Express train

Express trains (also sometimes referred to as "fast trains") are a form of rail service. Express trains make only a small amount of stops, instead of stopping at every single station. In many cases, trains often run express where there is overlapping local train service available, and run local at the tail ends of the line, where there is no supplemental local service. During overnight hours, or other times where it is practical, express trains become local, but still running to where an express train would terminate at.

While widely implemented in long distance rail service, it has also proven successful in the planning in many rapid transit systems. A large portion of the New York City Subway has a 4 track layout, outer two for local trains, and inner two for express trains. This has also been implemented on Philadelphia's Broad Street Line, parts of Chicago's Red Line, and Purple Line lines and many parts of the London Underground, specifically the Metropolitan Line and the Piccadilly Line. Several variations of express services (e.g. semi express, limited express) are also a feature in major Japanese railways.

ee also

*Limited-stop
*Local train
*Railway

External links

* [http://www.chicago-l.org/operations/lines/route_ops/north.html Brief history of express/local combination service on Chicago's North Side Main Line]
* [http://www.davros.org/rail/culg/metropolitan.html A history on London Underground's Metropolitan Line, including it's "fast" or express service]