Stephen Furley wrote:
Rupert Candy wrote:

and converting
the electrical system from standard 3rd rail to side-contact.

Bottom contact; side contact was Manchester - Bury, and I think after
conversion, Holcombe Brook, which was originally overhead.

The shoegear in New York is interesting; it's a sort of Manchester -
Bury system turned on its side. It's top contact, but the rail is
protceted except for a narrow gap on the inner side, and the shoe is a
flate plate which comes in from the side to contact the top of the
rail.

New York has three separate third-rail systems: Metro-North (ex NYC),
LIRR (ex PRR), & the Subway. The Subway is top-contact; LIRR is
top-contact, with a protective board on top; & Metro-North is
bottom-contact. (I think I've got that right.) I imagine that you're
referring to the LIRR?

Mike