If You’ve Ever Wondered What Those Yellow Signs on the Train Line Are For, Now We Know

Ever wondered what the yellow numbered signs on Sydney train station beams are there for? Maybe not. But you’re curious now, aren’t ya?

Perhaps surprisingly, the information detailed in the yellow signs you see is actually pretty useful.

Why do we have those yellow signs at train stations?

As has been reported by News.com.au, Redditor u/MrSmithSmith has shared in a r/Sydney community that, “All overhead wiring structures on the network have a pylon number which tells you the exact distance to Central. In this example, we’re on the [N]orthern line, 44.641km from Central Station”.

They then shared a photo of the sign being referenced and it reads “N44+641”.

This has been highlighted as a pretty neat piece of information to hold onto if you’re someone who tends to fall asleep on the train.

Taking a look out the window and checking out the signage will immediately give you a fairly clear idea of where you are, with respect to Central Station, and can hopefully help you get your bearings quickly.

In the some 160+ comments that this Reddit post has received, folks have added to the conversation, sharing that similar practices are used when mapping out roads, too.

WalksOnLego wrote that:

“Somewhat related: roads have ‘milestones’ that show you the distance to the next town. e.g. you might see a T 25 on your way up the Pacific Highway on your way through Taree, meaning Taree is 25km away.

“I didn’t notice this for many years. I think there are even a few just around Sydney town itself.”

If you’re keen to keep learning interesting pieces of information about public transport, you can check out this list of Sydney Trains Line abbreviations that you never knew you wanted to know.

Additionally, you can also read all about the rules around bringing pets onto public transport across Australia next, if that piques your interest.