In an electric traction system in which power is supplied from a catenary via a pantograph, the mechanical design of the catenary and pantograph is clearly of importance in relation to the problem of current collection at high speed. A computer-simulation technique is used to study the effects of changing parameters of pantograph and catenary on the quality of current collection at high speed. The current collection system is evaluated on the basis of the contact-force variations and displacement responses of the pantograph and contact wire. This study shows that current-collection quality is determined primarily by the overhead line parameters rather than by the pantograph. The results can be applied to optimize the design of current-collection systems.