254 POWER DISTRIBUTION FOR ELECTRIC RAILROADS. 
square and rest upon iron brackets about one inch high, 
thus raising the contact rail about seven inches above the 
general level of the track rails. 
A rail joint in position is shown in Fig. 129. At the 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
FIG. I29. 
joint the rails are held in line by a light fishplate secured 
by two bolts, and are thoroughly bonded. The bonds are 
formed of flexible copper strip about % in. thick and the 
full width of the foot of the rail, under which they are 
  
FIG. 130. 
placed and to which they are secured by two large rivets, 
one on each side of the web of each rail. 
Current is taken off this contact rail by chilled cast 
iron shoes carried on the trucks. One of these is shown 
in Fig. 130, which exhibits the arrangement of its partsand