Train stations often have curved platforms because tracks curve to follow terrain (hills, rivers) or fit existing city layouts, and platforms must match the track's curve for safety and to align with train cars, creating the common "mind the gap" issue, with curves also sometimes used for aesthetics or crowd flow in older designs.
Stations may have to use a compromise design, with a platform curved in a way that will allow a vehicle or train to arrive and depart without mechanical interference, but which leaves unavoidable horizontal and possibly vertical gaps between the cars and the platform edge.
Those curves as labeled them enables everyone to safely pass the slight turn without toppling over and slowing down... The slight curvatures or angles also cancels out and neutralizes the effect of the so called centrifugal force by a little bit shifting the center of gravity of the passing trains...
New figures from the Office of Rail and Road reveal that CrossCountry is the worst culprit this year, cancelling nearly one in ten trains (9.54%). That means if you booked ten journeys in 2025, odds are at least one of them never left the platform. The long-distance operator isn't alone.
1970 - Urduliz: Two trains collided head-on near the Basque city of Bilbao in the north, killing 33. The stationmaster blamed for the accident had been working 16-hour shifts for four days prior to the crash.
Riding The Metropolitan Line's Secret Curve Of Track
What country has the widest train tracks?
Broad gauge of 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in), commonly known as Indian gauge, is the dominant track gauge in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Argentina, Chile, and on BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is the widest gauge in common use anywhere in the world.
In fact, it's illegal to place or throw any small or large object on a railroad track. Small objects that are left on a railroad track can become a “projectile” as the train passes it.
While "underrated" is subjective, recent studies and travel discussions frequently highlight Hastings, Royal Leamington Spa, and Shrewsbury as top contenders, praised for their culture, independent shops, events, and history, often overshadowed by bigger names like Brighton or Birmingham. Other strong contenders include historic Chester, revitalized Swansea, and the charming, remote Scottish village of Inverie, depending on whether you prefer history, coastal vibes, or seclusion.
What is the longest single train journey in the UK?
The longest direct train journey in the UK runs all the way from Aberdeen to Penzance (southbound only). It takes more than 13 hours and covers 774 miles and rather a lot of stations along the way.
Train drivers are told to freshen up before duty, as there's no washroom in the engine. This helps avoid toilet breaks during the journey and keeps things running smoothly #Trains #Railways #Bathrooms. There Is No Washrooms In Indian Train Engines.
The station with 44 platforms is Grand Central Terminal in New York City, the world's largest railway station by platform count, featuring two levels of platforms serving numerous tracks for commuter rail lines like Metro-North, and renowned for its Beaux-Arts architecture and status as a major tourist attraction.
According to Rainbow Restoration here's the answer: Most tornadoes lack the strength to pick up a locomotive, which can weigh over 200 tons. Only the most extreme EF5 tornadoes might move such massive objects. Tornadoes more commonly derail or damage trains rather than lift them.
Countries without railway tracks, stations, and networks including Maldives, Bhutan, Iceland, and more. Many countries lack railway networks. Iceland, Andorra, Bhutan, Kuwait, Maldives, Guinea-Bissau, Libya and Yemen are some of them.
Great Britain has (in general) the most restrictive loading gauge (relative to track gauge) in the world. That is a legacy of the British railway network being the world's oldest, and of having been built by a large number of different private companies, each with different standards for the width and height of trains.
As well as boasting the longest network of high-speed lines in the world, China now has the fastest scheduled trains on the planet. The CR400 “Fuxing” trains run at a commercial maximum of 350 kph (217 mph) but have successfully reached 420 kph (260 mph) on test.
where does it all go? 🤔 Here's the secret: 🚽 Toilet waste doesn't fall from the sky (myth busted!). Instead, it's sucked into sealed holding tanks by a vacuum system. Those tanks stay closed until the aircraft lands, and then ground crews empty them using special service trucks.
Is it illegal to refuse access to a toilet in the UK?
In the UK, refusing toilet access can be illegal, especially for employees (under health & safety law) or if it's disability discrimination (under the Equality Act 2010), requiring reasonable adjustments; however, for the general public in private businesses, rules vary, with staff toilets often not for public use unless specific conditions (like a license or seating) apply, though refusal can be challenged if it amounts to discrimination.
What happens to toilet waste on a train in the UK?
Pretty much all regular-service trains running on the national network in the UK have been fitted with retention tanks and no longer deposit waste directly onto the tracks.
Watch: Man survives being run over by train. A man has survived being run over by a train while sleeping by train tracks in Peru, local authorities said. Surveillance footage shows him lying motionless before a slow-moving cargo train makes contact with him.
Operation of the heritage railway was suspended in 2012 following accreditation issues with the Government of New South Wales. The railway was aiming to resume services in October 2013, but was then severely damaged during the 2013 NSW bushfires and then subsequently by torrential rain.