Modern-day DC powered light rail lines are designed with many effective stray current control features built-in, principally an electrically ungrounded traction power negative return circuit. This often includes track construction measures intended to establish much higher track-to-earth resistances when compared to the streetcars of long ago. This attribute dramatically reduces stray current leakage to tolerable levels with limited if any negative impact on underground pipeline corrosion control. Case histories of water pipelines constructed near light rail lines built within the last nine years are reviewed. Results of field evaluations in Sacramento, Salt Lake City and Minneapolis are presented. Guidelines for stray current corrosion protection strategies for ductile iron pipelines are provided.

Subject
Rail, Water, Piping, Salts, Pipe to soil potential, Pipelines, Joints, Polyethylene encasement, Stray current, Construction, Ductile iron, Corrosion protection, Stray current corrosion
Keywords:
Light rail transit (LRT) line, track-to-earth resistance, ductile iron pipe, polyethylene encasement, cathodic protection, pipe-to-soil potential, track-to-earth potential
© 2008 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
2008
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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