Tribological performance of rigid overhead lines against pantograph sliders under DC passage

The tribological performance of metro rigid overhead lines against pantograph sliders was experimentally studied. The test parameters from actual metro lines were adopted. During testing, the friction force, wear volume, temperature, vibration of the pantograph slider, voltage drop, and current correlating with arc ablation were collected. The worn topography of the slider and wire was observed. Experimental results illustrate that the direct current (DC) and vibration of the slider can largely affect the tribological performance of the rigid overhead line against the pantograph slider. Main wear mechanisms are the arc ablation, plowing wear and adhesive wear. The abnormal joint between two slider blocks can bring about severe plowing wear of the overhead line. •The friction coefficient of a metro rigid catenary sliding against a pantograph strip with DC reaches 0.3–0.38.•Vibration of the slider was detected during a metro rigid catenary sliding against a pantograph strip with DC.•Arc ablation and vibration of the slider are two important factors to cause severe wears of the strip and wire.•The generation mechanism of long filiform debris from a catenary wire is due to a poor joint between two strip blocks.