How to understand the following suggestions when one falls in NYC subway tracks?

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Imagine the train is heading south. It will enter at the north end of the station and move, southwards, to the south end of the station. The advice "in the opposite direction from where the train enters the station" means run south. Away from the north end, where the train enters. In the same direction as the train. Eventually you will reach the south end, the far end, as far as possible from where the train enters.

Yes, there is probably a ladder at both ends, but you don't want to run towards the one at the north end, because that would mean running towards the train and meeting it sooner. The article mentions both ends so you don't worry "what if there isn't a ladder when I get to the far end, because the only ladder is at the other end?"

As for the pits, in some stations there are gaps under the platform between the tracks, and sometimes folks are advised to try to go there - this advice says don't do that, because there might not be one and anyway, the third rail is in the way. It is covered with wood, but if you step on the wood it might collapse and put you in contact with the third rail, which will be instantly fatal. (The third rail carries the electricity that powers the subway. The first and second rails are the actual train tracks on which the subway cars run.) Don't get too worked up about understanding a rebuttal of advice you're being told not to take. If you have actually stood in a subway station and looked down at the tracks, this nomenclature would probably make more sense.

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