Monitoring energy and power quality on board train

The European community for over a decade is supporting the scientific and technological studies in order to have public transports with a lower environmental impact. The metrological community can play a fundamental role in fostering this improvement. To this aim, this paper describes the measurement setup and the results of an on-board DC train measurement campaign devoted to the accurate estimation of the energy exchanged between the locomotive and the DC feeder, and the electrical energy wasted during the braking stage. This information is fundamental in the accurate determination of the energy saving margin, therefore, in the decision-making related to the infrastructure investment devoted to the energy efficiency improvement such as installation of reversible substations or of on-board storage systems. Moreover, the paper provides a contribution to the identification of the power quality events in a DC 3 kV railway system.