This question, is out of idle curiosity.

I have noticed electric engines in Europe tend to have the after pantograph up, drawing power as they run. Sometimes a freight train, if pulling new cars in auto carriers it is the forward one. I understand that is to keep sparks from the pantograph rubbing on the catenary falling onto the cargo, (cars in my question).

Almost all other trains, particularly passenger, it seems to be the after pantograph. Is there a reason, ie quieter for the driver?

The only reasons that a loco may have it's front panto up is:
A) the car/cargo could be damaged by sparks if the car/cargo is flammable, where the rear panto is down
B) if the loco is a multiple voltage type, in which case each panto is for one(or more eg. 3kV and 1.5Kv DC) voltage and only the panto for that voltage is up
C) if the loco is an older type and is accellerating from a standstill,both pantos will be up. The front panto is withdrawn as soon as the loco has built up speed. This has to do with the maximum current allowed per panto.

There are some interesting videos on youtube that show what happens when a panto goes into self destruct mode

Some loks, like the first series of Re 4/4II (or the BLS Re 425) are equipped with only one pantograph. I wonder if these loks had to be turned around to run with a load of car carriers, tank cars or other cargo that needed to be hauled with the pantograph at the opposite end of the lok? Is that one of the reason that all of the Re 4/4II of the first series (11101-11155) were transferred to SBB Passenger when the fleet was divided?

Regards

Mike C

Choice of front or rear pantograph could, at least in the old days, be a question of best aerodynamics. The turbulence caused by the loco front will, depending on the speed of the train and the shape of the loco front, cause an upward or downward force on the pantograph. This force can be significantly different at the front and the rear pantograph. If it is an upward force, you get excessive wear. If it is a downward force, you get bad contact.

I assume that those problems are solved on newer loks.

Your'e absolutely right. Thanks for pointing it out.
It only applies in DC countries(because of the larger currents involved). I should have mentioned it(I knew too )

Cheers,
Kariosls