A big railway station is a very busy and interesting place. Let’s imagine that we are at one of them.
There are a lot of platforms at which trains come in and go out. There are different kinds of trains: passenger trains, mail trains and goods trains. Mail trains carry mail, or post. Goods trains carry goods. Passenger trains carry passengers.
Passenger trains can be slow or fast. A slow train stops at every station. Fast trains, or express train coaches, have few stops: they stop only at very large stations.
When you are travelling a long distance, it is very convenient to go by an overnight train. Overnight trains have sleeping accommodation. Trains which run by day are called day coaches.
Usually the porters are very busy carrying luggage to the train or pushing it on their trucks. A train is standing at one of the platform ready to leave. On another platform a train has just come in. Some passengers are getting in. Those who haven’t got their tickets in advance are waiting in queues at the booking-office. At the bookstalls people are choosing books, magazines and newspapers for the journey. At the clock-room some people are leaving and taking their luggage.