Bad Train Memories (was Re: Railroad doors again)

[Scott]

Amy Z wrote:
"Reading the last train scene in GoF, it seems almost certain that 
there is no door between the compartment and the platform.  The 
Weasleys et al. drag Crabbe, Goyle, and Malfoy out into the corridor; 
then, at the end of the journey, they step out over them with their 
trunks.  The pleasure of another opportunity to step on C, G, & M 
notwithstanding, it seems unlikely that they would struggle out 
through the jammed corridor if they could just go out from the 
compartment to the platform directly."

--I think that the Hogwarts Express is in the following lay out

 __door___________________________door___
            win     win      win
       W         W       W        W  
       ____door_____door____door__
              <-Hallway->
 __door___________________________door___

With the  W standing for wall
win standing for window and
door standing for erm, door. 

That is the best drawing I could do with the keyboard so I hope that 
you can figure it out.

The compartments would have seats on either side with luggage racks 
overhead.  Not like the train that I modeled it after which was one I 
rode in France. (Not a good experience. In fact I've never had a good 
experience on a train.) We were in Paris and I was scared to death 
the train would leave me. It was also an over night journey in which 
the bunks stacked up three on either side. Wonderfully cramped 
sleeping quarters :-) (I'd even take the Knight Bus over it!)  It was 
an interesting experience though. Picture this- a queue of people 
waiting to use the loo to brush their teeth, (using bottled water, of 
course!) and the loo door swinging back an forth and everyone sliding 
around on a slick wet (and dirty) train floor, and bracing themselves 
as not to fall...

Scott
It's a hilarious memory actually, and probably the nicest of my train 
experiences. That's right you DON'T want to know.