3 ms·
Tangentially, train 'headcodes' in the UK are not unique for various historical and convenience reasons. They're supposed to be unique within a given 'area' and
by cameronh90 2y ago
Tangentially, train 'headcodes' in the UK are not unique for various historical and convenience reasons. They're supposed to be unique within a given 'area' and period of time, but it's not very well specified what either of those are.
It rarely causes problems, but very occasionally does.
- 0xffff2 2y agoThis is true in the US as well. For example, all northbound trains on Amtrak's Coast Starlight route are train 14 and all southbound trains on the same route are train 11. There's currently a train 14 west of Los Angeles that originated this morning. Meanwhile train 14 that originated in Los Angeles yesterday is a couple hours from pulling in to Eugene, Oregon. Likewise there's a train 11 that just departed Seattle and another train 11 that's just about to pull in to San Jose. I assume that in theory any given train #/station/date is unique, but given Amtrak's notorious delays, I'm sure that theory has been disproven at least once.