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[quote]Just incase anyone decides to climb up and touch the 25kV DC lines![/quotes]
Isn't that 25kV AC ?

Djk,

you are right: in the germanic languages it is something like "spannung", e.g. Swedish "spänning".

The Germans might would use "Achtung Hochspannung" or "Vorsicht Hochspannung - LEBENSGEFAHR!"

Ooops! That's TGV voltage and you it would be AC

The system here would be 1500V DC for suburban rail.

I think the main difference between 1500V DC and 25kV AC is how close the climber would get before being zapped

Some train accidents over here have occured when somebody would manage to climb onto the roof of a car. They didn't realize that there isn't much clearance between the roof of the train and the underside of a bridge. Plus, the rod part that touches the overhead cables (aw, what is that thing called!!??) has a spring so it can adjust accordingly...

It's called a pantograph.

That's the one!

The Eurostar trains that run between the UK and Paris/Brussels are driven by multinational crews that must learn the signalling systems employed in all three countries, not just on the main routes which are (except the UK) , in the main, cab signalling but any diversionary routes which tend to be ‘classic’ and National in their significance.

[case in point – in France, two reds means Stop. A single red means Stop and Proceed at caution. In the UK one red means Stop! It requires a lot of route knowledge and understanding]

In out-of-the-ordinary incidents (or in emergencies) the driver is often required to stop and communicate with the signalman who can now (being an international rail system) speak one of three languages: English, French or Flemish (remember – the train drivers are international – not the signalmen). Learning two foreign languages is therefore encouraged amongst the Eurostar drivers. As you can imagine, it is the British drivers that have the most learning to do and a simplified vocabulary and syntax is taught to cover most incidents that effect the average railway with points/signal failure etc.

One day, a British driver was speeding through France (‘coz he can) when he hits a deer on the line which damages some of the safety equipment on the train. This forces him to stop and speak to the signalman. Now “deer” was not part of the vocabulary taught so being an industrious railwayman delivered the following:-

“Il est une vache avec un pantograph”

i.e.…

“It is/was a cow with a pantograph” !!!

Such linguistic ingenuity!!

LOL! I like it!

I have visions of a cartoon cow on wheels being propelled down the tracks at high speed!

I guess they'd have to change the TGV to VGV: Vache de Grande Vitesse.