On Wednesday, November 18, 2015 at 2:31:46 PM UTC-5, John Levine wrote:   
   > >> I see that every day six trains arrive at Montauk, but only five   
   > >> return.  How's that work?   
      
   > Laying up overnight wouldn't help, since six more trains arrive the   
   > next day.  Deadheading is possible but seems odd, if they're running   
   > the train it might as well take passengers.  Perhaps they couple two   
   > of them together.   
      
   It is not unusual for the number of trains in one direction not   
   to equal trains in the opposite direction.   
      
   It could be any of:   
      
   . deadhead movement; including use of equipment elsewhere.   
   . combined movement   
   . trains coupled together   
   . equipment held in reserve in case of breakdown   
      
   It is not necessarily a good a idea for a deadheading train to   
   take passengers.  Passenger movements must make station stops,   
   must have crew to lift tickets, train must be cleaned, there   
   is a risk of lateness if a passenger gets ill.  In other   
   words, a deadhead movement that takes on passengers increases   
   costs.  If the number of passengers is large enough, then it   
   would pay to operate it as a passenger movement, but some   
   deadhead moves, such as against the flow in rush hour, are   
   better off closed.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)