The Design Of A Modern Railway Station

INTRODUCTION

The word “Train” comes from the old French word trahiner, also from the latin word trahere which simply means “pull or draw”. It is a form of rail transport consisting of series of vehicles (coaches) propelled along a fixed rail track to transport goods or passengers. It can also be defined as a private or public conveyance system that travels along fixed routes and takes up set down passengers and their luggage at fixed points.

A railway station also referred to as a train station (in Common wealth English) or a rail road station (in US English) and often shortened to just “station”, is a railway facility where trains regularly stop to load and unload passengers and freight. It generally consists of a platform next to the tract and a station building (depot) providing related services such as ticket sales and waiting room, passengers convenience etc

The smallest station are most often refered to as “stops” or in some parts of the world as “halts” (flag stops). Connections may be available to intersecting rail lines or other transport modes such as buses, trains, trucks or other rapid transit systems to facilitate the movement of passengers and their freight into the station or leaving the station.

The Free Dictionary.com defined a train as “series of connected railroad cars pulled or pushed by one ore more locomotives”.

American definition states that a train is a form of rail transport consisting of series of vehicles propelled along a rail track to transport cargo or passengers.

The types of train include the High speed passenger train, Electric multiple Unit train and a steam locomotives.

The Nigeria Railway Corporation (commonly abbreviated as NRC) is the state owned enterprise with exclusive rights to operate railways in Nigeria. NRC traces its history in the year 1898, when the first railroad in Nigeria was constructed in 1955.

In 1988, NRC declared bankruptcy, which lead to stoppage of all rail traffic fro six months after which trains resumed on the usable tracks.

Passenger services was again discontinued by 2002. in 2006 plans were made to restore the rail lines and added new locomotives with foreign assistance.

In December 2012, regular scheduled passenger service was restored on the Lagos to Kano lines (from main article Railway Station in Nigeria).

Shehu Abukar said “that the train was one of Nigeria most reliable means of transportation in which goods and services were transported between Portharcourt and Maduiguri, Lagos to Kano. Cutting across so many states of the federation cheap and yet a very state and reliable. (Daily Trust, 30th July 2013/07:00am).

The departments of N.R.C include: The engineering, works, machinery, signal and communication department and the health maintenance section.

The operation of the station are grouped into three namely: