In Europe, most maintenance facilities for electric locos and EMU equipment have overhead wires. There is usually a moveable section of overhead rail in the door area to allow the doors to close completely in severe weather.

For work inside, not only is the power shut off to the overhead wire, but a grounding pole is used as an additional safety measure. These poles have a metal hook on the end that is attached to a heavy cable that is connected to a grounding source. The pole -- typically painted in an easy to see red-white-red pattern -- is hooked to the overhead wire inside the engine shed.

Grounding poles are also used by catenary maintenance crews when working on catenary -- even when it is supposed to be completely shut off.

-- Ernest