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Boston subway activates countdown signs
Congrats to the MBTA signal team for this! I loved this in the London Underground and appreciated how much it helps the experience of riding.
I was in Moscow in 1993 and the Metro had working countdown signs to the SECOND and they were accurate.
I was in Moscow in 1993 and the Metro had working countdown signs to the SECOND and they were accurate.
Yes and Sydney, Australia’s CityRail also has minutes to next train counters on platforms at its major stations. I say major because some of the minor ones at major regional centrs outside of the CBD still have little wooden clocks which a station staff member has to go out and move the hands on to tell passangers when the next train is. Such a greta combination of 2012 and 1912 technology in Sydney.
They will ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston and be a man who never returns.
I think the London Underground has had countdown signs since the invention of LED lights!
This is great, but why not also the Green line?
I’d appreciate if AMTRAK could do this for their trains. Especially signs at the outside of the stations. This would allow passengers to be picked up at the right time like cell phone lots at airports. When boarding the train it would allow extra time to do more shopping, find a bite to eat, buy a paper, or increase the urgency if running tight.
I’m glad to see that my local subway system is joining the 21st Century. If only they could speed up the process a little bit, but those of us who’ve been around a while can remember the slooow Orange line trains from North Station to Everett Station and how long it took the “T” to speed up and modernize that whole trip (Forest Hills to Everett).
I’m glad to see that my local subway system is joining the 21st Century. If only they could speed up the process a little bit, but those of us who’ve been around a while can remember the slooow Orange line trains from North Station to Everett Station and how long it took the “T” to speed up and modernize that whole trip (Forest Hills to Everett).
I’m glad to see that my local subway system is joining the 21st Century. If only they could speed up the process a little bit, but those of us who’ve been around a while can remember the slooow Orange line trains from North Station to Everett Station and how long it took the “T” to speed up and modernize that whole trip (Forest Hills to Everett).
I’m glad to see that my local subway system is joining the 21st Century. If only they could speed up the process a little bit, but those of us who’ve been around a while can remember the slooow Orange line trains from North Station to Everett Station and how long it took the “T” to speed up and modernize that whole trip (Forest Hills to Everett).
I’m glad to see that my local subway system is joining the 21st Century. If only they could speed up the process a little bit, but those of us who’ve been around a while can remember the slooow Orange line trains from North Station to Everett Station and how long it took the “T” to speed up and modernize that whole trip (Forest Hills to Everett).
Count down signs are a good idea but wouldn’t it be better and cheaper to have trains run on schedule? I know that may seem like a radical idea but there once was a time, before computerized traffic control and LED status signs, when dedicated railroad workers were able to run on-time using pocket watches and their wits.
As Christophe said, this has been a standard feature on all London Tube trains for many years - important when you have branch lines and short stop trains too. It is also, now, a feature of many bus lines on London and some other UK cities, as well as being widespread in other Europe metro and bus services. Evidence shows that this increases ridership, as confidence levels grow in the arrival of your next service. I recognize the capital investment required, but the pay back time is less than two years in most cases.
I found this quite convenient while riding BART and MUNI subway systems in San Francisco.
21st Century? Some systems like the Washington Metro started doing this some decades ago. Hey - even NYCTA has started doing it on some lines.
Let’s see, it was one if by land and two if by sea, I believe. At least that plan worked.