SIGHTS
A concrete area with a covered awning, paving spotted with old gum, two sets of train tracks going in opposite directions and separated by a fence, gravel between the tracks, a yellow paint line at the edge of the platform to indicate where passengers should not stand, bicycles in bike racks, stairs and an elevator leading to an overhead walkway that passengers use to get to the opposite track, newspaper racks, garbage cans, benches, ticket machines, people sitting or sleeping on benches, signage (no skateboarding, etc.), water fountains, train schedules and routes posted on the wall, a rack of paper schedules, digital signs announcing the arrival time for the next train, a clock, mechanical and electrical rooms, restrooms, vending machines, debris on the ground (straw wrappers, crumpled paper, bottle caps, cigarette butts), birds pecking for crumbs, passengers pulling suitcases, rusty tracks, puddles, a train pulling into the station, people gathering their things and queueing up, passengers greeting or saying goodbye to loved ones, kids running around, passengers eating takeout food while they wait
SOUNDS
Traffic, birds, footsteps, buses and taxis idling outside the station, people talking, elevators dinging, suitcases rattling, announcements being made over an intercom, wind whistling through the walkway, newspapers rustling, people talking on phones, muffled music from a headset, beeping from the ticket machine, tickets clicking out, water dripping from the roof, train doors sliding open, a train rumbling and clacking by, brakes squeaking as a train slows down, the blast of a horn, shoes scraping on steps as people board the train, a slow lurch that picks up speed as a train departs, parents yelling at kids to stay away from the tracks, rain thrumming on the roof, cans clattering out of a vending machine, the rustle of candy wrappers
SMELLS
Rain, fresh air, takeout food, newsprint, dust and gravel
TASTES
A lunch hastily eaten on a bench, vending machine food, soda, water, to-go coffees
TEXTURES AND SENSATIONS
The thump of suitcase wheels over cracks in the concrete, a heavy bag digging into one’s shoulder, a burn in the calves from climbing the stairs, a hard metal bench, wind blowing through the station, smudgy newsprint, scratchy and tired eyes, a ticket and receipt clutched in one’s hand, lukewarm water from the fountain, rifling through a paper schedule, sliding around metal coins in one’s pocket while debating vending machine choices, choosing a cold drink that kisses one’s palm with cold, gripping a toddler’s hand, the wind from a passing train blowing one’s hair back, the prickle of tears at having to leave a loved one, a clinging embrace, passing from warm outdoor air to the air-conditioned cool of a train car
POSSIBLE SOURCES OF CONFLICT
Falling or being pushed onto the tracks
One’s luggage being stolen
A broken ticket machine
Missing one’s train
Discovering that one’s train has been delayed or canceled
Trying to manage rambunctious children around the tracks
Stepping in gum
Unsavory characters that make one feel unsafe
Being handicapped and having to use a station that lacks the proper amenities
Children or young people taking up benches while the elderly or infirm are forced to stand
People disregarding the safety signs (riding skateboards or bikes on the platform, running, etc.)
Having to lug a broken suitcase
Being hungry yet having no cash for the vending machine
Unhappiness over the trip one is taking
Needing to use the restroom before the long ride but not having time before the train comes
PEOPLE COMMONLY FOUND HERE
Commuters, loved ones dropping people off or waiting for a train to arrive, maintenance staff, passengers, security personnel
RELATED SETTINGS THAT MAY TIE IN WITH THIS ONE
Airplane, airport, big city street, cheap motel, city bus, hotel room, subway tunnel, taxi
SETTING NOTES AND TIPS
Trains have come a long way over the years and are still an important method of transportation for people, both for crossing long distances, and to bring large groups in and out of densely populated areas where they live or work. For many, taking a high speed commuter train is just like hoping onto a bus, only the comfort and amenities make the trip either a relaxing one or a productive chance to get some extra work done. Because of this, stations for large commuter trains can be impressive structures and have a lot of people around, especially in the morning and at night. Not all stations are grand and beautiful, however; some are little more than an outside platform and ticket machine. But regardless of their size or the distance the trains travel in a typical run, they serve a strong purpose: allowing people the freedom to get around when traveling by other means is not convenient or economical.
SETTING DESCRIPTION EXAMPLE
I dropped onto the bench. My messenger bag slid off my shoulder and teetered on the edge of the seat. After a sixteen-hour day, my eyelids felt like broken window blinds, rising and falling unevenly. I shook myself upright and glanced around. Two men—one sitting on the far bench, the other leaning against the ticket machine. Neither looked homicidal, but I pulled my bag into my lap anyway. Man, I just wanted to get home.
Techniques and Devices Used: Simile
Resulting Effects: Establishing mood, tension and conflict