A pantograph is an apparatus mounted on the roof of an electric train, tram or electric bus to collect power through contact with an overhead line. The term stems from the resemblance of some styles to the mechanical pantographs used for copying handwriting and drawings.
The diamond-shaped, electric-rod pantograph of the Swiss cogwheel locomotive of the Schynige Platte railway in Schynige Platte, built in 1911
Cross-arm pantograph of a Toshiba EMU
The (asymmetrical) Z-shaped pantograph of the electrical pickup on the Berlin Straßenbahn. This pantograph uses a single-arm design.
A Flexity Outlook LRV with its pantograph raised. Note the trolley pole in the rear, which provides compatibility with sections not yet upgraded for pantograph operation.
A tram is a type of urban rail transit consisting of a rail vehicle, either individual railcars or self-propelled trains coupled by a multiple unit, that runs on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport are called tramways or simply trams/streetcars. Many recently built tramways use the contemporary term light rail.
With more than 14,000 units built, Tatra T3 is the most widely produced tram model in history.
Zürich tram multiple-unit train.
Melbourne E-Class Tram. The Melbourne tram network is the largest in the world, with 250 km (160 mi) of track.
A horse-drawn tram operated by Swansea and Mumbles Railway, 1870. Established in 1804, the railway service was the world's first.