The seating plan of a Sydney train may looks like any other train in the world. Blue reversible seats arranged in rows... nothing exciting.
However there is a very special difference, and I choose to call it: The Misery Seat.
It's that cramped, solitary seat next to the stairs. Perhaps it was designed with social-phobes in mind because in this chair you can pretty much only sit in one position, not hold anything and not move. All you can do is stare. Also, since The Misery Seat is next to the stairs, your lonely shame and misery are on full display to the commuters about to descend the stairs to alight from the train. It's an ideal spot to inject, quietly weep or to messily eat your problems away.
It's also very narrow, so it only suits a certain body type. Plus there's a sloping edge of the ceiling just above, meaning you also have to be short or have your head forced downward to sit here. And i'm not positive but I think electric shocks are generated every so often to help make your emotional pain even more physical.
I'm sure they could have utilised the space more productively. Perhaps with a bubbler or even a small bidet.