Current collector

Electric current collectors are used by trolleybuses, trams, electric locomotives or EMUs to carry electrical power from overhead lines or electrical third rails to the electrical equipment of the vehicles. Those for overhead wires are roof-mounted devices, those for third rails are mounted on the bogies.Chicago Transit Authority third rail contact shoe of Chicago 'L' carModern one-arm “pantograph” collector with double collector shoesCollector (contact) shoe for a top contact third railTrolleybuses with trolley-type current collectors, i.e. trolley poles on trolley wiresA bow collector on a small electric locomotiveA trolleybus with a pair of trolley poles on the roof.Third rail contact shoe installed on the front Bogie of an RTL-II car for operation into New York Penn StationBumper cars at Taunus Wunderland showing collector poles.1882: The first trolleybus in the world by Siemens Electric current collectors are used by trolleybuses, trams, electric locomotives or EMUs to carry electrical power from overhead lines or electrical third rails to the electrical equipment of the vehicles. Those for overhead wires are roof-mounted devices, those for third rails are mounted on the bogies.