The subject of this study is a historical analysis of the beginnings of electrical traction on Czech railways. The prevailing opinion in the up to date literature is that the electrification started only after the 1945 under the so-called socialistic development and all the preceding electrified railways were isolated projects only.
The research in archive documents nevertheless shows that the electrification of the Prague junction in 1926–1928 was meant as the first step in construction of subsequent tracks. The realization of this project however could not proceed due to the economic and later international political crisis in the 1930s. The follow-up works started after the Munich agreement and the abandonment of the border area. This study pays detailed attention to contemporary discussions over suitable power supply system including international experience comparison.
History of railways; Czechoslovak State Railways; history of electrification; direct current; alternating current; electric traction locomotive
ISSN 0300-4414 (print)
ISSN 2788-3485 (online)
founded 1968
Published by Society for the History of Sciences and Technology http://www.sdvt.cz
Pavel Mervart Publishing http://www.pavelmervart.cz/
