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A railway platform is a section of pathway, alongside rail tracks at a train station, metro station or tram stop, at which passengers may board or alight from trains or trams. Almost all stations for rail transport have some form of platforms, with larger stations having multiple platforms. The term platform is most commonly used for designated areas where trains stop (Platform 1, 2, 3, etc.). Technically speaking, the term platform actually refers to physical continuous sections of platform area. So such a physical platform may contain several "designated" platforms.1 Characteristics
A most basic form of platform consists of an area at the same level as the track, usually resulting in a fairly large height difference between the 'platform' and the train floor. This would often not be considered a true platform. The more traditional platform is situated at an elevated level relative to the track, but often lower than the train floor, although ideally the platform should be at the same level as the train floor. Occasionally the platform is at a higher level than the train floor. This may be the case when a train with a low floor level serves a station built for trains with a higher floor level, for example at the Dutch stations of the DB Regionalbahn Westfalen (see Enschede). Likewise, on the London Underground some stations are served by both District Line and Piccadilly Line trains, and the Piccadilly trains have lower floors.
A tram stop is often in the middle of the street; usually it has as a platform, a refuge area of a similar height to that of the sidewalk (eg. 10 cm), and sometimes has no platform at all. The latter requires extra care for the boarding and unboarding passengers and for the other traffic to avoid accidents. Both types of tram stops can be seen in the tram network of Melbourne. Sometimes a tram stop is served by ordinary trams (with rather low floors) as well as metro-like light rail vehicles with higher floors, and the tram stop is provided with a dual height platform. An example can be found in AmstelveenAmstelveen (population: 77,279) is a town in the north-western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The municipality covers an area of 42. 38 kmē (of which 2. 13 kmē water). It is part of the metropolitan area of Amsterdam. The municipality of A, Netherlands. Similarly a train station may be served by heavy-rail and light-rail vehicles (with lower floors) and also have a dual height platform. This applies for example on the RijnGouweLijnThe RijnGouweLijn or RGL is a light rail project in South Holland, Netherlands. It will be the first system in the Netherlands where light rail vehicles will partly use heavy rail tracks, sharing these tracks with heavy rail trains, like the systems aroun, Netherlands.
2 Facilities
Part of the station facilities are usually on the platforms. Where the platforms are not situated within a station building, often some form of shelterShelter can refer to several things: A place in which people live to provide shelter from the elements; a house. A place of refuge, such as a women's shelter for abused women or a homeless shelter for vagrants. A shortened name for an animal shelter, whic or waiting room is provided. The protection offered by such varies greatly some being little more than a roof with open sides, others being a closed room with heating or air-conditioning (the roof also provides shadeShade is the blocking of sunlight (in particular direct sunshine) by any object, and also the shadow created by that object. It may refer to blocking of sunlight by a roof, a tree, an umbrella, a window shade or blind, or anything else. Shade is an import; this may be a disadvantage in colder climates). Also there may be benchBench may refer to several things: A long backless chair, or a table (especially one used for working rather than eating); The place where judges sit in a court, or metonymously a panel of judges or the office of a judge; The seats provided for Members ines, lightingLighting refers to the devices or techniques used for illumination, usually referring to artificial light sources such as lamps or flashlights. Natural indoor lighting is by windows and skylights. Artificial indoor lighting is by means of lamps, today usu, garbage boxes and static timetables or dynamic displays with information about the next train, delays, etc. There are often loudspeakers as part of a public address system. The PA system is often found where dynamic timetables or electronic displays are not present. A variety of information is presented, usually pertaining to departures, but often arrivals also. This concerns destinations and times (for all trains, or only the more important long-distance trains), delays, cancellations, platform changes, changes in routes and destinations, the fact that for a train a supplemental fee or a reservation is required, etc.
