Electrical junction box for a railway vehicle

A method for supplying power to an electrical system of a railway vehicle through an onboard electrical junction box, the onboard electrical junction box being capable of supplying power to the electrical system of the railway vehicle from a power rail via at least one onboard power collector device, and from a removable shore power source, the method comprising:

• detecting when:
• (1) an electrical connection between the removable shore power source and the onboard electrical junction box has been established;
• and
• (2) the electrical system of the vehicle is not receiving power from either the at least one onboard power collector device or the removable shore power source;
• upon detection of items (1) and (2):
• i) causing power from the removable shore power source to be supplied to the electrical system of the vehicle;
• and
• ii) causing the power from the removable shore power source to be isolated from the at least one onboard power collector device.

A system for providing power to an electrical system of a railway vehicle, the system comprising:

• at least one onboard power collector device for collecting power from a power rail;
• and
• an onboard electrical junction box in electrical communication with the at least one onboard power collector device, the onboard electrical junction box comprising (i) an auto-change-over switch adapted to acquire:
• (1) a first state wherein power is supplied to the electrical system from the power rail via the at least one onboard power collector device;
• and (2) a second state wherein power is supplied to the electrical system from a removable shore power source, wherein during operation in the second state, the at least one onboard power collector device is isolated from the power supplied by the removable shore power source;
• and (ii) a switch control module in electrical communication with the auto-change-over switch for causing the auto change-over switch to acquire the second state upon detection that (a) the removable shore power source has established an electrical connection with the onboard electrical junction box;
• and (b) the electrical system of the vehicle is receiving power below a predetermined threshold.