neutral section

plural neutral sections

1. businessA dead section of overhead line for supplying power to trains between two live sections, used to separate two power supplies, different phases and supply voltages.

   Overlap spans and neutral sections have been provided at intervals along the line, which is thus sectioned electrically, not only at the feeder station and track sectioning cabins, but also by switches at certain overlap spans.

   1959 June 28, “Clacton and Walton Electrification”, in Railway Magazine, page 379

   1 more example

   When a driver approaches a neutral section separating sections of 25 kV. and 15 kV. overhead catenary, he trips the main circuit-breaker but keeps his pantographs up; as soon as the next section of live wire is reached, he re-sets his contact-breaker, whereupon voltage-sensitive relays automatically make appropriate connections to the auxiliary circuits.

   1960 March, “Silicon Rectifiers for a French dual-frequency Bo-Bo locomotive”, in Trains Illustrated, page 166