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Thinking tactically, rather than strategically, has anyone asked the dispatchers? Rail networks are usually not partitioned (in the graph theory sense); moving
by jloughry 11y ago
Thinking tactically, rather than strategically, has anyone asked the dispatchers? Rail networks are usually not partitioned (in the graph theory sense); moving equipment around for reasons of wear levelling, capacity, maintenance, replacement, or traffic control might account for some ghost trains. After a major snowstorm, airlines need to reposition equipment to meet schedules; they hate to fly aircraft empty, but they do it.
The same reasoning applies to road freight, pipelines, and probably fresh fruit and cut flowers too.
- jcranmer 11y agoThe article is talking about revenue runs whereas the kind of movements you're talking about are non-revenue runs (or deadheading). On non-revenue runs, there's no need to provide service, unlike these ghost trains, where service still needs to be provided even if there is little or no uptake.
- tobylane 11y agoThe main partitioning is franchise which is somewhat tied to the single London terminus they have. Some of the ghost trains, eg Paddinton to Ruislip, cross these boundaries. https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a6/3b/45/a63b45c481bac3afe3589e41bc7fc85b.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/a6/3b/45/a63b45c48...