I've had some conversations with a station supervisor for the Long Island Rail Road at Penn Station.  He tells me that the higher-numbered tracks (in the States, what the British refer to as a "platform" is what we call a "track," they assign a different number to each platform face) the Long Island trains use are rigorously assigned, and commuters can literally stumble down their usual staircase to their usual seat without checking the departure boards.  Amtrak, which generally uses tracks 8-14, and New Jersey Transit, which uses the lowest numbered tracks including the stub tracks 1-4, tend to be somewhat more cavalier about assigning trains to tracks, in part because Amtrak interference with New Jersey Transit trains affects the latter's ability to anticipate the next move.  (Further complicating things, the two tracks in the tunnel to New Jersey belong to Amtrak.  At least two of the tracks under the East River belong to the Long Island.)

Elsewhere in the States, track assignments can be more predictable.  Metra in Chicago uses the same philosophy as the Long Island, and lots of harried commuters can get to their trains without looking.

If memory serves, the British are sometimes unpredictable about assigning tracks, er, platforms.  In my trips there, I encounter little knots of riders looking at the screens for the number to be posted.

Stephen Karlson ATTITUDE is a nine letter word. BOATSPEED.