OHL Flashover at Amsterdam Central

[didcot_watcher]

I was on holiday in Amsterdam. I was wating for a train at about 11pm and there was a flashover of the OHL between the wires and the station roof as a train pantograph passed. Therw was a loud bang, lots of orange sparks and a lot of smoke. It seems the dutch railways use reduced clearances betwen the OHL equipment and any metalwork compared to the UK. How often are such flashovers and would the driver have notices and what action would / should be taken?

Thanks

 

[DanielB]

Makes sense clearance between OHLE and metalwork is smaller in the Netherlands. In contrast to the UK, which is mostly electrified with 25 kV OHLE according to Wikipedia, the OHLE voltage in most of the Netherlands is much lower at 1,5 kV. The lower voltage simply requires less clearance to other metal objects. You'll see that the OHLE on the few 25 kV lines in the Netherlands is constructed in another way.

AFAIK those flashovers are very rare, I've actually never seen one happen the way you're describing.
Issues with OHLE too close to metal structures do still happen however: for a while there has been a speed restriction at Amsterdam RAI station due to the OHLE being to close to the station roof after engineering works involving raising the tracks to enable level boarding. But that was resolved relatively quickly.

 

[MisterT]

It is not common at all. I don't think I have ever seen it happen or had it happen to me.
Did this happen a few weeks ago? I believe I recall train traffic being stopped one evening at Amsterdam Centraal because an issue with the OHL.

 

[DanielB]

I believe I recall train traffic being stopped one evening at Amsterdam Centraal because an issue with the OHL.

Found it! Also nicely matches with the time mentioned by OP, the disruption linked happened just after 11 PM on the east side of Amsterdam Central.

 

[didcot_watcher]

It was about 24th September 22:35 within the station, I was changing from platorm 10 to 8, it may have been a couple of platforms over in the midle of the station