[PRCo] Ground currents

[Boris Cefer]

Hello!
Did Pittsburgh trolleys use any network of cables to conduit back current from car tracks to substations? Ground currents cause electrolysis which might result in severe damage to various piping (water and gas) laid under ground. Cincinnati used double overhead, which was the same, in fact, but easy to maintain. We have been using large network of back current cables laid under groung in this country, because this arrangement is required by our national technical standards. Each transit company has to make an adequate provision to protect others from ground currents from its streetcars. I was told that it is "throwing money away" and that in the US doesn't exist any such requirement. Is it true?

Boris