Where do subway cars get power supply from?

Question

Perhaps it may sound stupid but I always wondered where do subway cars get electricity from? They don`t have trolleys on top and I can`t think of a way of getting it from the bottom part.

I will appreciate any answer as well as a link to a sketch or photo.

Answer 1

Subways all get their power source from a third rail which is next to the rails.  a piece of reinforced metal called a third rail shoe slides along the third rail and picks up the current, which usually is 700 or 600 volts, and uses the current to power the train.  I cannot think of any good site to show you a picture, but i am sure if you went to some of the subway sites, you can see pictures.....www.mta.info, and go to the subway/MTA Transit page, www.sl.se (Swedish) has some interesting photos, and i dont know any otehr sites personally.  I hope this has been informative.

Answer 2

Electricity travels through the tracks.  On some subways, like in Chicago, they have a wire that sticks up off the car and connects with an overhead electrical line that runs above the track.

Answer 3

I don't know of any real trains that get power through the running tracks al la model trains like a few answers indicate...that would be a bit hairy...

Anything straight electric that doesn't have overhead catenary gets electric from a third rail...be it off to the side like NYCentral/LIRR third rail or center track third rail like the old trolleys and the London tube I think...

At any rate, the two running rails are for just that -- the wheels and signal voltage for trackside signals... The third rail is for power current.

Answer 4

haven't you seen those signs that say danger electrical current running through track or something like that? electricity runs thought the track just like the model train sets.

Answer 5

Either through the tracks or from a wire above the train

Answer 6

isnt ther  like some kind of circuit boards that feed elictricity to the tracks somewhere near the tracks? i think anyway.