Green Line Destination Signs

[Disney Guy]

Having the route letter on the inbound trip is a convenience. But in years past with the roll signs, there were numerous errors, some of them human errors, where incorrect signing was displayed. Some cars, notably the Boeings, had route letters for inbound destinations.

With fully variable electronic signs, as we have nowadays, it is still necessary to be careful when there is mix and match of routes. For example, if there is a delay and say we need to send a Boston College train to fill in to (the new GLX) College Ave. the "B" letter may not be shown when the train shows that destination or when the train is on that route's trackage. (Assuming that that route is designated on maps and in brochures as "E" or "D".)

Similarly, if the change in routing were known that far in advance, the Boston College car must display either "B" or no letter while inbound on Comm. Ave. and may not display "B" together with College Ave at any time. We could debate whether a 2 page display alternating "B" Park St. and (no letter) College Ave. would be confusing.

So the flexibility to show or not show a route letter on inbound trips as well as the ability to change the signs automatically en route is useful.

[CRail]

If an E "got you there," there should be an E that will "get you home" (this is true/desirable, even where, as from Kenmore to Park any of a B,C,D would allow you to reverse trip, it is really important for beginner riders knowing that if you (happened to) travel at first on a D that there will be a D in the other direction will *definitely* take you back to where you started, even if you later learn that B or C could have worked in every alternative case)

You're trying to oversimplify a system that is not simple. You don't want people to think that because a D train took them from Brookline Village to Science Park this morning, as certain scheduled trips do every day, that a D train will take them back from there this afternoon (or worse, in the middle of the day). Sometimes there are trips from Lechmere to Reservoir in the afternoon but quite often some or all of them are sent to Cleveland Circle. It is not helpful to make a promise you know you're not going to keep. Rather, make sure they know to pay attention to where their car is going, and make everyone understand that the most expedient method is likely to take the first car (whatever it is) to Park Street and transfer to the correct car there.

[Arlington]

You're trying to oversimplify a system that is not simple. You don't want people to think that because a D train took them from Brookline Village to Science Park this morning, as certain scheduled trips do every day, that a D train will take them back from there this afternoon (or worse, in the middle of the day)

Actually, I do what people to thin that a D will take them back. That's different from promising that they'll find it where they left it.

I see the difference (and I hope you do too) between:
Weak-form promise: promising that IFYOU SEE a D at Science Park this evening on the opposite platform from your AM trip IT WILL take you back to where your morning D came from (that's all I ask)

Strong-Form promise: promising that IF YOU RODE A D to Science Park from Brookline this morning, YOU WILL SEE (be offered) a D at Science Park to Brookline this evening (nobody's asking for the strong-form promise...or calling morning train an H, M, or U would not make it any better, at any rate...and you will be getting back on a D at Park, right?)

But again, the T itself is already labelling the TRACKs at Science Park as "E" *right now* Calling them D&E in the future, while understanding that exceptions happen, is probably the right customer service solution.

Also, now that the signs are dynamic/electronic there's no reason (is there?) why a train's LEDs couldn't change automatically (an without the operator's intervention) based on any re-routing or short turn. Anything weird (like a planned short turn at Science Park), how about an interstitial page that says "Special" instead of "via Park" or "via Lechmere"

That AM D train that short turned at Science Park could remain a D for its whole trip without undercutting (or any confusion with) the idea that the "Normal/Full" terminus of the D is normally at Tufts Hillside.