Electric railway system

An electric railway system configured to comprise an electric car and an electric-power supply device that supplies electric power to the electric car, wherein

• the electric-power supply device comprises:
• a power source;
• and
• an overhead conductor portion connected to the power source, and
• the electric car comprises:
• a power collector that is installed on a roof of the electric car, has a contact conductor portion contactable to the overhead conductor portion, and is capable of performing a raising operation and a lowering operation of the contact conductor portion based on an instruction from outside;
• a switching unit that is connected to the power collector and performs opening and closing of a main circuit as a supply route of electric power;
• an electric-power conversion device that is connected to the switching unit and performs an electric power conversion;
• an electric-power storage device that is connected to the electric-power conversion device and stores electric power;
• an electric motor that is driven by the electric-power conversion device and drives the electric car;
• and
• a control unit that controls at least the switching unit, and
• the control unit is configured to perform an on/off control of the switching unit and the electric-power conversion device based on physical quantities indicating a level of a contact state between the overhead conductor portion and the contact conductor portion.