does the train arrive ON track?

[JACEK1]

Hello everyone!

As far as railway station announcements are concerned, I would like to ask you a question.

Would it be possible for an Englishman to say something like that "The train to Cambridge is due to arrive on track 1"?

What do you think?
Thank you.

 

[Skrej]

'On' is the correct preposition for 'track', but as Piscean said, we don't usually refer to the track, but rather the station/platform/gate the train is arriving at.

Perhaps the conductor, maintenance crews, or other people concerned with the facilities and actual running of the trains might discuss the tracks, but not the general public riding them. I think trains and subways have something similar to air traffic controllers, so you might hear such a sentence from them.

 

[emsr2d2]

In Chicago it's the track number. "The 'Pacific Coast Special' is departing on 'Track 29'."

I'm not entirely surprised by the use of "track" in AmE in that sentence but I am surprised by the preposition. In BrE, trains depart "from" a specific platform. Don't they depart "from Track 29" in AmE.

 

[Lynxear]

I'm not entirely surprised by the use of "track" in AmE in that sentence but I am surprised by the preposition. In BrE, trains depart "from" a specific platform. Don't they depart "from Track 29" in AmE.

I can confirm that "departing on track 29" is normal parlance in North American train stations.

 

[Lynxear]

I can confirm that "departing on track 29" is normal parlance in North American train stations.

P.S. I was thinking about this later - emsr2d2. We don't "depart from Track 29". We depart "from the station on Track 29". The train travels on Track 29 until it merges with the main line.