from the reduced
number of pull-offs. Nevertheless, this technique can often result in an
improved guying network, provided the reduction in tension is carefully
selected.

Wire Crossings and Turnouts


At crossings and turnouts, the two joining contact wires should be installed so
as to maintain essenually the same elevation to avoid hooking of the panto-
graph over the incoming wire. The wires must be held firmly in position by
the guying network, despite the pantograph push-up force, which may be
acting on only one of the two wires. To achieve this, a support point common
to both contact wires should be located approximately 10 to 20 ft from each
crossing point, the distance depending on the angle of the turnout used.
At contact wire crossings, special attention must be given to the selection
of appropriate hardware. At angles below 30°, a contact wire bridge with
common supports at approximately 4 ft on either side is satisfactory. For
crossing angles between 30° and 90°, it is usually necessary to install
supplemental parallel runners to make sure that the pantograph does not hook
the crossing contact wire.

Step 3—Tension Calculations


Upon completion of the conceptual wiring layout, the designer determines
the guy wire tensions. All guy wire tension calculations are performed for the
416 Lici-rr RAIL TRANsrn NEW SYsTEM SUCCESSES

conductor's reference temperature, usually 60°F. The tensions on inside guy


wires are selected first; they are normally kept to a nominal value of a few
hundred pounds. The tensions on the outside guy wires are then derived from
the geometry of the network by summation of forces at each node point.
The attachment heights of the guy wires on the poles, or "clamp heights,"
are then calculated considering the vertical load-to-tension ratios and the
distances to the poles. Some adjustments in previously determined tensions
may be necessary at this time to stay within reasonable limits for pole
attachment heights. Guy wires are grouped as much as is feasible to limit the
number of pole bands.
The entire process of calculating tensions and clamp heights lends itself
readily to an interactive computer process discussed in detail later.

Step 4—Pole Loadings


Resultant horizontal loads and bending moments on poles are calculated by
vectorial summation of individual loads and moments. Poles can then be
designed, or selected from a set of standard poles, for the resulting bending
moments and deflecting loads. Pole selection must take into account not only
provision of adequate bending moment capacity, but also restriction of lateral
deflection to within allowable limits.

Unbalanced Pole Loading


Care must be exercised in the pole selection process for several reasons. First,
in complex intersections, poles are often loaded from opposing directions and
the recalculated resultant bending moment cOmbining all guy wires can be, in
some instances, less than the individual bending moments, or less than the
partial geometric sum of individual bending moments. In selecting the pole
size, any guy wire that "helps" the pole should be removed and the resulting
bending moment calculated, to establish the potential worst-case loading
condition.
Construction loads must also be considered. For example, poles at the
entrance to an intersection are often selected to be temporary dead ends and
may be subjected to additional loads during the construction period. One such
condition occurs when prestressing is required to eliminate initial stretch and
long-term creep.

Temperature Variations
As mentioned under Step 3, all guy wire tensions and attachment heights are
calculated based on the "reference temperature." In an intersection wiring
System Design and Vehicle Performance 417

network, guy wire tensions and resultant pole loadings at other temperatures
are very difficult to predict accurately. General purpose structural engineering
computer programs, such as ANSYS or ABAQUS, have the required Ca-
pability to model both cable and beam elements to simulate the overall
intersection, including all wires and poles under temperature and/or ice or
wind loading. However, such programs are relatively expensive to use, in
terms of both labor to prepare the data and actual processing time.
An approximate approach to calculating the maximum loading on the pole
is to assume that the bending moment on the pole varies in proportion to the
contact wire tension. If the tension of the contact wires varies from, for
example, 3,000 lb at 60°F to 4,000 lb at 25°F, the bending moment on the
pole is assumed to increase by 4,000/3,000 = 1.33. For poles located on the
outside of the curve, this assumption is usually conservative.
However, this approximation cannot necessarily be applied to poles on the
inside of the curve. Because of the general elasticity of the guying network
and of the differential stiffness between heavily loaded, strong outside poles
and lightly loaded, weaker inside poles, the bending moment on the inside
poles may actually be larger at high temperature (low contact wire tension)
than at low temperature (high contact wire tension).
The amount by which the bending moment on the inside poles increases
depends on many factors and is difficult to estimate. Calculations have shown
that, in typical intersections, the maximum bending moment at high tempera-
ture can be anywhere from 1.2 to 2 times the bending moment at the
reference temperature. One way to reduce the impact of the phenomenon is to
increase the tension on the inside guy wires and to increase the stiffness of the
inside poles. As a general rule, the strength (maximum allowable bending
moment and resistance to deflection) of the poles selected for the inside of the
curve should not be less than one-third to one-half of the strength of outside
poles.

COMPUTERIZED DESIGN PROCESS

The OCS intersection design process described above was illustrated for a
single-track turning movement. Intersections with multiple tracks, turnings,
and crossings involve the same principles, but are more complicated, of
course, because of the additional contact wires and guy wires in the network.
Moreover, the design process nearly always requires a certain amount of
iteration, as the initial layout concept may result in poorly balanced pole or
guy loading, initial pole locations may not be suitable, or various other
conflicts may develop. Because the tension and clamp height calculations are
usually time-consuming, a computerized approach is of considerable benefit
418 LIGHT RAIl. TRANsrr NEW SYSTEM SUCCESSES

and can result in appreciable cost savings in performing the inevitable


iterations required in the design process.
To facilitate the OCS design at intersections, Morrison Knudsen Engineers,
Inc., developed a computer program called Special Intersection Design Pro-
gram, or SPIDER. SPIDER is an interactive computer program that enables
the designer to create a model of the intersection on a video graphic display,
analyze the loading, and optimize the design in an efficient and accurate
manner.

The Model

SPIDER represents the overhead contact system network by a model consist-


ing of nodes and connections. Nodes are used to represent poles, bull rings,
overhead hardware, and general purpose markers. A node is described by its
coordinates (x,y,z), a type description (e.g., pole, bull ring, contact wire
connection, etc.), and a mass. Connections are used to represent contact
wires, guy wires, hardware elements, or boundary lines. A connection is
described by its end-point nodes, a type description (e.g., 300 kcmil contact
wire, /s in. guy wire, property line, etc.), its tension, and the clamp height for
a wire attached to a pole.
The system developed to date accommodates up to 500 nodes and 600
connections. These numbers are sufficient even for the most complicated
LRT intersections. Large yards may be separated into two or more indepen-
dent networks, if necessary.
Operation of the SPIDER program generally proceeds in two phases:
development of the horizontal layout, and establishment of the vertical
profile.

Horizontal Layout

As the coordinates (x,y) of the nodes are entered by the designer, the data are
continuously displayed graphically on the screen for easy checking and
referencing. When a connection or wire is entered, the tension is specified by
the designer for contact wires and redundant guy wires; the tension is left
blank for other guy wires. The program then calculates the missing tensions,
balancing the loads vectorially at each node.
The process of entering data and balancing nodes is continued until all
nodes are satisfactorily balanced in the (x,y)-plane. An example of the
completed plan view at this point is shown in Figure 5. The contact wire is
now registered properly, and the design focuses on the second principal
objective, which is to provide a smooth vertical profile.
System Design and Vehicle Performance 419

036

GUADALUPE LRT CAIENARY DESIGN LOADING AT 60 DEGREES F.


SAN JOSE TRANSIT HALL
2ND STREET S SAN CARLOS MKE DWG.NO . DATA: 2NDSANCAR.OAT: I
PLOT: 2NOSANCAR . PLT: I

FIGURE 5 Example of SPIDER plot showing the plan view of an intersection


guying network.

Vertical Profile
The next phase of the design process consists of selecting the clamp heights
of the guy wires at their connections to the poles. The procedure is as
follows:
The designer selects provisional clamp heights for all guy wires;
The program calculates the elevation of each node and the results are
displayed on the screen;
The designer adjusts clamp heights as required, and the program
recalculates the node elevations; this process is repeated until the contact
wire profile is considered acceptable.

A typical acceptable design tolerance for contact wire elevations in


intersections is ±3 in. However, considering the capabilities of SPIDER, the
designer can easily select a more stringent design tolerance, such as ±1 in.
This level of optimization will reduce significantly the amount of field
adjustment ordinarily required during the construction process.
VERTtCAL PROFILL
I-
w 21.0

z 20.75
0
I-
20.5
w 17 16 19
-J 39 20 21 22 23 24 25 37

1-IORIZONTAL SCALE

0 20 40 rEEr

I I I

GUADALUPE LRT CATENARY DESIGN LOADING AT 60 DEGREES V.


SAN JOSE TRANSIT MALL
2ND STREET & SAN CARLOS
DATA: 2NDSANCAR.: 1
PLOT: 2NDSANCAR.PLT: 2

FIGURE 6 Example of SPIDER plot showing the plan view of an intersection guying network.
System Design and Vehicle Performance 421

At this stage of the design, a plot of the contact wire profile can be
produced, which will demonstrate the smoothness of the wire; any irreg-
ularities in the profile are highlighted and can be easily corrected by adjusting
the appropriate clamp heights or guy wire tensions. Figure 6 shows an
example of a contact wire profile plot.
In the above design process, the horizontal wiring layout and vertical
profiling can be easily adjusted or modified through a simple iterative process
to arrive at the most economical combination of guying, support poles, and
hardware.

Design Documents
The various SPIDER outputs can be used as design records; they include:

Electronic data file saved on disk or tape;


Plots of plan view, showing node numbers, tensions and lengths of
wires;
Plots of contact wire profile; and
Printouts, including node table (see Figure 7), wire table (see Figure 7),
and pole table (see Figure 8).

In addition, the electronic file can be transferred to a computer-assisted


drafting (CAD) system to prepare a formal drawing. In the CAD operation,
street backgrounds, construction notes, title block, etc., are added and a final
drawing is plotted with ink on Mylar.
A supplement to the SPIDER program permits the designer to plot a
perspective view of the completed intersection OCS from any desired direc-
tion, above or below the contact wire level. These plots are useful in
visualizing the aesthetics of a chosen layout. An example of a perspective
plot produced on a recent project is shown in Figure 9.

EXAMPLES OF SPIDER DESIGNS


The SPIDER program, with its CAD interface, has been used successfully to
design the OCS for several rail transit projects in recent years. Among these
are the Sacramento, Guadalupe Corridor, and Long Beach-Los Angeles LRT
schemes, and the Lowell historic trolley reconstruction project. Together
these projects have involved over 30 intersection designs. Figure 10 shows
one of the completed OCS installations on the Guadalupe Corridor Project,
the First Street and Younger Avenue intersection in downtown San Jose.
In addition to LRT applications, the SPIDER program has been used
extensively for design of two-wire trolley overhead for electric trolley
NODAL INFORJ4ATION
----NODE---- BASELINE COORDINATES LOCAL
NUN NTY TYPE --X-- --Y-- --1-- ELEVATION WEIGHT

1 800 END -224.0 0.668 0.0 0.0 0.0


8 800 END -13.382 262.515 0.0 0.0 0.0
9 700 POLST -129.0 -40.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
11 700 POLST 42.0 -43.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
13 700 POLST 28.20 98.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
14 700 POLST -28.20 98.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
15 700 POLST -43.50 39.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
16 700 POLST -129.0 40.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
17 20 SPAN -129.0 -5.0 20.897 20.897 10.0
18 20 SPAN -85.783 -3.032 20.926 20.926 10.0
19 20 SPAN -65.884 3.820 20.794 20.794 10.0
20 20 SPAN -47.845 14.659 20.683 20.683 10.0
21 20 SPAN -32.742 28.682 20.942 20.942 10.0
22 20 SPAN -21.780 43.811 20.667 20.667 10.0
23 20 SPAN -13.772 60.790 20.742 20.742 10.0
24 20 SPAN -9.049 79.007 20.938 20.938 10.0
25 20 SPAN -8.0 98.0 20.921 20.921 10.0
26 10 RING -84.638 -7.899 21.851 21.851 5.0
27 10 RING -24.709 -16.114 23.492 23.492 5.0
28 10 RING 0.172 30.836 22.292 22.292 5.0
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

WIRE INFORMATION
ENDPOINT NODES WIRE X-Y 2 WIRE CLAMP PLAN
N1-N2 TYP1-TYP2 TYPE TENSION TENSION LENGTH HEIGHT ANGLE
1-9 END-POLST CW300 1250 0.0 103.339 25.0 336.8250
1-17 END-SPAN GUY3/8 1250 8.5 95.171 20.750 356.5856
8-37 END-SPAN GUY3/8 2500 11.3 114.604 20.750 271.8736
9-17 POLST-SPAN GUY3/8 462 -34.4 35.097 24.0 90.0000
9-40 POLST-RING GUY3/8 1174 -78.1 32.204 25.0 39.5657
11-21 POLST-SPAN GUY3/8 577 -25.4 103.660 26.0 136.1972
11-27 POLST-RING GUY3/8 1469 -92.1 72.064 28.0 158.0485
11-28 POLST-RING GUY3/8 804 -54.0 85.052 28.0 119.5315
13-25 POLST-SPAN GUY3/8 443 -31.6 36.292 24.0 180.0000
13-29 POLST-RING GUY3/8 730 -44.7 37.186 24.0 212.4515
13-37 POLST-SPAN GUY3/8 561 -24.4 62.739 24.0 127.1297
14-25 POLST-SPAN GUY3/8 333 -26.1 20.262 23.0 0.0000
14-35 POLST-RING GUY3/8 286 -37.7 23.359 25.0 307.8209
14-37 POLST-SPAN GUY3/8 855 -43.8 53.380 24.0 69.6199
15-21 POLST-SPAN GUY3/8 333 -57.2 15.124 24.0 316.1960
15-31 POLST-RING GUY3/8 218 -19.6 39.394 25.0 231.3647
15-34 POLST-RING GUY3/8 224 -21.6 34.483 25.0 43.1881
16-17 POLST-SPAN GUY3/8 417 -24.1 45.075 24.0 270.0000
16-30 POLST-RING GUY3/8 337 -21.9 52.872 25.0 320.8685
17-39 SPAN-SPAN CW300 1250 -1.3 24.025 358.6811
18-19 SPAN-SPAN CW300 1250 -7.8 21.046 19.0006
18-26 SPAN-RING GUY3/8 487 41.4 5.018 283.2424
18-30 SPAN-RING GUY3/8 236 3.6 10.001 103.2397
18-39 SPAN-SPAN CW300 1250 -3.5 19.363 187.4810

FIGURE 7 Portion of a node table printout (top) and wire table printout (bottom)
from the SPIDER program.
-------------------------------------------------------------
WIRE CLAKP X-Y MOMENT
N1-N2 HEIGHT TENSION FT-LBS DIRECTION
------------------------------------------------------------

TAPERED STEEL POLE


14-25 23.0 333 7667 0.0000
14-35 25.0 286 7153 307.8209
14-37 24.0 855 20530 69.6199
23528 35.2976
------------------------------------------------------------

TAPERED STEEL POLE


15-21 24.0 333 8000 316.1960
15-31 25.0 218 5452 231.3647
15-34 25.0 224 5598 43.1881
8786 317.2461
------------------------------------------------------------

TAPERED STEEL POLE


16-17 24.0 417 10000 270.0000
16-30 25.0 337 8436 320.8685
16663 293.1241
------------------------------------------------------------
FIGURE 8 Portion of a pole table printout from SPIDER program.

FIGURE 9 Perspective plot of completed intersection OCS design.


424 LIGHT RAIL TNsrn NEW SYSTEM SUCCESSES

H - /

FIGURE 10 The completed intersection at First Street and Younger


Avenue in San Jose, designed using the SPIDER program.

coaches in San Francisco and Seattle. In these two Cities alone, the program
has been used for the design of guying networks for more than 100 intersec-
lions. Similarly, it has been applied in the design of OCS in highly complex
areas such as maintenance and storage yards, where multiple tracks intersect
and numerous turning movements are required. In most of these applications,
final construction drawings were produced directly from the SPIDER output
using its CAD interface capability.

CONCLUSIONS

Because of the complexity of the typical intersection overhead contact wiring


network, the design principles outlined in this paper should be Carefully
applied to produce an economical, aesthetically pleasing, and trouble-free
facility. The SPIDER program greatly aids in the design process, and the
versatility of this tool in the hands of experienced OCS designers has already
proven its worth in numerous applications.
The design process itself, using the SPIDER program with its capability to
examine numerous guying and support options, easily costs less than half that
of the equivalent manual process. The real economics, however, lie in the
resulting construction cost savings, through the ability to optimize the final
configuration and minimize the number of poles, guys, and support hardware.
Although it is difficult to quantify specific cost comparisons, considering that
System Design and Vehicle Performance 425

eliminating a single pole in a typical intersection can represent a 10 to 30


percent savings, the potential economies of the computerized approach are
readily apparent.
Added to this, the inherent accuracy of the SPIDER design reduces the
number of field adjustments that typically are needed when installing to a
more approximate design. Finally, the efficient and clean design produced by
SPIDER is less likely to get out of balance during operation and should
therefore decrease overall maintenance requirements.
In summary, the use of the SPIDER program not only ensures maximum
economy in OCS construction costs, but also permits a convenient appraisal
of the aesthetic impacts of a proposed layout The program now represents an
economical and efficient resource for rapid design of any complex OCS
guying network, from simple turning movements to complex intersections
and multiple-track vehicle storage and service facilities.

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