Mechanical Solari Board to return to Philadelphia 30th Street Station

[cirdan]

Here's the best list of them, for everywhere:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-flap_display
jb

I don't think that list is claiming to be complete. There must at one time have been such boards at virtually every airport and major train station anywhere across North America, Europe, Japan etc etc.

And then they disappeared faster than we could keep track.

 

[cirdan]

I agree. But it is also true the 30th St. has plenty of space to have two active boards. In fact the great hall to the side with the sculptures on the wall would be a great place for the historic board. And it should be operational. My fear is they won't find the funds to do the operational part unless some local outfit steps in, Maybe the good Congressman could contribute some from his large stash.

I agree. And then getting it operational is one thing, but maintaining the interest to keep it operational and finding funds every time something needs to be repaired is an open ended challenge, especially as parts will become rarer and rarer and may need to be manufactured to order, which will require a higher skillset than was previously needed to just maintain it. And once the people who create the initial initiative pass from the scene and are replace by people who maybe don't see what the fuss is about, I feel the board will soon decline into disrepair.

Maybe a museum would have been the better place for it.

 

[MARC Rider]

Maybe a museum would have been the better place for it.

There's no reason why a museum couldn't display and operate it at 30th St. Station. What would be needed is some sort of fundraising drive to ensure that it can be kept up independent of transient political whims.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

There's no reason why a museum couldn't display and operate it at 30th St. Station. What would be needed is some sort of fundraising drive to ensure that it can be kept up independent of transient political whims.

In addition, it will be necessary for the people who have the knowledge and skills to manufacture board parts that need replacing, as well as maintaining the board, to pass on the knowledge and skills (before they retire) to a new set of workers. After finding a way to get them interested first.

 

[Qapla]

The Philadelphia area has enough colleges that someone should see if one of them would/could take on the project as a perennial project ... that way new people could be taught the engineering, skills and interest on a regular basis - it would be as good as teaching "modern dance" or some of the other courses offered.

 

[west point]

Too many items that I hope the preservastionists need to consider. Who built the papnels? Is the builder even in existence or its successors Are tools, dies, plans available or are plans being protected by copyrights? Any left over parts from builder or distributors in some forgotten warehouse? Wiring diagrams and repair manuals?

Control panel? Not mentioned if PHL control panel located with panel? Are control panels generic or different for each installation?

 

[Qapla]

Too many items that I hope the preservastionists need to consider. Who built the papnels? Is the builder even in existence or its successors Are tools, dies, plans available or are plans being protected by copyrights? Any left over parts from builder or distributors in some forgotten warehouse? Wiring diagrams and repair manuals?

Control panel? Not mentioned if PHL control panel located with panel? Are control panels generic or different for each installation?

All things engineering students are being taught to deal with - and, they have access to 3D printers. Getting/making parts are not as hard to do as it used to be.

 

[MARC Rider]

The Philadelphia area has enough colleges that someone should see if one of them would/could take on the project as a perennial project ... that way new people could be taught the engineering, skills and interest on a regular basis - it would be as good as teaching "modern dance" or some of the other courses offered.

They teach modern dance at an engineering school?

 

[niemi24s]

Shouldn't every Amtrak station have a Solari board?

 

[jis]

Shouldn't every Amtrak station have a Solari board?

Theoretically, yes. But definitely not the mechanical kind. That would be insane.

 

[daybeers]

Wonder how the line item for Solari board maintenance costs for a station served 3x/week would compare to snow removal for Miami as I recall that was a budget item at one point.

 

[niemi24s]

The only Solari board I've seen was the one at Heathrow and a good part of its charm was the "flippity-flippity" sound it made when it was updated.

If that sound was characteristic of the one in Philadelphia, those who get their panties all in a wad over them might not be happy with a silent one.

 

[jis]

The only Solari board I've seen was the one at Heathrow and a good part of its charm was the "flippity-flippity" sound it made when it was updated.

If that sound was characteristic of the one in Philadelphia, those who get their panties all in a wad over them might not be happy with a silent one.

At Boston South Station the new huge electronic board makes the flipity-flippity sound through a loudspeaker installed as part of the board, so as to keep the sound aficionados happy.

 

[dlagrua]

For the nostalgia fans it is possible to mimic the sounds and appearance of the old Solari boards digitally. Try the one here: Amtrak Station Status Boards .
I really like this approach. It uses reliable modern technology to recreate the traditional appearance and function. .

 

[Qapla]

It uses reliable modern technology to recreate the traditional appearance and function.

Yes, the same as an MP3 uses modern technology to recreate the traditional function of an actual record ... just ask any audiophile which he would prefer - the "vinyl" or the "digital" with recreated sound

 

[jis]

Yes, the same as an MP3 uses modern technology to recreate the traditional function of an actual record ... just ask any audiophile which he would prefer - the "vinyl" or the "digital" with recreated sound

I have heard a lot of ditalized vinyl that does not even require any special recreation of sound. It is all faithfully digitized to start with

 

[MARC Rider]

For the nostalgia fans it is possible to mimic the sounds and appearance of the old Solari boards digitally. Try the one here: Amtrak Station Status Boards .
I really like this approach. It uses reliable modern technology to recreate the traditional appearance and function. .

Hmm, would it be possible to make a realistic looking digital approximation of handwritten chalkboard train status lists, complete with the squeaky sound the chalk makes as it is dragged over the slate board?

 

[niemi24s]

How about external speakers on the locomotives that give out chug-chug and pssst sounds like steam engines did?

Or put speakers under all the rolling stock to recreate the clickety-clack of jointed rail?

Fake semaphores would be a nice touch too, but suspect the FRA would frown on that.

 

[jis]

Hmm, would it be possible to make a realistic looking digital approximation of handwritten chalkboard train status lists, complete with the squeaky sound the chalk makes as it is dragged over the slate board?

That should be relatively easy using an HD display.

 

[PaTrainFan]

I like the sound not only because of nostalgia and it was soothing, but it alerted you to the fact something changed and you needed to look at the board for updated information.

 

[Qapla]

Yes, the look and sound may be able to be imitated - however, how many of us who have some sort of heirloom would be content to have a picture of the heirloom instead of the actual heirloom?

 

[jis]

In this case the heirloom is preserved in all its glory in a museum. It is only new installations that incorporate some of the useful features of the previous installation in a less resource intensive way, using alternative technology, which is overall a good thing, rather than not having those features.

 

[west point]

One item. Some digital recording can be sped up or slowed down without changing pitch.

 

[cirdan]

Hmm, would it be possible to make a realistic looking digital approximation of handwritten chalkboard train status lists, complete with the squeaky sound the chalk makes as it is dragged over the slate board?

Have you ever seen the digital display thing at Amsterdam airport with the projection of a guy with a chalk and a cloth, who chalks a clock onto board and keeps on wiping and re-drawing it to ensure it is showing the correct time.

 

[joelkfla]

Have you ever seen the digital display thing at Amsterdam airport with the projection of a guy with a chalk and a cloth, who chalks a clock onto board and keeps on wiping and re-drawing it to ensure it is showing the correct time.