Conductor rails (runway and bridge contact conductors) feeding power to cranes, hoists, transfer carts and other moving equipment · enclosed multi-pole and single-pole insulated rails with current collectors, rated current, voltage and housing temperature range, and the US rules on guarding open runway conductors and disconnecting their supply
A conductor rail system runs fixed conductors along the travel path of a crane, hoist or other moving machine, and current collectors on the machine slide along them to pick up power and, in some systems, control signals. Ask three things first: how many poles and what current and voltage the load needs, whether an enclosed or open (single-pole) design suits the site and its dust, moisture and temperature, and what travel length and speed the system must serve.
Enclosed multi-pole conductor rails, single-pole insulated conductor rails and their current collectors, supports and feed points for cranes, hoists, transfer carts and similar moving equipment. Crane cables and festoon systems, busbar trunking for building power distribution, and railway third rails are outside this page except where compared.
01
US rule 29 CFR 1910.306(b) applies to electric equipment and wiring for cranes, monorail hoists, hoists and runways. A disconnecting means, which may be a motor-circuit switch, circuit breaker or molded case switch, must be provided between the runway contact conductors and the power supply. It must open all ungrounded conductors simultaneously, be readily accessible and operable from ground or floor level, be lockable in the open position, and be placed within view of the runway contact conductors. A further lockable disconnect is required in the leads from the runway contact conductors on cranes and monorail hoists, except in the stated floor-controlled cases. [1]
Rule 29 CFR 1910.179 for overhead and gantry cranes defines current collectors as contacting devices for collecting current from runway or bridge conductors. It requires open-type conductors mounted on runway beams or overhead to be “so located or so guarded that persons entering or leaving the cab or crane footwalk normally could not come into contact with them”. It also requires the runway conductor supply to be controlled by a lockable switch or circuit breaker on a fixed structure, accessible from the floor. [2]
Rule 1910.306(b) sets a minimum working space of 762 mm (2.5 ft) in the direction of access to live parts that may need servicing while energised. [1]
These are US rules. Give the supplier the equipment to be fed, the number of poles (including protective earth and any control or data poles), current and voltage, travel length and speed, number of collectors, curves or switches in the path, indoor or outdoor installation, dust, moisture, chemical exposure and ambient temperature, and the codes that apply.
02
DGCRANE, a crane maker, describes its enclosed conductor rail as a PVC casing with copper conductors inside, fed to the machine through flexible multi-pole brush collectors. The housing takes up to 7 uninterrupted conductors, conductor current options of 35, 50, 80, 125 and 160 A and higher are offered, and its parameter list gives a maximum of 240 A and 660 V. Housings are listed for −20 to +70 °C (standard), −10 to +115 °C (high temperature) and −40 to +80 °C (low temperature), with a flame-retardant, self-extinguishing class B1 rating. The company says the system is suitable for transmitting control and data signals and lists single-pole insulated, seamless and copperhead conductor rails as alternatives. [3]
03
Conductix-Wampfler explains that its conductor rails transfer energy and signals from a fixed rail to moving current collectors whose sliding contacts press on the busbar with permanent contact pressure, so supply continues through dynamic movement; rails come with any number of poles and in variable lengths. [4]
It distinguishes three arrangements: single-pole rails, which let the phase spacing and number of poles be arranged to suit the site; multipole rails, with multiple conductors in one insulating housing, which save space, install faster and are stiffer than single-pole rails; and enclosed rails, which suit long travel distances and protect the conductors from dust and the live parts from accidental contact. Its range also lists non-insulated cap rails for transit (crimped versions at 1,200 A and 4,500 A) and a power disconnect switch to isolate maintenance zones without shutting down the whole system. [4]
Editorial note: a sectioned rail with a maintenance-zone disconnect lets one crane bay be isolated while others run, but the isolation must still meet the disconnecting-means and guarding rules in 29 CFR 1910.306 and 1910.179 above. [4] [1] [2]
04
This is a functional reference built from the sources cited; it is not one maker's design.
| Part | What it controls | Fix in the order |
|---|---|---|
| Conductor rail (copper conductors in housing) | Current; protection. [3] [4] | Amperes; poles. |
| Current collector | Contact; wear. [4] [2] | Type; pressure. |
| Feed point and disconnecting means | Supply; isolation. [1] | Location; rating. |
| Maintenance-zone disconnect | Sectional isolation. [4] | Zones. |
05
A conductor rail quotation needs values for your installation. The table explains each field, gives published information where a reviewed source states it, and says what to ask the supplier for.
| Field | What it means and published information | Ask the supplier for |
|---|---|---|
| Poles | Up to 7 conductors in one enclosed housing (one maker). [3] | Pole count and layout. |
| Current and voltage | Maximum 240 A, 660 V (one enclosed system). [3] | Rating at your duty. |
| Housing | Temperature range and flame class. [3] | Material and range. |
| Disconnect | Lockable, floor-operable, in view of conductors. [1] | Feed and isolation design. |
| Guarding | Open conductors located or guarded. [2] | Enclosed or guarded layout. |
06
Paste it into your enquiry below or into an email to a maker, then replace every bracket.
Equipment: [crane; hoist; cart] Poles: [power; earth; control/data] Rating: [current; voltage; duty] Path: [length; speed; curves] Collectors: [number per machine] Site: [indoor/outdoor; dust; moisture; temperature] Codes: [applicable]
These companies list conductor rail systems on their own websites. The listing does not verify a factory or tested performance.
Lists enclosed, single-pole insulated, seamless and copperhead conductor rails for cranes and hoists.
Product scope checked 2026-10-11
Explore company information and manufacturing capabilities, then discuss the scope of your project with a relevant supplier.
29 CFR 1910.306(b) requires a disconnecting means between the runway contact conductors and the supply. It must open all ungrounded conductors at once, be operable from floor level, lock open and be within view of the conductors. [1]
29 CFR 1910.179 defines current collectors as contacting devices for collecting current from runway or bridge conductors. [2]
One maker lists up to 7 conductors, maximum 240 A and 660 V, and housings for −40 to +115 °C depending on type. [3]
Conductix-Wampfler says single-pole rails allow flexible phase spacing and pole count, while multipole rails put conductors in one housing, saving space and installation time. [4]
Sources checked 2026-10-12. The two eCFR sections are current US federal rules. The DGCRANE page is a maker's own product description.
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