Do short platforms exist in any other countries.

[Bikeman78]

It is normal practice every day in Belgium. Longer trains than usual are operating during rush hours and are too long to fit on the platforms of some small stations. Belgian trains do not have selective opening. So the train guard will announce over the P.A. that passengers are not allowed to disembark from the last x coaches of the train and that will be it.

At least one of the stations between Mons and Quevy is too short for the long P trains that stop there. As you say, nothing more than a brief announcement. Presumably there is nothing to stop people opening the doors on the non platformed carriages.

 

[CC 72100]

I have two experiences with short platform in France:

Most recent around Lyon in 2022, when some of the loco-hauled Corail sets (now gone) on the TER services to Paris Bercy didn't fit some of the stations between Lyon and Dijon, with just a small line on the station CIS asking "passengers travelling to stations X and Y to board at the front of the train".

And then a few years back on an SNCF strike day (so minimum service) where a TER was upgraded to 3x4 coach units (they are however short units at an average of 18m per car) where the entire unit - or at least the doors an entire unit - wouldn't open at one station. I can't recall if any sort of SDO was used as to whether the unavailable doors were 'released'. On that service a staff member actually came through the affected unit to identify anybody who needed to move to either the front or middle unit.

 

[JonasB]

Sjisjska in northern Sweden:


(Photo: Aik putte, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5025859 )

 

[Kreissignal]

In Germany it is standard practice to shorten platforms when they are being upgraded to modern (accessible...) standards. I don't recall one shorter than a standard train though - which is perhaps unsurprising as regional trains tend not to be overlong.

Certainly on the RE7 south-west of Berlin, if you find yourself on a loco-hauled 5-Dosto set rather than a Talent EMU, then you will, on approaching minor halts like Seddin and Wilhelmshorst, hear an announcement to the effect that disembarking from the last door is not possible because the platform is too short.

 

[Segedunum]

Certainly on the RE7 south-west of Berlin, if you find yourself on a loco-hauled 5-Dosto set rather than a Talent EMU, then you will, on approaching minor halts like Seddin and Wilhelmshorst, hear an announcement to the effect that disembarking from the last door is not possible because the platform is too short.

Amusingly I was on the RE7 early this morning (half asleep). It seemed that a 5+3 Talent set was the absolute limit - I was at the very rear and we only just seemed to fit at the stations you mention.

 

[newmilton]

Some years ago I was visiting Trieste, and took the train the short distance to the Castello Miramare. As we arrived I heard the announcement that doors in the last coach where I was sitting would not open due to a short platform.
I rushed forward to get into the next coach but could not for the life of me open the door between the two carriages and stood there helpless as the train stopped at Miramare and then continued, with me stuck on it.

The ticket collector, a slight young woman, then arrived, my ticket no longer valid, and I exclaimed, 'Volevo uscire a Miramare, ma non potevo aprire la porta!' (I wanted to get off at Miramare but could not open the door!). Fortunately she was understanding - it probably helped that I speak reasonable Italian - didn't fine me, told me to get off at the next stop where I could buy a ticket back to Miramare from a machine. She then turned, opened the door that had defied me seemingly without effort, and carried on; and I duly got off at the next stop as directed. I also returned to Trieste on the bus!

So yes, short platforms do exist elsewhere, and certainly in Italy.

 

[alf]

In 2018 the Hungarian(MAV) 4 wheeled diesel unit I travelled on between Karcag (about 35 miles from the Romanian border) northwards through empty countryside to Fuzesabony made 2 stops at on the road at ungated level crossings both surrounded by a few houses. A passenger or two with large parcels got off at both stops & passengers got on. So these must have been official NO platform stations.
Passengers in rural Hungary are used to very low platforms so stepping further to ground level is probably not very extraordinary.

 

[edwin_m]

Shortest platform for me was a grade crossing at Port Kent NY in 1986, when the conductor talked the driver in to stop with the last door just on the crossing. But if anyone saw the various TV series on the Alaska Railroad, evidently they will stop anywhere if someone at the trackside flags them down, so they effectively have hail and ride at places with no platforms whatever!

 

[Richard Scott]

So yes, short platforms do exist elsewhere, and certainly in Italy.

That's prompted my memory, had an issue at Sieci a couple of times on trains hauled by D445s and a few coaches being off of the platform, especially when heading towards Florence. Caused a panic dash through to next coach when train has stopped and no platform apparent!!

 

[LesS]

The attached image is of a poster which is at the entrance of most terminal platforms at Sydney Central.
The reflections cannot be helped.
It lists all of the short platforms on the Sydney Trains network by line with the length of each and the car in which passengers should travel.

 

[LesS]

Attached are 2 images taken today at the short platforms at Wondabyne.
A group of Sydney & Newcastle railfans held their Christmas luncheon day with a visit. A later rainwas taken to Hawkes bury River station for lunch and refreshments at the Anglers Rest Hotel in Brooklyn.
Image 5461 is of arriving passengers on the down platform while the other is of the group assembled on the up platform.

 

[Bemined]

The Burglauenen station on the Interlaken - Grindelwald line in Switzerland is unusual in multiple ways. First of all it is a request stop but in the passing loop of a single track line, meaning most trains have stop there anyway waiting for the oncoming train to clear the points. Secondly the platform towards Grindelwald barely holds 2 cars and is also only accessible by crossing the other track. So when a train is at the other platform (and typically the train towards Interlaken seems arrive a minute before the one towards Grindelwald) passengers leaving the train are stuck on this tiny platform until the other train leaves.

And on top of all that, the station only fits about 6 cars between the signal and the level crossing, yet they run 9 car trains on busy days. So that means 7 out of 9 cars do not fit the platform, and 3 out of 6 cars don't even fit the station itself and will be standing on top of the level crossing, meaning it's closed for several minutes when two 9-car trains have to pass each other here.

 

[JWK]

Innertkirchen Unterwasser in the Bernese Oberland isn’t even long enough for both doors of the single-car train that shuttles between Meiringen and Innertkirchen.