1. Operation

2. Examples
    Australia   Belgium    Germany   United Kingdom  United States of America 

3. Reception

4. See also

5. References

A dividing train is a train that separates into two trains partway along its route, so as to serve two destinations.

Operation

On the initial leg of its journey, the train is driven as normal by a single crew. At a designated station before a junction, the train stops and some of the cars are detached, with passengers or goods still on board. The front part of the train then departs to run the remainder of its route. A second train is then formed from the detached cars, the points are changed at the junction, and a new crew drives the train on a different route to a second destination. Where the train is formed of multiple units – self-contained trainsets with their own propulsion and driving cabs – two or more units work in multiple on the first leg. After detachment, the second crew drives in the trailing unit's front cab.

On the return journey, the two trains may join at the same station where they divided. Special signalling is required at the station, both to recognise the division of the outbound train as intentional, and to allow the two inbound trains to enter the same block. The British rail network uses a draw ahead signal for the latter.^[1]

Examples

Australia

• Canberra Monaro Express – Sydney Central to {{Stnlnk|Canberra}} and Cooma dividing at {{Stnlnk|Queanbeyan}} (1955–73 and 1986–88)

Belgium

• IC trains between Genk and Knokke or Blankenberge (IC 1527-1542) are divided in Bruges, the front part will go to Knokke (IC 1627-1642) while the rest continues to Blankenberge and the same occurs on the return leg (IC 1505-1520). The consists are either made up with AM96 EMU's (enable passage from set coach to another) or M6 coaches hauled by Class 19 locomotives. In the latter case, cab cars and engines are fitted with automatic couplers to allow quick separation. On periods with high affluence or when facing problems, these IC trains could run entirely to one destination (usually Blankenberghe) and another trainset was be provided for the leg between Bruges and Knokke. This dual service ended with the new transport timetable introduced in December 2017. Now, separate trains are used for each destination.^[2]

• despite not being advertised as coupling trains, some IC trains between Lille Flandres and Tournai are then coupled with one or two AM96 trainsets going from Tournai or Kortrijk to Namur, therefore allowing to travel directly from Lille to Namur.^[3]

• The same happens with IC trains Between Lille Flandres and Mouscron. At Mouscron, they are coupled with AM96 multiple units which then run IC trains between Mouscron and Antwerp Centraal.^[3]

Germany

• There are several dividing regional and high-speed trains all over Germany.
• Hanover Stadtbahn: In the evenings and on Sundays the lines 2 and 8 of Hanover's light rail system work with dividing trains. Trains start in Alte Heide as line 2 and divide in Peiner Straße stop. One part continues as line 8 to Messe Nord, the other as line 2 to Rethen. In the other direction, trains reconnect at Bothmer Straße station and run as line 2 to Alte Heide.
• Since 2014, the Regional-Express services RE 1 Mannheim–Saarbrücken–Trier–Koblenz and RE 11 Luxembourg City–Trier–Koblenz operate jointly with trains dividing in Trier main station. The RE 1 part is operated by the German DB Regio South-West with a Stadler FLIRT single-deck EMU as part of the Süwex network, while the RE 11 part is operated by the Luxembourgish Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer Luxembourgeois with a double-deck Stadler KISS EMU. This is probably the only situation where a single-deck and a double-deck train of two countries' national railways divide

United Kingdom

• {{stnlnk|Birmingham New Street}} to {{stnlnk|Aberystwyth}} and {{stnlnk|Pwllheli}} dividing at {{stnlnk|Machynlleth}}
• Caledonian Sleeper – {{Stnlnk|London Euston}} to {{Stnlnk|Edinburgh Waverley}} and {{Stnlnk|Glasgow Central}} dividing at {{Stnlnk|Carstairs}}^[4]
• Caledonian Sleeper – {{Stnlnk|London Euston}} to {{Stnlnk|Fort William}}, {{Stnlnk|Aberdeen}} and {{Stnlnk|Inverness}} dividing at {{Stnlnk|Edinburgh Waverley}}
• {{Stnlnk|London King's Cross}} to {{Stnlnk|Ely}} and {{Stnlnk|King's Lynn}} dividing at {{Stnlnk|Cambridge}}^[5]
• {{Stnlnk|London Victoria}} to {{Stnlnk|Ramsgate}} and {{Stnlnk|Dover Priory}} dividing at {{Stnlnk|Faversham}}^[6]
• {{stnlnk|London Waterloo}} to {{stnlnk|Exeter St Davids}} and {{stnlnk|Bristol Temple Meads}} dividing at {{stnlnk|Salisbury}}.

United States of America

• "Empire Builder" – Chicago Union Station to Portland Union Station and Seattle dividing at Spokane, Washington
• "Lake Shore Limited" Chicago Union Station to Pennsylvania Station (New York) and South Station (Boston)

Reception

Dividing trains are sometimes seen as a pitfall for the unwary traveller.^[7]

See also

• Interchange
• Portion working, where trains are coupled for part of their journey but otherwise operate separately
• Slip coach
• Through coach

References

• Piero Badaloni
• Piero Ballerini
• Piero Bellotti
• Piero Bianconi
• Pierobon
• Piero Brandi
• Piero Bucchi
• Piero Buscaroli
• Piero Carletto
• Piero Carnabuci
• Piero Castrofilaca
• Piero Ciampi
• Piero Codia
• Piero Colonna
• Piero Crescentio
• Piero De Benedictis
• Piero di Tommaso Soderini
• Piero D'lnzeo
• Piero Dorazio
• Piero Errani
• Piero Farulli
• Piero Ferracuti
• Piero Filippone
• Piero Fossati
• Piero Gavazzi