Train Destination Boards. Keep or Get Rid?

[whhistle]

Thinking about external ones...

I guess most people will suggest keeping them is a good idea but I'm not so sure.
The majority of the ones I see are never working, saying something wrong or saying "Class170 Turbostar".

They can be really useful but even some modern stock (thinking about a recent photo of a 172) has a problem.

Perhaps it's just the shorter distance units that shouldn't bother but longer distance (that actually seem more reliable) should retain them.

If they're not reliable, get rid.

Clearly keeping them reliable is a problem for some operators/stock.

 

[sprinterguy]

The internal Passenger Information Screens are a requirement of the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (RVAR) 2010 - They can't just be "got rid". Though obviously they're a bit superfluous if not actually displaying any useful information.

 

[pdeaves]

Whether internal or external displays, I say 'keep', but make them work. Having a fault is not reason to do without [1], but to make it right!
[1] taking logic to its absurd conclusion, a brake fault would lead to doing without brakes, a fuel injector fault would lead to doing without diesel power units, any train fault would lead to doing without trains...

 

[FOH]

I find the external displays on the 700s so dim you can’t read them unless you are up close

 

[edwin_m]

I'd say the side displays are more important than the end displays. They give information to people arriving on the platform while the train is in, who may have to make a quick decision on whether to board or not. They are also useful where a train splits en route (assuming they are set up to display the actual destination of each coach). An end display is only useful for people who are there before the train arrives (who will have time to check platform displays beforehand) and for people who arrive behind the buffer stops (who could alternatively look at the display on the side of the last coach).

 

[Bletchleyite]

Keep (front, side, rear and internal) and make the things work. It is not a difficult problem to solve.

 

[atraindriver]

<deleted>

 

[bb21]

The display should be maintained and the booked departure time should be included as per C2C's standard practice on the 357 cab displays, across all boards, and updated at every stop.

Those who cannot maintain their kit properly should be dealt with by way of a heavy penalty.

 

[Ethano92]

I think all trains should have them. And they should work like older Electrostars (eg. 375s) which show the destination and calling points. The 345s are also good too showing the destination and next stop although they do feel a little far apart. Im not saying have 2 per each side of each carriage like on older Electrostars but one in the centre of each carriage like on newer Electrostars (eg. 387s) is optimal in my opinion. They can be really useful when the board on the platform is blocked by other signs or too far away.

Ones like on the 700s are not, however useful. Sure there's one on every car but when they just say "Sutton", is that via wimbledon or via mitcham. The boards on platforms in the Thameslink core are really useful and full of info, I like them. Only problem is you have to be quite close up to read them so it would be helpful if the train itself gave you sufficient info to know whether it's your train or not.

Boards could also help at quieter stations where there's only one board by the entrance, if there are delays, another train might overtake the first and if you're not near that board you may not know that a different train to the one that was supposed to come first has arrived.

 

[berwicksfinest]

bring back the paper carriage destination labels

 

[GrahamD83]

I think all trains should have them on the side, and they only need to display final destination as there should be suitable displays/announcements on the platform to confirm the intermediate calling points. Perhaps displaying the correct departure time on the train itself would also be useful incase of trains arriving in the wrong order due to delays.

End displays like previously mentioned not always practical, and I find the orange LED ones difficult to read from a distance or in bright sunlight.

 

[Mugby]

Keep them without question.

They can be very useful (and reassuring) at places such as Birmingham New St. where you get two Voyagers on the same platform going to different destinations in opposite directions!

 

[Indigo Soup]

I think all trains should have them on the side, and they only need to display final destination as there should be suitable displays/announcements on the platform to confirm the intermediate calling points. Perhaps displaying the correct departure time on the train itself would also be useful incase of trains arriving in the wrong order due to delays.

Dare I suggest that destination boards might usefully display train numbers?

 

[LowLevel]

The old blinds are not immune to problems. We have 2 fleets of 15x with blinds. 1 types are maintained at depot X. 1 type at depot Y. I can recall on one hand the number of defective blinds on the fleet from depot X and they get repaired.

Depot Y stopped bothering to maintain theirs a number of years ago and I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of blinds that actually work, most have been bodged and others just removed.

 

[cactustwirly]

The old blinds are not immune to problems. We have 2 fleets of 15x with blinds. 1 types are maintained at depot X. 1 type at depot Y. I can recall on one hand the number of defective blinds on the fleet from depot X and they get repaired.

Depot Y stopped bothering to maintain theirs a number of years ago and I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of blinds that actually work, most have been bodged and others just removed.

I think I can probably guess which depots are 'X' & 'Y'....

 

[birchesgreen]

Its a pity more use isn't made of service numbers, it might reduce some confusion at busy stations if passengers were looking out for a train with 13 [Destination] on it for example apart from just Destination where it could be a slow/fast/different route.

 

[Fincra5]

Bad enough passengers can't read the departure boards at stations! They'd be truly lost without it on the side/ front or inside the train!

 

[Highlandspring]

bring back the paper carriage destination labels

Funny you say that, the refurbished ScotRail HST coaches have them...

 

[mpthomson]

Dare I suggest that destination boards might usefully display train numbers?

No, the general public neither understand them or care about them. The railway doesn't and shouldn't cater for our hobby in that way, these boards should provide useful information for the travelling public and that's it.

 

[jamesst]

The problem I find with a lot of electronic pis systems is them setting up perfectly but not progressing through stations as the train undertakes it's journey. The problem being unless the fitter actually travels with you all you can do is write it in the defect book, the system of course setting up fine when the fitter tests it later...

 

[AlexNL]

No, the general public neither understand them or care about them. The railway doesn't and shouldn't cater for our hobby in that way, these boards should provide useful information for the travelling public and that's it.

In Paris, the RER uses a system called 'mission codes' to identify trains to the general public. These mission codes are displayed on trains, on information boards, and in the journey planner on SNCF.com. If you normally catch a "ROMY" train to get home but you're late, you can simply wait for the next "ROMY" to take you home without having to look at calling patterns.

While these codes may seem random at first (ROMY? VIPE? PAAS?) there is a system behind them. The first letter identifies the destination, the second letter indicates the calling pattern, the 3rd and 4th letter are just there to make the code into a word which can be remembered.

I'm not saying that Thameslink should switch to mission codes though

 

[CharlieSpotted]

If you normally catch a "ROMY" train to get home but you're late, you can simply wait for the next "ROMY" to take you home without having to look at calling patterns.

While these codes may seem random at first (ROMY? VIPE? PAAS?) there is a system behind them. The first letter identifies the destination, the second letter indicates the calling pattern, the 3rd and 4th letter are just there to make the code into a word which can be remembered.

An interesting system, but what if your home station is not the final destination? If your station is covered by the calling pattern O does that mean you could equally get a ROMY or a PONG to get home? Or if there are multiple calling patterns (say, O and A) covers your station, could you equally get a ROMY or a PANG? Or is the nework not complicated enough for this to be an issue?

 

[RichJF]

In Paris, the RER uses a system called 'mission codes' to identify trains to the general public. These mission codes are displayed on trains, on information boards, and in the journey planner on SNCF.com. If you normally catch a "ROMY" train to get home but you're late, you can simply wait for the next "ROMY" to take you home without having to look at calling patterns.

While these codes may seem random at first (ROMY? VIPE? PAAS?) there is a system behind them. The first letter identifies the destination, the second letter indicates the calling pattern, the 3rd and 4th letter are just there to make the code into a word which can be remembered.
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I actually think TL should adopt the RER route map location indicator, where the light flashes at the next station the train will be stopping at & the calling pattern is lit up on the route map. Very helpful when I use the RER in Paris & forget which trains call at where.

 

[Bletchleyite]

An interesting system, but what if your home station is not the final destination? If your station is covered by the calling pattern O does that mean you could equally get a ROMY or a PONG to get home? Or if there are multiple calling patterns (say, O and A) covers your station, could you equally get a ROMY or a PANG? Or is the nework not complicated enough for this to be an issue?

I think I prefer standardising calling patterns and times and going for line numbering e.g. S1/2/3 etc. But it's an interesting idea.

 

[AlexNL]

As far as my understanding of the system goes, calling patterns are combined with the destination. The letter "O" means "Omnibus" or "all stations service"... so if PONG and ROMY go in the same direction and you need to get off at an intermediate station (before they branch off) you can take both.

 

[TRAX]

The problem is that they are too small on UK trains. Hardly readable.