MLchartDataset catalogue

Fourth rail

Term · Industrial and trades · MLC-T-IND-002424

An additional rail alongside the running rails in some electric railway systems, used to carry the return current. Unlike a third rail system where the running rails carry the return current, the fourth rail isolates the return path. This system is primarily found in underground railway networks, such as the London Underground.

Table 1. Record
IdentifierMLC-T-IND-002424
FieldIndustrial and trades
SubjectRail equipment
TranslationsGerman: vierte Schiene; Spanish: cuarto carril; French: quatrième rail
Record as JSON 
{
  "id": "MLC-T-IND-002424",
  "term": "Fourth rail",
  "field": "Industrial and trades",
  "definition": "An additional rail alongside the running rails in some electric railway systems, used to carry the return current. Unlike a third rail system where the running rails carry the return current, the fourth rail isolates the return path. This system is primarily found in underground railway networks, such as the London Underground.",
  "subject": "Rail equipment",
  "translations": {
    "de": "vierte Schiene",
    "es": "cuarto carril",
    "fr": "quatrième rail"
  },
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/industrial/fourth-rail/"
}

Record 2,649 of 7,291 in Industrial and trades terminology (MLC-0113). Request the full dataset.