# Terminology question: run-through train



## SCrails (Feb 22, 2010)

What's a "run-through train"?

Amtrak Ink for Feb 2010 says the following:



> ...in January, the Texas Eagle and City of New Orleans train sets began operation as run-through train


It's on page 7. More explanation follows in the article but I don't quite get the point. How does the new operation differ from how they were operated before?

And it's apparently not the same "run-through" as a run-through station...

That edition is available here:

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServe...0/1237608345018


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## alanh (Feb 22, 2010)

I think they just mean that the same trainset is used on both routes. Usually, a trainset is turned and used for the same route in the reverse direction.

So after arriving as the Texas Eagle, the same train leaves Chicago as the City of New Orleans.


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## rrdude (Feb 22, 2010)

What Alan H said, and from that Feb issue of Amtrak Ink, it spells it out pretty clearly:

"........In addition, in January, the Texas Eagle

and City of New Orleans train sets began

operation as run-through trains. When the

City of New Orleans arrives in Chicago, it is

stripped, cleaned and restocked, becoming

the Texas Eagle operating to San Antonio or

Los Angeles. When the Texas Eagle arrives

in Chicago, it is also stripped, cleaned and

restocked, before becoming the City of New

Orleans operating to New Orleans.

“Run-throughs increase fleet utilization

and it’s an advantage with these particular

trains because they run from a relatively

warm site in Texas up to Chicago and then

back to New Orleans. That gives them time

to warm up.” Murphy said...........


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## DowneasterPassenger (Feb 22, 2010)

rrdude said:


> What Alan H said, and from that Feb issue of Amtrak Ink, it spells it out pretty clearly:
> "........In addition, in January, the Texas Eagle
> 
> and City of New Orleans train sets began
> ...


I'm not sure if it's the same thing, but I've heard that around here some train sets start in Oakland as a San Joaquin, go to Bakersfield, then up to Sacramento as a northbound San Joaquin, then back down to Oakland as a Capitol Corridor.


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## Bob Dylan (Feb 22, 2010)

They are definitely doing this, I just rode the TE#22 last week, when we got to SPI they had everyone leave the sightseer lounge so it could be cleaned, also the SAC had taken up all the linen,preped the beds since he had told us that this train would be run-through as the CONO out of CHI that night! We were an hour down on time so perhaps they started a little early but the CCC was also serving a one sitting lunch froim here since they had to do the same. At least the lounge is back on the City!


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## the_traveler (Feb 22, 2010)

There are advantages and disadvantages of having run through sets.

One of the advantages is better utilization of the equipment.

One disadvantage is if one train is late arriving, the departing train still has to be cleaned and restocked before departing. So the departing train may start off the trip by leaving late from the originating station.


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## SCrails (Feb 22, 2010)

Thanks for the insights, everyone. I can see where the success of run-through trains depends on timely operations. The term itself was just confusing to the uninitiated (me).


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## battalion51 (Feb 22, 2010)

Run throughs are also partially put in place to ensure certain things are accomplished with the equipment. For example (I don't know if this is the current practice) but a set starting in Chicago would go through the following rotation 48-91-98-97-92-49. The same set would operate over three different routes to make sure that the equipment saw sunshine and warm temperatures on a regular basis and to get PM in Hialeah. At another point sets were rotating 20-97-98-19 for maintenance reasons. Heck I even remember one point where there was a 8-59-58-7 rotation!


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