When and why did a "Railway Station become the more childish "Train Station"?

Question

Why doesn't anyone say railway station any more. Train Station sound ridiculous, like something a 3 year old would say.

Answer 1

Probably because 'train' is less of a mouthful than 'railway', but it's just one more example of how our language is becoming debased.

Answer 2

no, a 3 yeard old would say "twain station"

Answer 3

thank thomas the tank engine

Answer 4

In the UK they are ALL known as railway stations, except for halts.

Answer 5

Blame the media for introducing this abortion to the British English language. It really only seems to have happened within the last 10 years or so. I wonder if it is anything to do with privatisation as I have seen the expression 'train' station on TOC websites. Possibly, all part of the ploy to be more matey, when we are no longer 'passengers' but 'customers', or 'service users'. I also blame New Labour which is dreadfully jargon ridden.

Answer 6

Places where buses stop are called "bus stations", so by logical extension the places where trains stop are called "train stations". After all, you don't catch a bus at a "road station" (eqv railway station) do you?

That's English for you. It evolves, sometimes in a de facto way like this. I can think of worse examples like "I ain't done nothing wrong" and common misspellings like there/their/they're.

Answer 7

Dunno, mate.

But in the US of A, when referring to where passengers disembark or arrive, both "railway station" and "train station" are incorrect.  That is done at a "depot."

On the railroad, a "station" is any place in the timetable referred to by name, usually a siding (shunting track) or a railroad junction.  Whether or not there is a depot there matters not at all.  In addition there are "flag stops" and "whistle stops," where trains do not stop on a regular basis but do so only when there are passengers arriving or departing.

As always, there's the right word, the wrong word and the "railroad" word.  Many of the latter are not printable here...