Sicat SX

Overhead contact line system for main-line railways

siemens.com/rail-electrification

Sicat® SX is an inclined catenary system for main and secondary lines in the
main-line transit. The system is characterized by simplified arrangement of
overlaps, longer tension sections and greater span lengths and based on proved
standard components of Sicat contact line systems from Siemens. Because of
low investment costs and maintenance efforts the life-cycle costs of Sicat SX will
be favorable.

Features
•• Components reduction per track kilometre as a result of greater span lengths
enable few installation and maintenance efforts
•• Use of alterative materials instead of copper and copper alloys enable an
additional reduction of investment costs
•• Simple and fast installation by using IT driven dropper and cantilever calcula-
tion and due to use of standard installation tools
Overview
Advantages over conventional overhead line systems
•• Reduction of required components and materials for Regular values
railway electrification Nominal voltage 15 / 25 kV AC
•• Less installation work due to fewer overhead contact line
Continuous current-carrying capacity without feeder 600 A
components per kilometer of track
•• Conservation of resources due to reduction of compo- Running speed up to 250 km/h
nents and materials Temperature range -30…+80 ºC
•• Use of alternative materials reduces attractiveness to
Contact wire (EN 50149) AC-80, CuMg0.5
material thieves
•• Excellent quality of interaction between pantograph and Contact wire tensioning force 15 kN
contact wire at speeds of up to 250 km/h Catenary wire (EN 50182) 95/55 aluminium/steel
•• Reduced operating costs: fewer components to service
Catenary wire tensioning force 30 kN
and maintain
•• Precise planning of the overhead contact line system with Span length* up to 102 m
efficient software tools (Sicat Master, Sicat Candrop) Tensioning length up to 2,000 m
minimizes adjustments
System height 1.40 m

Weight ~13.4 N/m

* vwind = 27.4 m/s

Design
Sicat SX is an auto-tensioned catenary system without installed with oppositely aligned lateral positions with low
stitch wires on the supports but with outstanding quality of impact from own weight. This design ensures a high degree
interaction between pantograph and contact wire. The of elasticity in the overhead contact line.
catenary wire and contact wire of the catenary system are As with all Sicat systems, proven standard components are
used.
5
6
2

7
4

1 Pole
2 Cantilever
10
3 Catenary wire
9 4 Contact wire
8 5 Insulator
6 Feeder line
7 Return line
8 Pole earth
9 Rail bond
Sicat SX layout (schematic view) 10 Track bond

2
The four keys to reducing investment and
maintenance costs

1 Reduced component and material

requirements
•• Greater span lengths enable catenary supports to be
3 Planning, installation and
­maintenance
•• Exact layout design planning using Sicat Master software
spaced further apart, which means every kilometer •• Precise length specifications for cantilever and dropper
requires: manufacturing using Sicat Candrop software
−− Fewer foundations •• The exact dropper position specifications produced using
−− Fewer poles the Sicat Candrop software enable droppers to be
−− Fewer cantilevers ­installed quickly and easily and remove the need for
−− Reference project: Sicat SX = 10 supports/km laborious catenary adjustment
−− MÁV overhead contact line system = 14 supports/km •• Shorter installation times for every kilometer of supports
•• Span lengths increased by and cantilevers reduces project duration
−− Raising the tensioning force of contact wire and •• Reducing the total number of overhead contact line
­catenary wire components optimizes maintenance costs throughout
−− Optimizing the weight of the catenary system the service life of the system
−− Using an inclined design for the catenary system to •• Installation and maintenance can be completed using just
reduce wind-induced deflection the standard installation vehicles and tools

2 Replacing high-cost materials

•• Use of alternative materials for overhead line system

4 Simplified overhead contact line
system design
•• Maximum tension section lengths of up to 2,000 m, so
components fewer tensioning devices are required
−− Aluminum/steel catenary wire with aluminum-clad •• Catenary with no stitch wires
steel wires to prevent corrosion •• Two-span overlaps as standard overlaps
−− Concrete supports •• Three-span insulated overlaps
•• Reduced conductor cross-sections •• System height reduced to 1.40 m
−− Smaller contact wire cross-section using the AC-80, •• Use of the same conductor as the catenary wire for
CuMg0.5 contact wire for reduced copper content optional return conductors and feeders
−− Saving of 180 kg of copper per kilometer as compared •• Clamp-type mountings for attaching cantilevers to
with an AC-100 contact wire ­supports provide a high level of flexibility for installation

Potential savings
The Sicat SX overhead contact line system first of all is
suitable for efficient new electrification projects for lines
with predominantly straight route or large track radii.

The following potential savings compared to conventional

overhead contact line systems can be achieved depending
on track topography:

Proportion of track radii below 1,000 m: low high

Cost savings Material: 14.5% 8.2%

Installation: 19.6% 12.5%

Total: 13.3% 8.3%

3
Tests
The components used in the Sicat SX overhead contact line Certificates
system are almost exclusively Siemens standard overhead As a result of a successfull pilot testing of the Sicat SX
contact line components. All of the components used have overhead contact line system, national approval from the
been type-tested. The aluminum / steel wire and the re- road, rail and shipping department of the Hungarian
spective clamps have been in use in power transmission ­national transport authority has been granted. Sicat SX has
line applications for more than 30 years. The system was also been certified under the European rail system interop-
designed and tested in accordance with EN 50119. erability directive and the associated Energy TSI as an
interoperability component.

References
The Sicat SX overhead line system is already in use on the
following routes:
•• Bajánsenye-Boba, Hungary, since 2010
•• Banedanmark, Denmark, ~1,300 km until 2026

Project Banedanmark, Denmark Project Bajánsenye-Boba, Hungary

© Siemens Mobility GmbH 2018

All rights reserved
Sicat SX / Product information
No. A6Z00036057484 / Version 1.0.2
Siemens Mobility GmbH
Otto-Hahn-Ring 6
81739 Munich
Germany
For further information please contact:
Siemens Mobility GmbH
Turnkey Projects & Electrification
Rail Electrification
Mozartstraße 33b
91052 Erlangen
Germany
[email protected]
www.siemens.com/rail-electrification
Subject to changes and errors. The information given in this document only contains general
descriptions and/or performance features which may not always specifically reflect those
described, or which may undergo modification in the course of further development of the
products. The requested performance features are binding only when they are expressly
agreed upon in the concluded contract.