Passing from platform

Question

I often hear the railway announcement "A through train will be passing from platform no 3".
Shouldn't it be "A through train will be passing by platform no 3" or "A through train will be passing along platform no 3" ?
(In India, a "through train" is a train which does not stop at a station.)

Avangi · Accepted Answer

I agree with you 100%! It is strange.

Perhaps they mean that platform #3 is the stage from which they will do their act, which is "to pass."

If you would like to watch it/them pass, go to platform #3!

I too have always understood a "through train" to be one which does not stop.

- A.

Debpriya De · Answer

What should be the correct announcement ?
1. A through train will be passing platform 3.
2. A through train will be passing by platform 3.

Avangi · Answer

I would not use #2, although it's not incorrect.

#1 seems natural.

Of course, "passing on track 3" would be ideal.

"passing on platform 3" would be correctly understood, in the sense of the question, "What's happening on platform 3 ?"

But it's not perfect by any means.

I don't have the perfect solution. I know that in some cases there's more than one platform on a given track. (mercifully, not actually on the track.)
Prepositions can be a nightmare!

If the station also uses track numbers, I'd be inclined to say "passing on track 3."

In the final analysis, the people in the industry usually get to choose this terminology, since it's somewhat "special."

Debpriya De · Answer

What is the difference between "pass" and "pass by" ?

They seem to have the same meaning.
"I passed my office." and "I passed by my office." have the same meaning.
So why wouldn't you use #2 from my previous post ?

Avangi · Answer

Debpriya DeWhat is the difference between "pass" and "pass by" ?
They seem to have the same meaning.
"I passed my office." and "I passed by my office." have the same meaning.
So why wouldn't you use #2 from my previous post ?
Debpriya De1. A through train will be passing platform 3.
2. A through train will be passing by platform 3.
It depends on the context.
Would you like another cup of coffee? (reply) I'll pass [by]. Can we use the "by"? I don't think so.

"Passing the station" is a deliberate, planned/scheduled act.

"Passing by the station" may be coincidental to the main plan.

It's true that the "by" may be optionally included or omitted, but I felt that omitting it in this case gave a more accurate picture of the situation, based on how the expressions are commonly used.

If I want to imply that I absent-mindedly and erroneously walked/drove by my office while daydreaming,
I'd say, "I passed my office."
If I happened to coincidently drive by it on my way to church service [on Sunday], I'd say I passed by it.

On the way home from church, I passed by the office to pick up some work. (This is a different sense.)

This is what I said, as I believe you correctly understood:

I would not use #2, although it's not incorrect.

- A.

Debpriya De · Answer

Okay, I get it.

Passing from platform

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