Solari Board at PHL

[Acela150]

How much has ridership declined because of the loss of flowers in the diner? Or ppc cars? Or the pillows in coach? 
The solari boards were just one of those little things that made train travel unique and charming.  
Eventually, if you cut all of the charming things out, I think ridership will decline.
i know I have started flying more than I ever thought I would... it wasn’t the Solaris board that made me fly more, but it was the loss of several of the little things and the inconsistency of employees. 

So let me get this straight? You think that ridership at the 3rd busiest Amtrak Station in the nation will drop because of the removal of the Solari Board? Yeah that makes sense. [emoji849]

Ridership didn’t decline because they removed flowers from the dining cars. That’s just insane if you think that is a legit reason why ridership declined. A legitimate reason is that the train was annulled for 3 days, etc. NOT the removal of flowers.

 

[KnightRail]

The first monitor was installed on the west side of the new main PIDS board(where the Solari board was). That monitor is one of nine in a 3x3 grid that will be on each side for a total of 18 screens that will make up the two main displays. Very similar to the look of NYP’s displays, except the boards are staying back to back unlike in NYP where they went on opposing ends of the concourse. PIDS: Passenger Information Display System is the modern term Amtrak uses in place of Solari.

 

[Thirdrail7]

So let me get this straight? You think that ridership at the 3rd busiest Amtrak Station in the nation will drop because of the removal of the Solari Board? Yeah that makes sense.

Ridership didn’t decline because they removed flowers from the dining cars. That’s just insane if you think that is a legit reason why ridership declined. A legitimate reason is that the train was annulled for 3 days, etc. NOT the removal of flowers.

No one said that ridership declined specifically because of Solari board, flowers or even OTP.  What they are trying to say is these things become part of a cumulative effect. In other words, the death of thousand cuts.

For some, this is step towards modernization and updating the look and travel experience while for others, it is another brick in the wall.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

So let me get this straight? You think that ridership at the 3rd busiest Amtrak Station in the nation will drop because of the removal of the Solari Board? Yeah that makes sense.

Ridership didn’t decline because they removed flowers from the dining cars. That’s just insane if you think that is a legit reason why ridership declined. A legitimate reason is that the train was annulled for 3 days, etc. NOT the removal of flowers.

How did you get that from what I wrote? Of course I don’t think it will affect ridership. Nor did the flowers.  

None of these little things directly affect ridership. It’s all these little things that help make train travel charming.  You take all of them away, eventually you have a product that is much less unique, and less special.  If the product is less special it may eventually lead to fewer riders. (Not talking about the commuter traffic of course). 

I still miss the conductors punching tickets,  but I also love the convenience of having my ticket on my iPhone. 

 

[Acela150]

How much has ridership declined because of the loss of flowers in the diner? Or ppc cars? Or the pillows in coach? 

The solari boards were just one of those little things that made train travel unique and charming.  

Eventually, if you cut all of the charming things out, I think ridership will decline.

i know I have started flying more than I ever thought I would... it wasn’t the Solaris board that made me fly more, but it was the loss of several of the little things and the inconsistency of employees. 

How did you get that from what I wrote? Of course I don’t think it will affect ridership. Nor did the flowers.  

None of these little things directly affect ridership. 

To me you're implying that ridership has dropped because of the removal of the flowers, PPC, etc. 

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Quite the opposite. I don’t think those things individually result in loss of ridership. (Although the ppc actually might have?).

 

[Devil's Advocate]

To me you're implying that ridership has dropped because of the removal of the flowers, PPC, etc. 

It's difficult for me to quantify how much each individual change and reduction affects my travel but over time my enthusiasm has continued to fall as more and more amenities are diluted or abandoned altogether.  Where I live Amtrak is not fast or cheap or plentiful.  It's slow, expensive, and infrequent.  I previously rode Amtrak long distance service several times every single year but these days I ride a lot less than I used to.  I guess if you mainly ride commuter trains then it's hard to comprehend what motivates and annoys long distance sleeper passengers.  Just like how I have little knowledge of what motivates or annoys commuter passengers since there are no such services where I live.

 

[cpotisch]

To me you're implying that ridership has dropped because of the removal of the flowers, PPC, etc.

He said:

Eventually, if you cut all of the charming things out, I think ridership will decline.

That is VERY different from what you think he meant. Crescent is not saying that ridership has dropped from any particular minor cut, but rather that if train travel ends up losing all the little (and big) things that makes it special, ridership likely will decline. As DA and Thirdrail said, this is death by a thousand cuts which likely can have a cumulative effect that will cause ridership to decline. There is going to be a breaking point for many riders; the straw that breaks the camel's back.

 

[Acela150]

He said:

That is VERY different from what you think he meant. Crescent is not saying that ridership has dropped from any particular minor cut, but rather that if train travel ends up losing all the little (and big) things that makes it special, ridership likely will decline. As DA and Thirdrail said, this is death by a thousand cuts which likely can have a cumulative effect that will cause ridership to decline. There is going to be a breaking point for many riders; the straw that breaks the camel's back.

You also missed the very first sentence of the post.  

 

[Acela150]

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/02/14/new-video-board-installed-at-30th-street-station-replacing-beloved-flipboard/

 

[Acela150]

Stopped by 30th Street today after a Doctors appointment. The board is up and ready to go. I had a brief conversation with an Amtrak Police Officer who said the latest says Sunday will be the day. 

 

[Acela150]

A post on TO.com shows that they tested the new board today. Should be in service tomorrow. I'm curious to know if it'll also bring the automated announcements that sound god awful. 

Regarding the automated announcements... That's what Amtrak has left out of the whole Solari Board Removal announcements. Is that Amtrak Station Personnel will no longer be making announcements. That's another part of the charm 30th Street has. 

 

[crescent-zephyr]

I knew the solari board was gone from nyp (it wasn’t a split flat board but it was solari) and was prepared for it. I wasn’t prepared for losing the wonderful lady announcer in nyp. I loved hearing her announcements. 

 

[fairviewroad]

 Is that Amtrak Station Personnel will no longer be making announcements. That's another part of the charm 30th Street has. 

Meh, those announcements are always so hard to understand anyhow. It's definitely part of the ambiance, the blurry voice echoing around the giant echo chamber that is 30th St, but it certainly wasn't (for me) a worthwhile way to receive information. Not that a computerized voice might be any better...but it might.

 

[Acela150]

Meh, those announcements are always so hard to understand anyhow. It's definitely part of the ambiance, the blurry voice echoing around the giant echo chamber that is 30th St, but it certainly wasn't (for me) a worthwhile way to receive information. Not that a computerized voice might be any better...but it might.

I disagree. The PA in 30th Street is much much better then it was years ago. Many station agents that announce trains have clear and understandable voices. Although, there is one lady who I could live with out. 

 

[fairviewroad]

I disagree. The PA in 30th Street is much much better then it was years ago. Many station agents that announce trains have clear and understandable voices. Although, there is one lady who I could live with out. 

OK, I'll grant you that about 75% of my 30th Station usage took place in the 90's when I lived in Philly, and back then the PA was (IMO) useless. Now I'm only there once or twice a year...not enough to notice a difference. I'll take your word that it's better....and if it is, that's a good thing for everyone.

 

[Acela150]

OK, I'll grant you that about 75% of my 30th Station usage took place in the 90's when I lived in Philly, and back then the PA was (IMO) useless. Now I'm only there once or twice a year...not enough to notice a difference. I'll take your word that it's better....and if it is, that's a good thing for everyone.

Keep in mind that 30th Street is my home station. So I would know.  But you're correct the PA used to be dreadful. Amtrak finally put the money into it though. 

 

[Acela150]

As of 815 on the morning of the 26th the new board is not active.

 

[PRR 60]

The new board was fired up at 3 AM this morning (2/28/19). This from Philly.com.

A month after Amtrak removed the black-and-white, analog split-flap information board from 30th Street Station, the railroad moved into the digital age Thursday morning.  After testing overnight, the railroad booted up its large new digital sign atop the information desk in the cavernous station at 3 a.m., well in advance of the morning rush hour, Amtrak spokeswoman Beth Toll said.

The story and some photos can be found HERE.

 

[Mystic River Dragon]

It looks hideous there--like some hostile alien from Star Trek landed in a beautiful historic building :angry: .

Nobody in the photo seems to want to look at it, either :unsure: !

 

[cpotisch]

It looks hideous there--like some hostile alien from Star Trek landed in a beautiful historic building :angry: .

Nobody in the photo seems to want to look at it, either :unsure: !

Indeed. Just looks totally out of place.

 

[Thirdrail7]

It looks hideous there--like some hostile alien from Star Trek landed in a beautiful historic building :angry: .

Nobody in the photo seems to want to look at it, either :unsure: !

Well, there is always Trenton!

(ducks for cover)

 

[Acela150]

Photo credit to “Poppa Joe” on Facebook.

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

It looks hideous there--like some hostile alien from Star Trek landed in a beautiful historic building :angry: .

Nobody in the photo seems to want to look at it, either :unsure: !

Indeed. Just looks totally out of place.

Since it is really nothing more than a very large TV being driven by a computer, there is no reason why it could not look just like a Solari Board, compete with animation and sound.    If you would like a very good example of what I mean, please see http://dixielandsoftware.net/cgi-bin/solari_relay.pl?data=PHL

Too bad there wasn't some Historic Commission that covers 30th Street Station, that could use their God-like super powers to force things like this onto Amtrak.

 

[trainman74]

It looks hideous there--like some hostile alien from Star Trek landed in a beautiful historic building :angry: .

Nobody in the photo seems to want to look at it, either :unsure: !

I think I know what your answer to the question "what would you like the power to do?" is!