(PIMS) Passenger Information Massage System now on the web

Web Lets Riders See Train Times From Afar

To find the next train go to metrorail stations at WMATA’s web site, click on a station, on the station page click on Next Train Arrival. A popup window will display next train information.

Next train information can also be access from other portable web enabled devices wmata.com/mobile (note; link only works with portable web enabled devices).

Neat...don't know how necessary this is, and it may be welcoming to terrorists, but still neat.

"Love Train"
Neat...don't know how necessary this is, and it may be welcoming to terrorists, but still neat.

If you are in your office that’s a short walk to a station platform it’s nice to know how long the wait will be before you get to the station. If your are carrying a web enabled device such as a BlackBerry you can find out which train you just heard come in the station as you are coming down entrance escalator.

I only wish the MBTA's Red, Orange and Blue Lines had this uphere in Boston, along with MBCR's Commuter Rail, we just got our own automated subway arrival messages on those three lines, now, if only the MBTA did this like WMATA.

For now, it just says:

"Attention Passengers, The next Orange (example) Line Train to Forest Hills (example) is now arriving"

"Robert Paniagua"
I only wish the MBTA's Red, Orange and Blue Lines had this uphere in Boston, along with MBCR's Commuter Rail, we just got our own automated subway arrival messages on those three lines, now, if only the MBTA did this like WMATA.

For now, it just says:

"Attention Passengers, The next Orange (example) Line Train to Forest Hills (example) is now arriving"

Being that the signaling and train detection system are so similar it is likely that the software code that was written by the folks at WMATA could be used up there with a little modification.

Ahh allright, that should work out well, mainly that they now implemented this new convenient benefit for us, especially in a 100 yr old system.

Sand Box John wrote:Web Lets Riders See Train Times From Afar

To find the next train go to metrorail stations at WMATA’s web site, click on a station, on the station page click on Next Train Arrival. A popup window will display next train information.

Next train information can also be access from other portable web enabled devices wmata.com/mobile (note; link only works with portable web enabled devices).

Thank you for bringing this feature to my attention. This will come in handy on those days when I am leaving the office before rush hour service starts.

It should also be mentioned that WMATA has just recently rolled out the NextBus system on a select few Metrobus routes, which displays real-time bus arrival data. In addition to the system on the Web, bus stops now have signs with phone numbers and unique IDs, allowing cell phone users to determine when the next bus will arrive. The system also works on SMS and Web-enabled cell phones. As I understand, LED display boards similar to those used in Metrorail stations will eventually be mounted at bus stops with shelters.

http://wmata.nextbus.com/predictor/stopSelector.jsp

The maps are quite comprehensive, and seem to be accurate. They even display the location of out-of-service buses.

The next train arrivals displayed on the Passenger Information and Massaging System displays are now viewable on the web and on cellular devices in map format:

A real-time map of the DC Metrorail system

I hope WMATA doesn't try to give me a massage

Sand Box John wrote:The next train arrivals displayed on the Passenger Information and Massaging System displays are now viewable on the web and on cellular devices in map format:

A real-time map of the DC Metrorail system

This is extremely interesting to watch. It's not necessarily as helpful as Next Bus, which isn't very accurate most of the time, because the trains come pretty frequently when I ride, but I can see this being sort of helpful when headways are so long. I find Next Bus very helpful from a visual perspective, because I know where traffic is likely to exist and can better adjust my movements rather than simply look at Next Bus arrival estimate.

JDC wrote: This is extremely interesting to watch. It's not necessarily as helpful as Next Bus, which isn't very accurate most of the time, because the trains come pretty frequently when I ride, but I can see this being sort of helpful when headways are so long. I find Next Bus very helpful from a visual perspective, because I know where traffic is likely to exist and can better adjust my movements rather than simply look at Next Bus arrival estimate.

The thing I find interesting are the number of "no-passenger" trains that are out and about. At the end of rush hour, I would sort of expect a number of hose, but even in the middle of the day there are usually a number of them out and about as well.

The map shows the big picture. I have noticed the "no-passenger" label showing up at the realtime arrivals pages

Sand Box John wrote:The map shows the big picture. I have noticed the "no-passenger" label showing up at the realtime arrivals pages

I also noted that some of the time, it said "no passenger", and other times there were black black trains where it said that there was no destination set.

And during rush hour, I am noticing some bunching of trains. As I clicked on the trains, it would tell me the amount that the train had been delayed. For example, just now there was a train and the label said:

The train is either holding or moving slowly. It has been reporting the same ETA for a few seconds longer than expected, having already been delayed by 3 minutes prior to this, and it has been flagged as holding/slow 4 previous times recently.

I glanced at the page today - when there should be no trains at all running, and there were 8 black "trains" in the network. My guess is that these are really work vehicles of some sort, but they still show up in the system as a train with an "unknown destination".

"JackRussell"
I glanced at the page today - when there should be no trains at all running, and there were 8 black "trains" in the network. My guess is that these are really work vehicles of some sort, but they still show up in the system as a train with an "unknown destination".

I noticed the same, mouse over said "Boarding, unknown final destination".