Through coach
![A Paris–Algeciras through coach (at right) being shunted at Irun railway station, Spain, 1993.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/05_052a_Bf_Ir%C3%BAn%2C_RENFE-Bmp%2C_SNCF-Bc.jpg/300px-05_052a_Bf_Ir%C3%BAn%2C_RENFE-Bmp%2C_SNCF-Bc.jpg)
In rail terminology, a through coach is a passenger car (coach) that is re-marshalled during the course of its journey. It begins the journey attached to one train, and arrives at its destination attached to another train.[1][2]
Through coaches save their transit passengers the need to change trains themselves.[1] They also increase the number of direct links offered by the train operator(s).[2]
Most frequently in the form of sleeping or couchette cars, through coaches have commonly been used for long-distance journeys, especially in continental Europe, although they are much less common now than they were in the early 1970s.[2]
Example
In 2010 and 2011, the Basel – Moscow sleeping car (2,856 km or 1,775 mi in 37 hours and 11 minutes) was attached successively to the following trains:[3][4]
- from Basel SBB to Hannover Hbf: CNL 472 Basel SBB – Copenhagen;
- from Hannover Hbf to Warszawa Wschodnia: EN 447 Amsterdam – Warszawa Wschodnia;
- from Warszawa Wschodnia to Brest: 405 Bohumin – Brest; with bogie exchange at the international border because of a break of gauge from 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge to 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in) gauge
- from Brest to Moscow: D 22 Brest – Moscow.
See also
- Dividing train
- Express train
- Interchange (freight rail)
- Slip coach
- Section (rail transport)