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Gear Station (Japanese: ギアステーション Gear Station) is a location in Nimbasa City. It is the central hub of the Battle Subway, where all of the lines begin. It is circular, with each train platform having its own entrance. In the middle is a large pillar with several clocks on it. Although it appears to be mostly underground, it appears as a large building with several columns.
Exchange Service Corner
The Exchange Service Corner is located within each train platform (excluding the platform for the train to Anville Town). The player can buy various goods with Battle Points.
The Battle Subway drops the player off at a stop every seven wins. There are many benches, trash cans, a map, and a vending machine. Across from the train tracks are unreadable lighted signs. Internally, it is called "Battle Subway", and is considered part of Nimbasa City. Like the Royal Unova, most key items cannot be used.
Challenges
Seven of the Train lines involve battling. Like the Generation IV Battle Tower, the player may participate in Single Battles, Double Battles, multi battles, or Wi-Fi battles. In each mode, the player must defeat seven Trainers in a row (two Trainers at a time in multi battles) to earn Battle Points. Afterwards, the player can continue battling or return to Nimbasa City. The player's total win streak is reported after each battle, and the player's current win streaks and Battle Points can be viewed using the Vs. Recorder.
The single, double, and multi battle modes contain two Train lines: the Normal Trains line and the Super Trains line. In the Normal Trains, the opponents only use Generation V Pokémon, and the Subway Boss is challenged in the 21st battle. After defeating the Subway Boss, the player is returned to Nimbasa City.
The Super Trains line is unlocked after defeating the Normal Trains' Subway Boss. The player must have the National Pokédex in order to battle on this line. In this mode, the opponents use fully evolved Pokémon (with the exception of Porygon2) from the first five generations. After 48 battles, the Subway Boss is challenged once again.
All Pokémon are set to level 50 on the Battle Subway, and unlike previous generations this also includes Pokémon below level 50. Like all battle facilities, if a consumable item is used, it will be restored immediately after battle. Unlike previous battling facilities, the player does not automatically lose if both Trainers' last Pokémon faint simultaneously; instead, the Trainer whose Pokémon fell first loses.
Battle Points
For every 7 consecutive wins, the player is awarded with Battle Points. The number of points awarded are shown in the table below. Note that the Wi-Fi Trains gives 10 Battle Points for every 7 consecutive wins.
For every time a Trainer is defeated and the player advances to the next cabin, a sound effect or beat is added to the background music. At the first cabin of every train, only the sound of train tracks is played. Subsequently, jingles, bongo drum beats, and a bass tune are added, until the last (seventh) cabin, where a soft melody can be heard in the background.
Partners
In the Multi Trains, the player can team up with another player via wireless or infrared. Otherwise, the player can team up with the NPC Hilbert, Hilda, Nate or Rosa depending on the player's gender and game version. The NPC asks what kind of team the player would prefer to team up with, based on attack, defense or balance, and adjusts the team accordingly.
Pokémon
Banned Pokémon
Regardless of what challenge is taken, the following Pokémon are not allowed:
After winning 20 and 48 battles consecutively in one of the seven modes (excluding the Wi-Fi Trains), a Subway Boss is battled.
When the Subway Bosses are defeated on the Super Single and Super Double Trains, a Trainer star is earned. The player is also given a trophy, for his or her room, when defeating the Super Single, Super Double, and Super Multi Subway Bosses for the first time, resulting in a total of three obtainable trophies.
Subway Boss Ingo
Ingo can be battled on the Single and Super Single Trains.
The Battle Subway appears in the anime as typical public transportation for the citizens of Nimbasa City, as well as featuring Battle Trains that Trainers may battle on. Gear Station made a short cameo in Meowth's Scrafty Tactics! as Jessie and James began the next phase of their mission. They continued their mission on into Purrloin: Sweet or Sneaky?, Beheeyem, Duosion, and the Dream Thief!, and Beartic Mountain Feud!. In Beheeyem, Duosion, and the Dream Thief! their actions were noticed by Emmet and his brother Ingo through their security office. In Beartic Mountain Feud!, the twins set out to find the cause of the disturbances and they caught a glimpse of Team Rocket, but lost them among the shadows of the subway tunnels.
In Crisis from the Underground Up! and Battle for the Underground, Ash, Iris, Cilan, and Meowth used the Battle Subway trains as a means of transport to reach the Pokémon Center. After the train was stopped, due to Team Rocket tampering with the rail switches, the group met Emmet and Ingo. While they were resting at the Pokémon Center, Team Rocket executed their scheme to steal all the Pokémon at the Pokémon Center, and used the Battle Subway as a medium for transporting them. They used their own specialized train, and were able to create balloon-like duplicates to throw off Emmet and Ingo's security center computer which monitors all trains currently on the rails. Ash, Iris, and Cilan were then assigned to use the maintenance trains to find Team Rocket and retrieve the stolen Pokémon. When things got rough, Ingo and Emmet joined them, using Emmet's Eelektross as a super-charged power supply for the maintenance train.
In Lost at the Stamp Rally!, a Stamp Rally was held, offering the prize of an opportunity to battle the Subway Bosses. Cilan entered the challenge, and after he completed the collection and helped Ingo and Emmet reunite a lost Axew with her Trainer, he partners with Ash to battle the twins. They faced Ingo and Emmet's Chandelure and Eelektross, but lost.
Trivia
The Battle Subway is the only Battle Tower (analogue) that was not expanded or altered between original and follow-up versions, appearing in Black 2 and White 2 just like it was in Black and White - even in terms of the specific Pokémon used by opponents.