Perils of the Modern Age

[John Bobinyec]

Just witnessed a guy miss his stop on train 76 (Piedmont) because he didn't hear the announcements, because he was listening to something on his earphones.

Now we need an app that will intercept and play train announcements.

Oh well.

jb

 

[oregon pioneer]

If it was really the modern age, the train would have a digital display at each end of the car (and maybe in the middle too) announcing "next stop" and "stopping now at...".

 

[FormerOBS]

His music was evidently more important than his trip.

If it's a bad announcement, or one that can't be heard under normal circumstances, shame on Amtrak.

But if the customer intentionally interferes with his own ability to hear it, then shame on him.

Tom

 

[AmtrakBlue]

If it was really the modern age, the train would have a digital display at each end of the car (and maybe in the middle too) announcing "next stop" and "stopping now at...".

This is what I need as I have trouble hearing announcements due to my hearing loss

 

[Carolina Special]

The new cars on the DC Metro have the digital signs and those were helpful on my trip to the Nats game last month.

On Amtrak, I'm generally going to be aware of where the train is most of the time, like others on this board. It would still be useful for casual travelers, though.

But I expect the ETA for digital signs on Amtrak trains is about 2030 or so...

 

[blackpup]

I agree, they should have more than announcements. What about hearing impaired? What if it's the middle of the night? I thought they put tickets with your destination above your seat, so the car attendant can let you know your stop is coming up?

 

[AmtrakBlue]

I agree, they should have more than announcements. What about hearing impaired? What if it's the middle of the night? I thought they put tickets with your destination above your seat, so the car attendant can let you know your stop is coming up?

They do on the LD trains. Not sure about the medium length/state trains which is what the train mentioned in the original post is.

Since I'm on the manifest as being hearing impaired, on one of my LD trips in coach the conductor put up an orange (or yellow) seat check, with a note about my hearing, so that it would be noticeable in case they needed to get my attention. It came in handy for me to find my seat whenever I got up to go walk.

 

[tim49424]

Not sure about the medium length/state trains which is what the train mentioned in the original post is.

A majority of the time they do the seat check on the Pere Marquette. The conductors also come through and do a verbal reminder a stop ahead of the passenger's destination along with an ETA in addition to the PA announcements.

 

[John Bobinyec]

I agree, they should have more than announcements. What about hearing impaired? What if it's the middle of the night? I thought they put tickets with your destination above your seat, so the car attendant can let you know your stop is coming up?

In this case, announcements were made both over the PA system and as the conductor walked through the car.

I'm not sure the train crew has an obligation to do more than that if the person is evidently able-bodied and awake.

jb

PS By the title of the post I was alluding to the hazard of completely and intentionally disabling one's hearing by using earphones like that.

 

[Seaboard92]

Last time I was on the Piedmont they were using seat checks. But they don't write the whole code our. Just the first letter. Which could get interesting with CLT and CYN both starting with C. But more then likely someone going to CYN is starting in CLT and not at RGH.

 

[Anderson]

I know they generally do their best to let you know, and there are times when you'll hear a disembarking announcement which falls just shy of saying "some idiot is about to miss their stop".

 

[the_traveler]

Every time I'm on a SD train, the Conductor goes thru the train after each stop. While collecting tickets of the new passengers, (s)he will look at the seat checks and will say something like "Kingston is the next stop in 15 minutes, exit at the rear of this car". If someone considers their music more important than preparing to get ready to get off, is it Amtraks fault or that specific passengers responsibly? :huh:

After all, no one ever came to me on a city bus or subway and said my stop is next. Amtrak at least notified him.

As far as LD and getting off in the middle of the night, I have disembarked at SLC from coach at 3:30 am. The Conductor woke me up 30-45 minutes prior to my stop. I have also gotten off at PGH from the CL in a sleeper to connect to the Pennsylvanian. The Conductor came to my room and knocked on my door to be sure I was awake and tell me PGH is in 1 hour.

 

[Thirdrail7]

I agree, they should have more than announcements. What about hearing impaired? What if it's the middle of the night? I thought they put tickets with your destination above your seat, so the car attendant can let you know your stop is coming up?

In this case, announcements were made both over the PA system and as the conductor walked through the car.

I'm not sure the train crew has an obligation to do more than that if the person is evidently able-bodied and awake.

jb

PS By the title of the post I was alluding to the hazard of completely and intentionally disabling one's hearing by using earphones like that.

Depending on the number of passengers disembarking, some crews will go by the counts. In other words if they were expecting 12 people to get on and 17 to get off, they will count them as the detrain.

It also helps if the passenger is wearing something unusual or has something noticeable, like an oversize piece of luggage. They are easy to fish out of the train if they aren't exercising self help.

People have missed their stop before and they will miss them again. The music is just an excuse.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Now we need an app that will intercept and play train announcements.

I can't use aircraft AVOD because of this mindset. Your movie/music/video selection screeches to a halt and is replaced by maximum volume eardrum shattering PA announcement about some crap airline food you're not going to eat or some silly duty free products you're not going to buy. In up to three languages. With your movie/music/video starting and stopping over and over again each time someone stops or restarts saying something. In my view this is a poor solution that punishes everyone in order to cater to the needs of a relative few clueless people. No thanks.

If it was really the modern age, the train would have a digital display at each end of the car (and maybe in the middle too) announcing "next stop" and "stopping now at...".

This is what I need as I have trouble hearing announcements due to my hearing loss

Nearly everyone can benefit from this. Which is why nearly every modern passenger rail network in the industrialized world has adopted it.

But I expect the ETA for digital signs on Amtrak trains is about 2030 or so...

Considering that Amtrak is still ordering brand new equipment in 2016 with no facility for visual signage, and considering that Amtrak rolling stock can remain in use for up to four decades, you could be looking at something closer to 2050 before this becomes common across Amtrak's network. Technically it could be added at any time but having the necessary time, money, and labor to get it done is unlikely without a major capitol investment separate from the operating budget.

 

[andersone]

Mother contended you can't fix stupid

 

[KmH]

From the Amtrak Service Standards Manual:

M. Train Attendant-Coach (TAC)

4. TAC – Upon Departure and En Route Responsibilities

c) Ticket Lift/Coach Seating Diagram

• Passengers who indicate they require special

assistance (for example they are deaf), are

to have the “Special Assistance Seat Check”

(NRPC 3242) which is green with the words

“Keep in Sight”.

 

[neroden]

There's always the low-tech method of providing visual announcements of station stops... the nice big signs with the station name, repeated every fifty feet along the platform, which you can see out the window.

I learned to look for them when I was four riding the T in Boston. They're pretty foolproof if the passengers bother to look out the window.

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

There's always the low-tech method of providing visual announcements of station stops... the nice big signs with the station name, repeated every fifty feet along the platform, which you can see out the window.

I learned to look for them when I was four riding the T in Boston. They're pretty foolproof if the passengers bother to look out the window.

It cannot get any easier than that, but the only problem is so many pax have their muzzles buried in a screen and they do not look out the windows!

 

[districtRich]

I was taking the Wolverine from Chicago to Troy, MI this past December and when we pulled into Dearborn the woman in front of me looked out the window, took her keys out, started her car remotely, and then she just sat there. As the train started pulling away she got up to ask the cafe attendant to call the conductor who came back and met her at her seat. She told him that she thought someone was going to come tell her to get off the train. He called on his radio and they had a taxi waiting for her at the Detroit station to take her back to Dearborn.

 

[TinCan782]

I was taking the Wolverine from Chicago to Troy, MI this past December and when we pulled into Dearborn the woman in front of me looked out the window, took her keys out, started her car remotely, and then she just sat there. As the train started pulling away she got up to ask the cafe attendant to call the conductor who came back and met her at her seat. She told him that she thought someone was going to come tell her to get off the train. He called on his radio and they had a taxi waiting for her at the Detroit station to take her back to Dearborn.

Was her car still running all this time? :giggle:

 

[Hal]

Considering that Amtrak is still ordering brand new equipment in 2016 with no facility for visual signage, and considering that Amtrak rolling stock can remain in use for up to four decades, you could be looking at something closer to 2050 before this becomes common across Amtrak's network. Technically it could be added at any time but having the necessary time, money, and labor to get it done is unlikely without a major capitol investment separate from the operating budget.

What equipment did Amtrak order in 2016? I believe any new equipment ordered in the future will have visual signage.

Amtrak has equipment now with visual signage. None pays much attention to it, but it is there on Acela.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[KmH]

She told him that she thought someone was going to come tell her to get off the train.

Doh! Some people are simply amazing - but not in a good way.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

There's always the low-tech method of providing visual announcements of station stops... the nice big signs with the station name, repeated every fifty feet along the platform, which you can see out the window.

I learned to look for them when I was four riding the T in Boston. They're pretty foolproof if the passengers bother to look out the window.

It cannot get any easier than that, but the only problem is so many pax have their muzzles buried in a screen and they do not look out the windows!

Some locations have had no signs or very faded signs or signs that were not easily visible from the rear of the train.

Considering that Amtrak is still ordering brand new equipment in 2016 with no facility for visual signage, and considering that Amtrak rolling stock can remain in use for up to four decades, you could be looking at something closer to 2050 before this becomes common across Amtrak's network. Technically it could be added at any time but having the necessary time, money, and labor to get it done is unlikely without a major capitol investment separate from the operating budget.

What equipment did Amtrak order in 2016? I believe any new equipment ordered in the future will have visual signage. Amtrak has equipment now with visual signage. None pays much attention to it, but it is there on Acela.

I should have said "taking delivery" instead of "ordering" to clarify that I was intending to refer to the Viewliners. Acela is great but it represents such a tiny portion of all rolling stock. Personally I prefer the systems that are extremely quiet with little or no banter/berating from the PA and visual indicators for routine instructions.

 

[fairviewroad]

Amtrak has equipment now with visual signage. None pays much attention to it, but it is there on Acela.

The Talgo trainsets that operate in the PNW (both old and new versions) have station information displayed visually in each car. But again, that's a tiny portion of Amtrak's rolling stock.

 

[Hal]

I should have said "taking delivery" instead of "ordering" to clarify that I was intending to refer to the Viewliners. Acela is great but it represents such a tiny portion of all rolling stock. Personally I prefer the systems that are extremely quiet with little or no banter/berating from the PA and visual indicators for routine instructions.

Not a very good example even if you said taking delivery since none of the cars being delivered are coach cars.

People being people there are always going to be a few who miss their stop no matter the visual or verbal indicators.