Early stations were usually built to handle passengers and goods. Today, goods are usually only unloaded at big stations. Stations are next to a railway line, or they are the terminus for a route. Usually there are platforms to let passengers get on and off the train easily and safely. Many stations have things such as shelters, ticket sales and benches.
The busiest railway station in the world is Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, Japan. The largest station is Nagoya Station in Nagoya, Japan. The busiest station in Europe is Clapham Junction in south London in the United Kingdom. At peak times, there is one train every 13 seconds there.
Railway stations usually have either ticket booths, or ticket machines. Ticket sales can also be together with an information desk or a shop. Many stations have a shop or a kiosk.
Bigger stations often have fast-food or restaurants. In some countries these stations also have a bar, or a pub. Other station facilities are: toilets, luggage rooms, lost-and-found (lost property office), timetables, trolleys, waiting rooms, taxi ranks and bus stops.
Railway track
A railway track or railway line is a set of two parallel rows of long pieces of steel. They are used by trains to transport people and things from one place to another. (In America, people say railroad as well as railway). Often, there is more than one set of tracks on the railway line. For example, trains go east on one track and west on the other one.
The rails are supported by cross pieces set at regular intervals (called sleepers or ties), which spread the high pressure load imposed by the train wheels into the ground. They also maintain the rails at a fixed distance apart (called the gauge). Ties are usually made from either wood or concrete. These often rest on ballast, which is a name for very small pieces of broken up rock that are packed together and keep the railway tracks in place. Tracks are often made better by ballast tampers.
The upper surfaces of the rails are inclined slightly towards each other, typically on a slope of 1/20, and the rims of the train wheels are angled in the same way ("coning"). This helps guide the vehicles of the train along the track. Each wheel also has a flange, which sticks out from one edge all the way around. This makes sure the train does not "derail" (come off the track) and helps guide the train on sharp curves.
Rail transport
Rail transport is the movement of passengers and goods using wheeled vehicles, made to run on railway tracks. In most countries, this transportation method helps trade and economic growth. Railways (UK) or railroads (North America) provide an energy-efficient way to transport material over land. The railway tracks are a large part of the system and provide smooth and hard surfaces on which the wheels of the train roll with a little friction. Also, the track spreads the weight of the train which means larger amounts can be carried than with trucks and roads.
Rail transport started to be important in the Industrial Revolution. The first railroads were built in England.
Waterway
A waterway is any body of water that can be used for transportation by people in boats. These include rivers, lakes, oceans, and canals.
They must be wide and deep enough for the boats, and either have no waterfalls and rapids, or have ways for boats to get around them, such as locks.
Terminus
Terminus is a Latin word that literally means "Boundary stone" but can refer to:
Junction
A junction is any place where linear things, especially roads and railway tracks, meet.
A Road junction is a place where roads meet. These are known as 'T' junctions and 'X' junctions.
A railway junction is a place where two railway tracks join. The shape of a junction looks like
Sometimes the trains just cross and keep going straight ahead to their destination. Sometimes they turn onto the other track to reach the planned destination. Moveable portions of track make this possible.
Station
Station has many meanings, so it is often used with other words to tell people which one is meant:
In transport:
In communications:
Other buildings:
Other uses:
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James Brown
James Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American R&B and funk singer. He was known as the "Godfather of Soul".
He was born in Barnwell, South Carolina and grew up in Augusta, Georgia. Brown was arrested by police on many occasions. When he was 16, he was convicted of armed robbery, for which he spent three years in a youth detention center. His other convictions include assaults.
Four of Brown's albums were in "Rolling Stone" magazine's 2003 list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Brown's most well known song is "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine".
In 2006, Brown died of pneumonia and heart disease in Atlanta. There was a public memorial service at Apollo Theater. Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Prince were there. In 1993 Brown was in "The Simpsons" episode "Bart's Inner Child".
Aldous Huxley
Aldous Leonard Huxley (26 July 1894 22 November 1963) was an English writer, and one of the most prominent members of the famous Huxley family.
He wrote a number of novels, on various themes. Most of his books are about modern society, the effects of modern science and, later, on mysticism and psychedelic drugs like LSD.
Huxley is probably best known for his book "Brave New World". In the book, which was written in 1932, he writes about a world in the far future, where the whole social hierarchy is based on genetic traits, and not on the personal effort of individual people to learn and improve themselves.
Dylan Thomas
Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953) was a Welsh poet. He was born in the town of Swansea. He published his first book of poetry in 1932. In addition to writing poetry, he was an excellent speaker. He toured the United Kingdom and the United States reciting his poems. He wrote works for radio including ""A Child's Christmas in Wales"" and ""Under Milk Wood""
Thomas is one of the famous people who appears on the cover of The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album.
Leo Gorcey
Leo Bernard Gorcey (June 3, 1917 – June 2, 1969) was an American actor. He is most famous for appearing the "Dead End Kids" series.
Gorcey was one of the famous people who appeared on The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album, but he asked to have his picture removed.
1750
Indiana
Indiana is a U.S. state in the midwestern and Great Lakes regions of North America. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Other famous cities and towns include Bloomington, Gary, Ft. Wayne, South Bend, Evansville, Muncie, and Marion. People who live in Indiana are sometimes called Hoosiers. Indiana's state bird is a Cardinal. Indiana's state flower is a Peony. Indiana's state tree is a Tulip Tree. Indiana has borders with four other states: Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and Ohio. It also touches Lake Michigan; which is the only one of the Great Lakes that is completely inside the United States.
Before it was called Indiana, most people who lived there were indigenous. France colonized the area, renaming it New France. They enslaved the indigenous peoples, and introduced black slaves too. In the 18th century, the new United States took the area from France, and many slave owners from Kentucky and Virginia moved into the area. By 1820, it had become a state called Indiana and the government ordered all slaves to be freed, but black people were still enslaved there into at least the 1830s.
One famous attraction of Indiana is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which is where the Indy 500 is held every year. The Indy 500 is one of the most famous car races in the United States. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is not actually in Indianapolis. It is in a town called Speedway, which is completely surrounded by Indianapolis.