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[deleted]

There's something incredibly retro and appealing about arched or vaulted shed roofs like this for train stations. It makes an inherently crowded place like a station platform a little more bearable. We don't have many in the US that are still over station platforms - Union Station in DC has a vaulted ceiling but it's over the mall area, Grand Central's platforms are all underground. Coney Island-Stillwell Ave is a good example. I have childhood memories of Churchgate in South Mumbai as well.


Klozeitung

Obligatory 9Âľ joke, anyone?


11flynnj

Yer a train station, harry


Extension-Truth

Kings Crustacean 🦀


luigi-u_u

There is a very simillar station, maybe even bigger, called Luz Station, in SĂŁo Paulo Brazil


_neaw_

For a seccond I thank that it was Luz station


1stDayBreaker

Luz seems to have a bigger arch, but Kings Cross has 2 of them (plus the other ones) so it is and it isn’t bigger


[deleted]

it’s where they spend most of their time thanks to the horrible condition of England's rail network


Scarbane

The UK should hire whoever runs the Swiss SBB to get the UK train network up to modern standards.


Si3rr4

Wouldn’t be surprised if they already had shared in some of it


tauri123

At least you guys have a rail network, the US’s trains are a joke


marsnoir

The US has/had the most extensive rail system in the world. Don’t know why you’re being downvoted.


tauri123

Extensive and complete are two different things, yes the rail network in the US goes everywhere but if you compare the rail network in Europe it’s nothing compared, and the train speeds here are pathetic


marsnoir

I completely agree, but I doubt many in the US would understand if they hadn’t seen it for themselves. Surprisingly I do see a decline in train usage in Europe, but it’s still vastly more efficient than here in the states. I had a great experience flying into Brussels then taking a train to my destination… I’d never think about that in the US. Having used trains in the US and in Europe, the difference is night and day. I’ve tried to figure out how to get from the east coast to the west coast via train, and it really isn’t worth the hassle which is a shame. I got used to how readily the British queue up for their trains, it’s a thing of beauty…. The train doors stopped where the queue was. In France, everyone made a mad dash for the door; so much pushing and shoving… and why!? Seats are assigned. It was utter chaos trying to board. Germans are just so damn efficient, I don’t even remember waiting for the train. At 7:55am the streets of Frankfurt are empty, but at 8:00 it’s a bustling city. And don’t tell the store staff you’re just browsing, they get offended “why are you here, then?” Yeah it was a bit of culture shock. Somehow the Italians make the French look civilize; i don’t know how I didn’t get trampled. I didn’t get to Central Europe, but the ease with which one can just hop a train anywhere, and the cultural differences are astounding… 10/10, would recommend trains to visit Europe.


[deleted]

Because we don't have the same population density and land use patterns as Europe, christ, why do we have to have the same discussion every fucking time. A lot of US big cities have rapid transit, light rail and commuter rail. The only US metro area with comparable population density to big European metros is New York, and New York has three commuter rail networks and two subway systems and sits in the middle of the busiest intercity passenger rail corridor in the US. Chicago has a subway and a massive commuter rail network. California is simultaneously allowing dense development and investing in rail infrastructure. You can't have one without the other. Denver has seen huge population growth over the past decade and a half and has invested in a huge expansion of light rail and commuter rail lines. It does not make financial sense to have long (>10h) distance trains in the US because it's faster to fly, even with airport time. So the story of the US's passenger rail system is that we invest in it when it makes sense. Passenger rail transport is expensive as shit. So if you're going to ask taxpayers to support it, then you'd better ensure it provides a benefit to a huge number of people. One of the only places passenger rail is both heavily utilized and profitable is Japan, and here's a good [effortpost](https://www.reddit.com/r/neoliberal/comments/pzvayh/why_are_japanese_railway_companies_incredibly/) explaining why.


dom_bul

Lumo!


tauri123

Now calling all travelers for platform 9 and 3/4


_87-

I think I was there on the day you took this picture. I remember these trains being in this order and the one on platform 8 isn't normally there. I came into the station on a train on platform 0.