Japanese train-related vocabulary: Could you describe to me what kinds of trains/cars these are?

Question:

I am VERY VERY confused right now.

What is the difference between a 寝台急行 and a 寝台列車?

What is the difference エル特急 and 特別急行列車 and what does エル mean?

Do the terms 普通車の全車両が指定席　普通車の一部車両が指定席 mean that you have to reserve seats on all or some of the carriages for local trains?

Does 発車または到着番線 (used to describe the symbol that has a number within a circle) mean "Stops the train will not stop at" or "The train will only stop at these stops?" Or is it something else?

Explain in English and Japanese if it's easier for you

Answer:

>What is the difference between a 寝台急行 and a 寝台列車?

急行 is express train. So 寝台急行 is express night train. 寝台列車 is all night trains including 寝台急行.

>What is the difference エル特急 and 特別急行列車 and what does エル mean?

特別急行列車 is 特急 which means limited express train. It's faster than 急行 express.

エル特急 exists only in Japan. This エル means "L". But there is no meaning in that. It's used for major limited express trains.

>Do the terms 普通車の全車両が指定席　

This means all cars are reserved seat cars. 普通車 means normal cars. So it does not include グリーン車 green car which is like 1st class because it goes without saying that all seats in green cars are reserved.

>普通車の一部車両が指定席

This means some cars are reserved seat cars.

>発車または到着番線

This means "platform where trains arrive or depart from". The number is platform number.