In the song: "Chattanooga Choo Choo" does 'Track 29' mean platform in Downunder speak?

[Kozzie]

[:)] Hey you lot "up over"! [:D]

In the famous song "Chattanooga Choo Choo" the rem 'Track 29' is used.
Do you lot "up over" use that term for what we use 'platform' for "down under "?

For us, the side of the station that the train is embarked for passengers, is the platform. If theres is another facility for embarking another train, on the same long chunk of concrete, on the other side, it's regarded as another platform and given another number. I hope this is not confusing [:I]

Maybe track and platform are inter-changeable when using it "up over" for passenger stations? [;)]

Thanks for any input on this one. [tup]

Kozzie

[BR60103]

Yes, US practice seems to be to use "track" to designate the side of the platform that the train is loading from.

[M636C]

Kozzie,

A possible reason for the use of "track" rather than "platform" is the lack of raised platforms in many locations. In Washington (DC) Union station, the high level tracks for Northeast Corridor trains have platforms at car floor level (as you and I are used to), but the tracks for trains to and from the South have only rail level "platforms" requiring the door flap to be lifted to allow use of the steps, usually at the car ends.

These tracks are not only at a lower level, but slope down to the tunnel mouth that takes the tracks past the Capitol building and across town to the Potomac river bridge.

But I don't think the track numbers went as high as 29 there, even when I caught the train to Richmond VA from there. Perhaps there were higher track numbers at Penn Station in New York City, or it might have just to rhyme with "shine".

The next major station to the South, Alexandria VA, has only rail level "platforms".

Peter

[Kozzie]

Hey Dave (BR60103)

Is "Track" used in Canada like the US?

Kozzie

[Kozzie]

Thanks Pete

I thought the lack of platforms was a part of the smaller RR, in more remote areas.

I wonder why station platforms generally in the U.S. weren't built up to (or close to) car floor level, as it makes getting on and off at lot easier.

Can any of the "up over" lot help us out with this one?

Kozzie

[Rick Gates]

Kozzie, All newer platforms are built at car access height here now to meet the requirements for handicap access (wheelchairs and the like). In Penn Station at Baltimore, Md. for example, there are 3 platforms. The newest constructed platform #3 is the high one for tracks 6 and 7 respectively. Platforms 1 and 2 are the old style low ones. Hope I explained this well enough to be of some help. I appreciate your contributions. Keep them coming mate!

[kenneo]

Raised platforms cost money, lots of it, and are considered "close Clearance" obstructions that require special operating movements, such as comming to a complete stop prior to entering the restricted area (safety rule). To have raised platforms on a passenger track also is a special rules situation, but since you are not going to have anybody riding the outside of the car, like in freight (goods shunting), they don't require the train to come to a complete stop prior to entering the station.

But, as Rick said, it is becomming more normal in the US, but is absolutely in the minority of stations, and almost always in the NorthEast Corrider. Until I lived in Europe, I had only seen one high-level platform in my life and that one was at Phillidelphia 30th Street on the (then) PRR.

[Anonymous]

Hi Kozzie, hi everyone!

Over here in Croatia you have to use both terms, they're not interchangeable or synonyms. Usually the first platform of a station "serves" only one track, but if you have more tracks, and if you build more platforms parallel to the platform 1, each of these additional platforms usually serves 2 tracks. If your platforms are long enough for two or more trains, then you can divide them into two or more segments and call each segment a different platform.
So to avoid confusion, you tell the passengers their train will be departing from platform X, and also specify from which of the two tracks - if the platform has more than one.
In case you were wondering, platform is "peron", and track is "kolosijek" in Croatian.
I'm becoming an expert in providing info that people don't really need and never really asked for! [:O]

Have fun and best regards,
Oliver

[eolafan]

Having grown up in the New York area and commuted regularly for a while into and out of Grand Central Station in NY I can tell you all "platforms" are called TRACKS. Ditto at Union Station in Chicago, where I live now.

[ironhorseman]

As to the difference between platform and track, the platform is what people stand on to wait for the train or board the train. I would think that 'platform' would apply to both elevated and ground level boarding areas.

As for the song: the reason they say "track 29" is in those days at big union stations with multiple tracks they'd annouce which track number the train is arriving or departing to or from. Of course one platform can serve two tracks, one track on each side. But I think the tracks were numbered at the platforms and I don't know and I doubt the platforms were numbered, at least not as often as the tracks were.

It's like airport terminals, the gates are all numbered. At big stations the tracks were numbered. At little depots at small towns between the big cities there may have been only 1 or 2 tracks and there for only 1 or 2 platforms. I've noticed when riding Amtrak across the states of Kansas and Missouri, for instance, the train, on these double track lines, almost always crosses over to the track nearest the depot. I can't really remember a depot in these two states that didn't have more than 1 platform for stopping at except at Kansas City's Union Station which has two tracks. Usually the superliners (Chicago to LA )stop on the outter track and the smaller commuter train (KC to St Louis) stops on the track closer to the building (sometimes). I think maybe Kirkwood has boarding platforms for the two tracks but the train almost always stops on the track nearest the depot.

I'm not too familier if union stations today still have mulitple track numbers. Maybe LA, DC, NY, Philly, places with high volume of train traffic. Places like KC and St.L have all had their tracks ripped up years and years ago because of lack of passenger traffic.

[Kozzie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Oliver Trzok

Hi Kozzie, hi everyone!

Over here in Croatia you have to use both terms, they're not interchangeable or synonyms. Usually the first platform of a station "serves" only one track, but if you have more tracks, and if you build more platforms parallel to the platform 1, each of these additional platforms usually serves 2 tracks. If your platforms are long enough for two or more trains, then you can divide them into two or more segments and call each segment a different platform.
So to avoid confusion, you tell the passengers their train will be departing from platform X, and also specify from which of the two tracks - if the platform has more than one.
In case you were wondering, platform is "peron", and track is "kolosijek" in Croatian.
I'm becoming an expert in providing info that people don't really need and never really asked for! [:O]

Have fun and best regards,
Oliver

[:)] Hey Oliver! Thanks for your info! It's all useful [:D] That's what aForum is all about - an exchange of information.

Rick, thanks for the encouragement and the Aussie slang too![:D]
(I think you lot say 'buddy' where we use 'mate'?) Although I don't have a lot of knowledge of US RR, I hope I can at least staart some interesting threads so that everyone can havachat! [:D] I
n the process I pick up more stuff, and hopefully others too! [;)]

Kozzie [8D]

[BR60103]

Kozzie:
I heard recently the the Chattanooga Choo-Choo ran from Cincinatti. That was one big terminal.
I'm not sure if we use track or platform more in Canada. GO transit refers to platforms, and has 5A and 5B variants.
Aside: I think the only high platform station in Canada is "Gare Central Station" in Montreal. When They introduced the Turbo Train in 1969, It ran from Toronto Union (low platforms) to Montreal Central (high). The train itself had a floor height in between. Each door had a contraption that was a set of steps that went out and either up or down depending on which station.

[Kozzie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BR60103

Kozzie:
I heard recently the the Chattanooga Choo-Choo ran from Cincinatti. That was one big terminal.
I'm not sure if we use track or platform more in Canada. GO transit refers to platforms, and has 5A and 5B variants.
Aside: I think the only high platform station in Canada is "Gare Central Station" in Montreal. When They introduced the Turbo Train in 1969, It ran from Toronto Union (low platforms) to Montreal Central (high). The train itself had a floor height in between. Each door had a contraption that was a set of steps that went out and either up or down depending on which station.

G'day BR60103 [:)] thnaks for the info for Canada.

One teeny weeny little off topic question [:0] (SSShhh! don't tell anyone)
I've searched the Canadian Gov't web site - but can't find:

Where the name "Canada" ame from?

Cheers

Dave

(Kozzie)

Can you help me out?

[daveklepper]

The specific case in the song is Pennsylvania Station New York. "You leave the Pennsylvania Station 'round a quarter to four. Read a magazine and you're in Baltimore." Track numbers are used by the station announcer (again, Trains once had an article on the most famous of them), as well as the stairway letter, which corresponds to the platform letter, East stairway C corrisponding to platform C, and each platform had both an East and a West stairway in the skylighted concourse. I think there is a track 29, and although it could have been used by the PRR-Southern-N&W Tennessian, which during WWII was the only through NY-Chattanooga train (others had through Pullmans only north of Washington, not through coaches), I believe it was and still is regularly used only by LIRR trains. Track 29 stairways were from the northside LIRR annex, not from the main concourse. Dave

[vsmith]

Pardon me boy?
Is that the Chattanooga Choo-Choo?
Yes sir, Platform 29!
Well, you can give me a shi...Hey, what the hell, that does sound right?

Regardless of what "Track 29" means in US railroading term, the song uses "track 29" mearly to stay in rytheme with the lyrics of the song. Are there 29 platforms at the station ( old Penn Station, not that hideuos tile bathtub they replaced it with )I dont know? I doubt it, I have heard both phrases "track 29" and "Platform 29" used, it depends on where in the US you are and who's on the PA annoucing trains that day.

[dharmon]

So meanwhile back at the ranch, Roy Rogers was out riding the fences when suddenly has was attacked by a mountain lion....it knocked him off his horse and it was all he could do to kick at it while he tried to draw his trusty Colt. Finally, he shot it, but his boots and pants legs were trashed. He through the cat carcass on the back of the saddle and rode back to the house. When he got there Dale Evans, who had heard the shot was waiting for him......as he rode up she asked...

" Pardon me Roy, Is that the cat that chewed your new shoes???"

[vsmith]

Right about now, old Foghorn Legghorn would be saying,

"Its a joke, son! ya lips are movin' but ya aint laughing"....

[Kozzie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

So meanwhile back at the ranch, Roy Rogers was out riding the fences when suddenly has was attacked by a mountain lion....it knocked him off his horse and it was all he could do to kick at it while he tried to draw his trusty Colt. Finally, he shot it, but his boots and pants legs were trashed. He through the cat carcass on the back of the saddle and rode back to the house. When he got there Dale Evans, who had heard the shot was waiting for him......as he rode up she asked...

" Pardon me Roy, Is that the cat that chewed your new shoes???"

Very good dharmon! [(-D] Quite clever! Keep 'em coming...[:D]

Kozzie

[Modelcar]

Dave, your WWII description of the famous Penn Station in NYC brings back visual memories to me.....as I experienced that great place twice in one weekend in the summer of '42....It was awesome. Like a cathedral....!

[Anonymous]

Was Chattanoga Choo Choo a movie?

DOGGY

[Anonymous]

Yes, but it was so bad you don't want to see it.

[BR60103]

Kozzie:
There are a lot of explanations of what Canada means. One of the most popular is "Village of Small Huts".
(I like the idea of the explorer pointing at something and asking the native, "What's that?" and the native replies "Your finger, you fool.")

[Kozzie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BR60103

Kozzie:
There are a lot of explanations of what Canada means. One of the most popular is "Village of Small Huts".
(I like the idea of the explorer pointing at something and asking the native, "What's that?" and the native replies "Your finger, you fool.")

Thanks BR60103 [:)]

Sounds good - definitely sounds like a really early name from exploration days...

...and I really like your joke [(-D][(-D][(-D]

Kozzie

[M636C]

Guys,

Before I revert to bitter and twisted, I recall a TV play in Australia that built upon the total misconceptions of what questions are being asked and answered in the early exploration process.

The plot has the explorers land with their flags and soldiers, walk up to the group near the beach having a barbeque, and ask "what do you call this place?"

Answer: "It's a Barbeque area"

So the whole country was called "Barbakewaria" from then on.

It would be really funny if it wasn't true.

I really liked dharmon's Roy Rogers joke, though.

Peter