Train station

[Stamford_Richard]

What is the origin of 'train station'? Why did we need to cease using 'railway station' and use 'train station' instead?

[sandyRoe]

Language evolves. It's easier to say 'train' than it is to say 'railway'.

[Fibonacci]

some thoughts here
http://www.worldwidew...g/articles/trains.htm

[redman41]

I use both descriptions and I hear others saying the same thing

[factor-fiction]

I know the expression 'train station' upsets some people but, although I'm often regarded as a pedant on matters relating to the use of English, I don't understand why this change concerns some people. We happily say 'bus station' or 'coach station' or 'taxi rank', so why not say 'train station'. The real questions could be why were they called 'railway stations' in the first place and why would anyone want to retain this term.

[Stamford_Richard]

I'm not objecting to the change particularly, but I'm really intrigued by what caused it as there appears no obvious motive for it.

After all, we still refer to a copy email as a CC even though it is not a 'carbon copy' and we still refer to a 'carriage return' even though our modern devices no longer have 'carriages' which need to 'return' to the beginning of the line...

...a railway is still called a railway and the station is positioned on the railway!

[Quizmonster]

Is train station - or even railway station - used that frequently, anyway? In my experience, THE station invariably means the place trains, not buses, stop at. If someone I was arranging to meet and go for a few beers with said to me, "Let's meet at the station at eight", it wouldn't even occur to me that I should head for the bus station.

Train station started life as an Americanism. As such, the reason some of us have adopted the phrase is because we decided we liked it and found it useful. That's what we do with all such 'imports'. Perhaps, as suggested above, it was because it is shorter than railway station.

[sandyRoe]

And what happened to 'railway terminus'?