In order to explore the influence of ambient humidity on the arc discharge energy,the temperature rise and strips wear of the metal-impregnated carbon strip during the sliding process of a catenary-pantograph system,the ring-block high-speed current-carrying friction and wear test bench was used to study the arc energy,the temperature rise of the strip and strip wear with the sliding speed,current and normal force in different humidity conditions.It is found that the arc energy and strip temperature rise increase sharply with the increase of sliding velocity and current under different ambient humidity.Arc heat is the main heat source leading to temperature rise of strip.Increasing the normal force has significant effects on restraining arc discharge and decreasing the temperature rise of the strips,but the effect on the wear of the strips is completely opposite under different humidity conditions.In the high humidity environment,the water film attached to the contact pair improves the contact condition and heat dissipation,and the arc energy and temperature rise of the strips are less than those in the low humidity environment.In the low humidity environment,the strip surface is subjected to more serious mechanical friction,and its surface condition is worse than that in high humidity environment.The wear of the metal-impregnated carbon strip can be reduced by appropriately increasing the normal force in summer when the average humidity is high,and appropriately decreasing the train speed in winter when the average humidity is low.