3 ms·

Switzerland trains still use 16,7 Hz (16 2/3Hz)

• Ericson2314 2y ago
  Yes indeed, but the German-Swiss-Austrian 16.7 Hz system is many orders of magnitude bigger than the Southend Electrification! The path dependency is much more understandable in that case.
  • cenamus 2y ago
    It's also 16.7 Hz precisely (save for the fluctuations) and not 16 2/3 Hz, for some electrical reasons regarding transorming 50 Hz to 16.7 Hz mechanically, which I don't completely understand
    • schobi 2y ago
      I understand that historically it was 16 2/3 Hz and power transfer from to the 50 Hz grid was done via 1:3 mechanical coupling with a motor and generator. That was a ratio easily achievable with gears. Nowadays with switched power supplies, this is not a problem any more. Keeping track of 16.7 Hz seems a little easier. Imagine building a numeric display for a power plant operator to see how far off you are.
      • Symbiote 2y ago
        > Imagine building a numeric display for a power plant operator to see how far off you are. You could build a display with 3 as the denominator, and a decimal numerator: | |_ 2.1 | | \ --- | \_/ 3