On 18 Mar, 16:54, wrote:
In article , ()
wrote:

The 3rd cab wasn't in the middle, it was 2 cars from the end. Hence
the subject line. I'd not seen that configuration before *- they're
usually in the middle.

Usually maybe but there's no reason why they have to be.

Not even usually. They are not four-car units, so if there's a cab
unit not at the end of the train, it's just as likely to face either
way.

Same situation with the C stock where the unit in the middle can face
either way. The C stock could give the impression of being a four car
unit plus an extra two, but it's really three twos. The 1992 stock is
four twos.


Why are there extra cabs anyway? The 92 stock was always going to be 8
cars everywhere AFAIK. Are they just spares in case of failure?

They wanted the flexibility while cutting down the number of cabs. The R
stock demonstrated the costs of fixed train formations, with every car
having an allocated place in a train (apart from the 6-to-8 car addition
of a second 2-car unit) and most stock from 1960 till 1992 having more
cabs than really needed.

--
Colin Rosenstiel