CTA subway 5 rail

The extra rails are guard rails used to protect the train and surrounding area in case of a derailment.

Here are some pictures of them on the LIRR.

Larry

The LIRR photos do show guard rails. But the CTA rails are not placed properly for that function. Other areas of the CTA do have proper guard rails. But guard rails dont have the ride up ends and heavy electrical cables.

Back in the day the CTA used to haul standard size hopper cars of coal to a generating plant using a couple of steeple cab engines.  In order to get the standard full size cars past the passenger platforms the CTA installed gauntlet track to the generating plant.  I used to have photos of those old steeple cabs.  I think they closed the generating plant and took out the gauntlet track some years ago.  If you count the rails you would have four running rails and one third rail.    Odd-d

The gauntlet tracks were on the northern part of the system, some of them on embankment, some on the elevated structure.

This is the entrance to the subway tunnel. Also construction is not for running. 

Still looking. Maybe some kind of induction signal system?

https://books.google.com/books...%20rails&f=false

Those are not gauntlet rails.  Gauntlet rails are in pairs, and each pair is gauged at standard width.  Take a look at the photo on page 84 of the linked book.

Here is a short video of the location in your pictures showing the rails in question.

A real time ride on the blue line shows rails linked by wiring. They look like old rails being used as a wire, possibly used to carry low voltage for the signal system.

Larry

Got a reply from the CTA historical webmaster about the extra rails.