Train Station

A Train Station is a building on the Railway where trains can be instructed to stop. Each station can be renamed in its UI.

Train Stations must be constructed before tracks, as it comes with its own station track. It provides a snapping point for Freight Platforms and is necessary for them to function.

Construction

 * A fully-functional Train Station includes a Train Station, and a combination of Freight Platform and/or Fluid Freight Platform and Empty Platform. A multiple-locomotive train only needs one Train station to stop.
 * As Freight Platform (and its fluid variant) must snap to a Train Station or other rail platforms, it is impossible to split a train station into segments: it must be in a continuous straight line.
 * This makes Train Stations a unique challenge to site, as unlike other large factory buildings, a Train Station's entire footprint (which can easily exceed 100 meters in length) must be flat, with no slopes or layering into multiple floors possible.
 * If a platform is removed from the middle of the train station, the remaining platforms not connected to the train station will not load/unload. It resumes functioning if the platforms are reconnected to a station.
 * Dismantling any part of the station while a train is docking will cause all the train cars to be compressed to the available rail space next to it.

Direction
Train Stations are directional, which is indicated by arrows on the platform and the construction hologram. Additionally, the round side of the roof and the side where the name display is where the front of an automatically docked locomotive will be. Trains on autopilot will only stop at the station in the specified direction, passing through when going opposite.

The attached Freight Platforms can be rotated either way.

Bi-directional
A bi-directional train stop is possible by attaching a rear-facing locomotive to the train stopping there, as automated locomotives do not reverse. The train can switch to using the rear facing-locomotive to pilot the train, but only if the front-facing locomotive cannot path to the destination.

If the front-facing locomotive finds an excessively long path using turnarounds along the way, it may ignore the rear locomotive and change its freight order after turning, scrambling the loading/unloading order of the wagons. Thus, combining bi-directional track designs with looping track designs can cause problems, and arguably single-direction looping networks become more managable as the networks' size increases.

The appropriate direction-facing locomotive will stop at the train station selected in its "timetable" (itinerary), but can switch direction when departing said station. Therefore, only a single end station facing away from the track is required for an end stop. Middle stations along the bi-directional line may require two stations each if loading/unloading in both directions is desirable, but otherwise a single stop is also possible.

Docking

 * Trains on autopilot will automatically dock upon arriving at the station. Manually driven trains can be docked by positioning the first locomotive at the station, stopping, and then choosing the "Dock" option in the self-driving menu.
 * This will cause all freight cars to simultaneously un/load based on the setting in each attached Freight Platform, assuming there are items to move and space for them to be moved to. The un/loading animation takes 25 seconds.
 * If there is nothing to load/unload, the animation will not be played. The train will instead stop and then immediately proceed, or when driven manually, do nothing when the "Dock" option is pressed.
 * No partial loading/unloading if the remaining space is less than a stack of items. For example, if the freight platform left half a stack of iron ore before filled, there will still be no unloading from the freight car.
 * No manual interactions with the Freight Platform and Freight Cars are allowed during automatic loading/unloading of the cargo.
 * All belts connected to a freight platform are paused for the 25-seconds during loading and unloading.

Power
A Train Station always consumes 50 MW regardless if a Train is docking or not. Attached tracks will additionally function as power lines, adding other connected stations to the power network along with anything connected to those stations.

Hints
In the train station UI, a total of five hints can appear below the station name. The hint is chosen randomly when the UI is opened. These are:
 * Please mind the gap between the train and the platform.
 * Be sure to have your FICSIT badge ready at all times.
 * FICSIT and its affiliates are not responsible for any delays caused by any reason, including but not limited to; hog attacks, biomass on track, oncoming trains, collisions, nuclear meltdowns or general situational derailment.
 * Have an efficient day!
 * Don't leave any unattended crates on the platform.

Station names
Default station names for newly built stations are given based on real-world station names or Station N, where N is a number. When the number of stations built exceeds 200, all the stations built afterward will be named 'Train Simulator'. Train Stations can be renamed at any time.
 * Skoevde C
 * Dordrecht Centraal
 * Hamburg Hauptbahnhof
 * s'Hertogenbosch
 * Venray
 * Tallinn
 * Breda C
 * Grisslehamn
 * Borgstena
 * Fristad
 * Boraas C
 * Station 11
 * Station 12
 * Station 198
 * Station 199
 * Train Simulator
 * Train Simulator
 * Train Simulator

History

 * Patch 0.3.8.6: Added support for Extended Latin, Cyrillic, Greek, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean characters in Train Station names
 * Unknown patch between Patch 0.3.4.0 and Patch 0.3.7: The station name can now only be so long, preventing it from overflowing the name sign and hovering in mid-air
 * Patch 0.3.4.16: Fixed too large Track clearance
 * Patch 0.3.4.15: Integrated Station Track should no longer rotate separately from the main building
 * Patch 0.3.4.14: Icon updated
 * Patch 0.3.4.13: Added a few more details to Train Platform meshes
 * Patch 0.3.4.12: Added new meshes
 * Patch 0.3.4.9:
 * Now can be dismantled and rebuilt in the same spot when adjacent to Foundations
 * Fixed clearance so Foundations can be built around the station properly
 * Patch 0.2.1.17:
 * Train AI has changed. Trains now try to slow down to 15 km/h before approaching a station, then come to a full stop once reaching it. Trains are now forcefully stopped no matter their speed if not capable of braking sufficiently
 * Integrated train track of the station is now free to construct
 * Patch 0.2.1.10: Fixed small name input bug
 * Patch 0.2.1.4: Now appears on the map, LOD updated
 * Patch 0.2.1.3: Fixed related crash
 * Patch 0.1.19: Updated visuals, now shows station name. Added power warnings and support legs
 * Patch 0.1.17 (101256): Power graph fixed, UI updated. Foundation 8m x 1m introduced to match platform height
 * Patch 0.1.16: Are now unlockable in game

Trivia

 * In the E3 trailer, train stations were much closer to Truck Stations by appearance. They would be seemingly placed over the existing track, allowing the track to be slightly curved.
 * Some UI elements still feature the old design of trains (before Update 2), especially the locomotive.