Raiway station

History of railways
The industrial revolution is by and large considered to be the first landmark for the history of railway
systems, Even before the industrial revolution, man has tried to develop railways, though not as a
system, His efforts in the past had been to develop the individual components. These were:
1) By 7000 BC, sledges were used for hauling,
2) By 3000 BC domesticated animals were made beasts of burden; sails and wheeled vehicles
developed,
3) By about AD 800-1100, modern horse harness and traps, and nailed iron horseshoes developed.
4) In 1769 the first steam road vehicle was demonstrated by Nicolas Cugnot in Paris.
With the beginning of the industrial revolution the railroad introduced two innovations into land
transportation. One was the locomotive, which concentrated in a single unit -the pulling power of
many horses. The other, which made use of this increased power, was the practice of linking many
separate vehicles, or cars, into trains. Underlying these two new elements was a third -the track, or
road of rails. The first time when railways as a system of tracks, locomotive and cars was
successfully demonstrated in 1808 when Richard Travithick introduced the train called Catch me
who can. Today, the track is still the backbone of the railroads. It must be strong enough to support
the weight of the trains and smooth enough to offer minimum friction to rolling wheels. Parallel rails
of track perform a third and unique task: they guide the trains as the vehicles move along the track.
According to history the first train to carry passengers exclusively in Britain, travelled along the
Liverpool and Manchester railway on 15th September 1830. This was the first time when railway
came up as one system which has three parts:
(1) Railway itself which consisted of rails, locomotives and cars.
(2) Singling and technical department.
(3) Terminal where people wait for train and pay for the journey.
With the growth of railways, a few stations began to be built in Britain. For instance, in 1852 the
Battle station was built and in 1840-41 in Brighton, the Sussex station was built by David Mocatta.
Around 1843, a station designed by John. C. Louden was built in Woburn, Bedfordshire. From then
on started the trend of designed railway stations and this has continued through the ages till the
present day.
In a way, the railway station has an interesting history. It started off as a single pole among a
number of trees and has developed through history into a well defined platform with roof. One can
also notice today that the station actually starts off as a platform with a roof which transforms into a
complex building, cinema hall, shopping mall & what not; and all these due to the technological
advancements, social changes & changes in the economical structure of the countries. An
interesting example to illustrate this is that, while in 1865, the St. Pancreas station in Britain or any
other station at this time, was designed with cast-iron, in the 20th century the Waterloo station (also
in Britain), has been designed in a modern way with glass. Another reason one can site for this
drastic change is the technological development in trains themselves -In I960 Japan invented the
Bullet train and in 19KK France made another breakthrough by introducing another fast train system
(TGV).
One of most important aspects of a railway terminal is its design. Always, the design of a station
building connects the viewer with the period in history, when it was built. In some of the interior
regions of countries, the terminal was made to look like a house, fortress or church etc. One may
notice that the form of the railway station and use of materials and finishes and the visual aspects
are all dependent upon the country, its climatic conditions, social structure economical condition etc.
For instance, in third world countries, stations have never been designed until recently. They have
developed on their own, with the changes in functional requirements. On the contrary, in countries
like USA and Britain, most of the stations have been designed by qualified / specialized people.
By the forties railway stations had become a thing of enormous pride and importance and the
railways became prestige conscious. All over England buildings which were as impressive in
dimensions as they were artistic in design began to be built. In London were Euston a Grecian-Ionic
structure; St. Pancreas with its hundreds of highly decorative pseudo- Gothic windows;-Paddington,
looking like a palace and representing a mixture of Italian and Arabesque design. Milan in Italy is
covering an area of 103 acres. In the USA, railway stations have not only introduced novelty to
design, bearing the impression of an utilitarian age, but are in grandeur and magnificence,
outstanding achievements of modern times. Railway stations have been built under and over ground
in such cities as New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington and
San Francisco. They have huge concourse and waiting halls, restaurants, arcades, cinema theaters,
stairways, lifts, escalators and a. maze of subterranean passages leading to distant openings into
streets, all representing a multipurpose utility, unknown in any other part of the world.
In India station buildings vary, some are no more than a collection of old wagons and coaches, while
there are others as outstanding in design, as magnificent in construction and as well provided in
ordinary comforts for passengers, as anywhere in the world. The average railway station in India
consists of the large brick structure providing accommodation for offices, and a waiting hall for
passengers. In addition, according to the importance of the station or the pressure of passenger
traffic, provision is made for separate waiting rooms for passengers of various classes, and for men
and women, and for refreshment rooms and restaurants,. The platforms, covered or uncovered, vary
in number and in dimensions, Separate station offices, platforms, and sheds are generally provided
to deal with goods traffic. Overhead bridges and in recent times underground subways enable
passengers to cross from one platform to the other.
Definition of railway station
A railway station is defined as any place on a railway line where traffic is booked and dealt with and
where an Authority to Proceed is given to the train. In some stations, only one of these functions is
carried out and accordingly these are classified as flag station or block station. In case of flag
station, only traffic is dealt with the and there is no arrangement to control the movement of trains. In
case of block station, a train cannot proceed further without obtaining permission from the next
station and traffic mayor may not be dealt with. Most of the stations on railway system perform both
the functions indicated above.
Purpose of a railway station
A Rail way Station is provided for one or more of the following purposes:
(i) To entrain or to detrain the passengers.
(ii) To load or off load the goods or parcels.
(iii) To control the movement of trains.
(iv) To enable the trains to cross each other in case of single line section.
(v) To enable the faster trains to overtake the slower trains.
(vi) To enable the locomotives to take fuel, water or coal.
(vii) To attach or detach coaches or wagons to and from the trains.
(viii)To collect food and water for the passengers.
(ix) To provide facilities for change of engines and crew/staff.
(x) To enable sorting out of wagons and bogies to form new trains.
(xi) To provide facilities for the stay of the passengers in case of emergencies like floods and
accidents etc. when traffic is disrupted.
Considerations for selection of site of a railway station
(i) Adequate Land: There should be adequate land available for station building not only for the
proposed line, but for the future expansion. The proposed area should also be free from religious
buildings.
(ii) Level area with good drainage: The proposed site should preferably be on a fairly level ground
with good drainage arrangements. It should be possible to provide maximum permissible gradient in
the yard. In India maximum permissible gradient adopted as 1 in 400, but 1 in 1000 gradient is
recommended.
 (iii)Alignment: The station site should preferably be located on a straight alignment so that various
signals can be visible clearly. The proximity of station site on a curve presents a number of
operational problems.
(iv) Easy accessibility: The station site should be such that it is easily Accessible. The site should
be near the villages and towns. The nearby villages should be connected by approach roads for the
convenience of the passengers.
(v) Water supply arrangements: While selecting the site, it should be seen that the source of
adequate water supply required for passengers and operational need is available.
Facilities required at railway stations
A railway station is the gate-way through which people find their way into a town or community. First
impression is a lasting one and hence there is the Importance of a well designed station building and
its surroundings, which should match with other civic amenities. While service is the main
consideration, the type and finish of a station building should be, as far as practicable, in keeping
with the best standard of civic amenities available in that area. A big passenger station should
provide for facilities corresponding to anticipated demands during at least the first 25 years of its life
with provision for future expansion. The facilities required at stations consist of the following main
groups:
(i) Passenger requirements: Such as waiting rooms and retiring rooms, refreshment rooms and tea
stalls, enquiry office and reservation office, bath rooms and toilets, drinking water supply
arrangements, platforms and platform sheds and approach roads.
(ii) Traffic requirements: Such as goods sheds and goods platforms, station buildings, Station
Master's office and other offices, signals and signal cabins, reception and departure lines and
sidings, brake down trains and arrangements for the same and station equipments etc.
(iii) Loco, Carriage and Wagon requirements: Such as Loco Shed, watering or fueling facilities,
inspection pits, etc.
(iv) Staff requirements: Such as rest houses for officers and staff, running rooms for guards and
drivers and staff canteens etc.
Classification of railway stations
Railway stations can be classified in various classes broadly from three main considerations.
(i) Operational considerations: The stations are classified as Block Stations and Non-block
Stations. Block Stations are further classified as A class, B class and C class stations. Non-block
stations are classified as D class stations or flag stations.
(ii) Earnings considerations: Stations are also classified as per conditions of annual passenger
earnings. As per the considerations, station has been classified in six categories viz. A, B, C, D, E &
F depending upon the passenger earnings.
(iii) Functional considerations: Stations are classified based on the functions the stations are
required to perform. Under this category; stations are classified as Halt Stations, Flag Stations,
Crossing Stations or Way side stations, Junction Stations and Terminal Stations.
Station layout and design:
The station acts as an interchange between the systems. Here the traveler experiences the
transition between the train and the rest of the world - the city, other transport systems such as
buses taxi, and the complexity of street life. Like the airport, the modern railway station is an urban
gateway making both entrances and departure.
To the Designers the station consists of six main elements:
Railway track and signaling
Platforms
Circulation areas
Ticket sales and retail spaces
Post and parcel areas
Station forecourt
Each has to be clearly defined for safety and ease of circulation reason. With the connections
evident through signing and good design. Avoiding obstruction in platform areas by careful design
helps with smooth traffic or people.
1. The number of platform and their length is determined by the operation pattern at the station
(number of trains to be handled). A greater throughput of train means more travelers to exploit in
shops and cafes in the station and greater passenger flow in the circulation areas. The train length
determines platform length. The width of platform is a product of anticipated passenger density,
usually calculated at one passenger per square meter. Platform width has also to accommodate
non-traveling station users, disabled travelers and parcel vehicles.
2. The density of the circulation areas is dependent upon a number of factors-density of usage, ticket
dispensing and control system, the complexity of levels, whether passengers are regularly carrying
luggage, the fluctuation at peak times, and access needs for physically challenged people. The
circulation areas are zoned into:
I. Ticket and information areas
II. Waiting areas (for meeting passengers)
lIl. Dwell areas (for intending passengers)
IV. Cafes, Shops and Bookstalls
v. Telephone and office facilities
VI. Tourist information boards
3. Provision of both clarity and safety are prime consideration in station design, for which the
exploitation of architectural means (light, space and structure) is often essential. Stairs, escalators,
and lifts are the means of changing from one level to another are integrated. This can be achieved
by establishing hierarchies of movement inside and outside and relating these to the most activities.
Changing direction is as inevitable at stations as changing level. Architectural cues can be employed
to deflect movement. Construction, materials and lighting are key elements to exploit, not only to
highlight the point where a circulation route changes angle, but also to give recognition of where the
deflected corridors or access stair is going. A good design is one in which the passenger knows
where to go without the need to read signs. The role of structure (Column, wall and root) takes on
more than a constructional function; it has a secondary role in giving meaning to the circulation
pattern adopted.
EXTERNAL CIRCULATION:
Smooth connection in and out of the station is an importantaspect of customer Satisfaction.
Traveler should be presented with clear routes to pedestrian ways, access roads, car parks, taxi
stands, bus stops etc. Ideally these routes should be well covered, well lit and safe to use. External
signs and directional maps are also important.
Architectural means should be employed to signal the significant access points, such that
suspended canopy over main entrances, Station layout should also ensure that sightline in major
circulation area are not obstructed. The width of the road needs to reflect the relative importance
within the function of the station. Pedestrian pat should not be less than 1800 mm wide and should
be kept free of hazards such as litterbins.
Segregation of movements is important those arriving and departing should not have to
share a narrow entrance and pedestrian, car and cycle movement should be zoned into distinctive
areas where the cross-flow occur, pedestrian should have clearly recognized right of way- perhaps
with the use a raised paving area. The design of detail such as handrails, stairs, or ramp nosing
should such as by using contrasting colors textures and materials; they are clearly discernible to
those with disability.
The architectural quality of larger station is determined by attention given to circulation
areas, within the station and in its environment. Paving design and planning are both important
factors. Block paved pedestrian routes and parking areas are preferably to asphalt and trees mixed
with ground cover planting are better masses shrub planting. With external surfaces and planting
attention next to given to initial and long-term appearance, particularly bearing in the mind
maintenance cost and the explicability of materials.
Lighting is an important consideration for both amenity as well as safety. A mixture of
lighting is needed from lighting bollards illumination pedestrian routes, to feature lighting
around the station entrance and street lighting for the station approach roads. Where CCTV is in the
operation, lighting level must be significantly higher; the poles capable of mounting both lighting and
cameras should be installed. Directional signs, timetable boards and station map also need
supplementary lighting.
INTERNAL CIRCULATION:
Once inside the station, travelers need to be able to find their way from the ticket hall to station
without obstruction, frustration or ambiguity. Progression through the main four zones of the station-
access and entrance, tickets and information, waiting areas, platforms and trains- need to be clearly
defined.
The most significant features such as ticket office need to be given the strong architectural form. The
language or design should signal functional hierarchies. The width of the routes should reflect not
just scale of the movement but their symbolic role. Station entrance may be wider than passenger
flows alone will indicate ticket areas higher than function alone dictates and platforms wider than is
technically required. Circulation through the station should achieve ease of movement, comfort and
speed.
As not all travelers are ambulant, movement needs to cater to all mobility. The spatial experience of
circulation areas should reinforce the functional priority.
TICKET OFFICES:
Customer should readily be able to find their way to the ticket sales areas. It is here that the financial
transactions are made and hence where travelers and the staff come in direct contact. The quality of
environment the ability to talk comfortably on a one to one basis, and the layout of the ticket hall
should also create favorable and reassuring image.
Individual ticket positions where ticket sales and the supply of the published information are
dispensed should be designed so that they can he served by a single queue. This saves on space
and gives a sense of privacy at the point of scale. A single queue also allows waiting travelers to be
given supplementary on formation in the form of advertising or train timetable displays. Space for
automatic ticket machine should be provided.
Normally the station manager's office overlooks the sales floor for efficient monitoring and
supervision of the staff- customer interface. The staff office behind the ticker screen should not br in
evidence at the point of sale, but screened from the customer view. As large amount of cash are
stored, question of security and safety of the staff need to be considered, particularly at last stations.
Ticket halls should be spacious areas where the quality or materials, finishes and lighting is of the
highest specifications. Along with the interior with the train, it is here that customer's perceptions of
quality are forged. Well-coordinated points, helps to establish the image of the railway
company.Consequently, ticket halls tend to employ more expensive materials than elsewhere in the
station, particularly right at the point where cash is dispensed.
COMMERCIAL AREAS:
Shops and restaurants within station areas serve customer needs and add greatly to the railway
company's revenue. It is important that a good balance of commercial facilities is providing without
jeopardizing the efficient running of the station. There are spaces, hierarchical and station
management issues involved in this balance.
Signage of the retail units is often a problem. The standardized logos of many retail names can
disturb the harmonized signage of the stations, where traveler's information should be paramount. It
is often the case that shop signs prove the most visible. Another problem concerns the use of space
outside the retail units. Many shops and cafes in the station adopt this space as their own,
sometimes- jeopardizing movement along the concourses. Other facilities like telephone booths,
postboxes etc. may be located near circulation routes. They are placed best as alcoves just outside
main passageways rather as islands that passengers have to negotiate. Litter too, deposited around
fast food outlets posses hazard to travelers and raise an issue of the responsibility of removal of
refuse. A solution is to insist that all retailers use well marked plastic cups and bags, thereby helping
to identify the offending material.
 PLATFORM SHELTERS:
Station canopies need to protect as far the edges and signal sightlines permit. With curved platform
layouts, roofs cannot usually project to the same extent as with the straight platforms. About 50% of
platform lengths are normally covered, the remaining being open with separate station shelters
provided at every carriage length or so.
Preventing water penetration is an important feature of station safety. Floor finishes can become
dangerous when wet. Where water can be driven in around the edge or canopies, care should be
taken to specify finishes that are non slip even when saturated. The structure of canopies, shelters
and enclosures is what gives many stations their characteristic appearance. The grid of columns and
beams, panels of glass, cladding establishes the backcloth for other station activities. The columns
and beams have both an aesthetic and a practical role. They give stations their sense of direction on
foot, their rhythmic spacing helps establish relationship between station and train design.
TOILET:
Although most trains have their own toilets their provisions in stations is an important measure of
customer satisfaction. Toilets need to function well, look good and kept clean. Good appearance can
help to deter vandals, who appear to be attracted to the cheap and showy within stations. For this
reason toilets are normally extensively detailed, with hardwoods, ceramic tiles, and good quality door
furniture's specified. Better quality materials tend to be vandal proof, than cheaper ones, and make
the task of maintaining good appearance and cleanliness easier.Where possible natural light and
ventilation greatly increases the cost and risk from vandalism.
The planning of toilets should separate WCs from sanitary zone with spacious internal spaces.
Queuing space away from circulation areas should he proved at the busier stations. Soap
dispensing hand
ACCESS FOR CHALLENGED PEOPLE:
There are many forms of physical and sensory disability that station need to cater for. Many travelers
have limited mobility, vision or hearing, which affect their ability to use station facilities and board
trains. Station should be designed so that people can travel by train with ease and comfort dignity
and safety. Disabled travelers represent an important market for railway companies, and providing
their needs projects of favorable image for other customers. Also, the special standards needed for
disabled passengers raised the general level of provision for all.
Type measures to ease access for disabled people at stations are:
Providing lifts to supplement stairs
Increasing width of routes and doorways
Increasing the level of lighting especially at entrance and staircases
Using textured paving to define safe limits
Installing clear warning and directional signs
Providing additional hand rails for staircases
Providing special ticket counters for disabled
Providing disabled toilets and telephones
Providing screen and barriers that are solid at the ground level for detection by people listing canes
INFORMATION SIGNS:
Rail journey often involve passengers changing trains to reach their destination. Timetable
information, expected arrival of trains elc. need to be presented in a coherent and organized fashion.
There are three main ways in which information reaches travelers -
By poster display of main time tables
By electronic screen for imminent train movements
By voice announcements
Information screens illuminated displays and announcement keep the passenger waiting at platform
informed of the arrival and departure of trains. Many travelers will seek the information in the
ticketing concourse. Poster display and leaflet are normally the first point where the travel
information is sought. Main indicator board provides information in the waiting and commercial
zones. Smaller electronic board at platform entrance and food court supplements the main indicator
boards. Travelers making connection will normally search out the full timetable monitor, which, place
 near to the waiting areas, provides more extensive information about the variety of destination. The
three main means of giving information at the station are dependent upon the provision of well- sited
clocks.
STATION FACILITIES AND STADARDS:
The position of a particular within a category is a question both of location and of the throughput of
passengers.
The main facilities to be considered at the Railway Terminal as follows:
Waiting Concourse
Travel Indicator Boards
Retail and Refreshment shops
Travel Centre
Ticket Hall
Parcel Depot
Toilets, including facilities for disabled people
Security point
Telephones and Business Area
Suburban rail, Bus, Taxi and Metro Interchange
Tourist Information Centre
Staff accommodations
Yatri Niwas
Relationship between Indian masses and railway
16th April, 1853...............The Beginning
The first railway on Indian sub-continent ran over a stretch of 21 miles from Bombay to Thane.
The idea of a railway to connect Bombay with Thane, Kalyan and with the Thal and Bhore
Ghats first occurred to Mr. George Clark, the Chief Engineer of the Bombay Government,
during a visit to Bhandup in 1843.
The formal inauguration ceremony was performed on 16th April 1853, when 14 railway
carriages carrying about 400 guests left Bori Bunder at 3.30 pm "amidst the loud applause of
a vast multitude and to the salute of 21 guns."
The first passenger train steamed out of Howrah station destined for Hooghly, a distance of 24
miles, on 15thAugust, 1854. Thus the first section of the East Indian Railway was opened to
public traffic, inaugurating the beginning of railway transport on the Eastern side of the sub-
continent.
In south the first line was opened on 1st July, 1856 by the Madras Railway Company. It ran
between Veyasarpandy and Walajah Road (Arcot), a distance of 63 miles. In the North a
length of 119 miles of line was laid from Allahabad to Kanpur on 3rd March 1859. The first
section from Hathras Road to Mathura Cantonment was opened to traffic on 19th October,
1875.
These were the small beginnings which is due course developed into a network of railway
lines all over the country. By 1880 the Indian Railway system had a route mileage of about
9000 miles. INDIAN RAILWAYS, the premier transport organization of the country is the
largest rail network in Asia and the worlds second largest under one management.
Indian Railways runs around 11,000 trains everyday, of which 7,000 are passenger trains.