What do YOU do on the train???

[mdiaz]

I am an design student in Philly and I commute by Patco everyday. For one of my senior projects I am looking at how I can improve the lives and daily experiences of commuters much like all of you out there!!!!!

So.....

What do you typically to do on the "way in" and while waiting?

What do you typically use on the commute(ie phone, book, coffee thermos, ipad, or the back of your eye lids)?

And what, other than ALL the other people doing the same thing or wierd delays, bugs you most about the process of commuting?


Have fun responding! I am eager to hear the responses!!

Matt

[jackintosh11]

I usually just relax but I see a lot of people reading or using their phones. I think it would be a good idea to make a car where people can make phone calls or have conversations and make all other cars quiet cars. Any car other than the last car would be quiet.

[NorthPennLimited]

I look for the hottest babe on the train and sit next to her.

If she's not into having a conversation, then I listen to music and try to catch people picking their noses.

[R3 Passenger]

Train time is my time to either mentally prepare myself for the day or unwind after work. I like to find myself a corner and close my eyes, relax to the swaying of the train, and even fall asleep. In terms of the other passengers, most of them read or play games on their phones, or relax like I do. But there is always that one guy barking into his cell phone or a group of people who are talking obnoxiously loud (or, my personal favorite, sit in separate window seats on opposite sides of the train and talking ACROSS an empty train) that have to ruin it for everyone else.

Going into the city, I don't need to worry about waiting unless the train is obnoxiously late, during which time I am usually checking my phone (Apps, SEPTA twitter feed, and Amtrak alerts) and talking to the other regulars about what is going on. Going home and waiting at the station for my train, I do what any railfan does: watch the trains. I'll even play a little game with myself to "guess the equipment of the announced train." I found that if I see more Silverliner 5s than 4s, my train is almost always a set of 4s. I'll even look for ALP-44 2308 on the Push-Pulls. It keeps me alert and entertained enough.

I think that the real allure of the train is its convenience and atmosphere. People do not take it to get to their jobs quicker or because it is necessarily cheaper than parking downtown (although sometimes it is). The train runs on a timetable and you will get into work at a mostly consistent time, provided no "signal problems," "police activity," "equipment problems," or "switch problems" get in the way. It is much more relaxing to sit on a train rather than have to deal with the uncertainty of traffic and accidents on the Schuylkill, or navigating the tight and bumpy lane shifts in the construction zones on I-95. Plus, as an added bonus, you could get a little bit of extra work done if you have a laptop, or just relax.

I generally agree that the QuietRide (QR) program should be expanded, but not to corral all the "talkers" I referenced in the first paragraph into a "talking car." That would be disastrous with everyone trying to talk over each other. The primary issue I have with the QR car is that it is limited to one car per train, and always at the front. As I have said to people asking me about the best place to sit on the train, not all cars platform at all stations, except the first two, including the QR car. On rush hour trains, the front is super packed to a SRO situation, with people practically sitting on top of each other. I don't find the benefit of quiet at a cost of comfort to be appealing, so I will always sit in the last car of a rush hour train. And that car usually has the most space of all of them.

I propose that in order to better even out the passenger distribution on these long trains is to allow the last car of long rush hour trains of 6 cars or more to also be a Quiet Ride car. I think that this would provide an incentive for passengers to move toward the back of the train.

[ChrisinAbington]

I'm one of those folks that likes to look out the window at the scenery. Obviously this doesn't work after dark or in the unlit subterranean portions, but a clean window is somewhat high on my list of things I look forward to.

[the sarge]

So.....

What do you typically to do on the "way in" and while waiting?

What do you typically use on the commute(ie phone, book, coffee thermos, ipad, or the back of your eye lids)?

And what, other than ALL the other people doing the same thing or wierd delays, bugs you most about the process of commuting?

Mostly sleep or read the paper.

Gripes - loud cell phone conversations, music/noise from phones speaker; especially music, chewing gum popping, and worse of all, the "soul glo" smears on the windows.

[25Hz]

I am an design student in Philly and I commute by Patco everyday. For one of my senior projects I am looking at how I can improve the lives and daily experiences of commuters much like all of you out there!!!!!

So.....

What do you typically to do on the "way in" and while waiting?

What do you typically use on the commute(ie phone, book, coffee thermos, ipad, or the back of your eye lids)?

And what, other than ALL the other people doing the same thing or wierd delays, bugs you most about the process of commuting?


Have fun responding! I am eager to hear the responses!!

Matt

Way in?

While waiting, hope the train isn't late or break down mid-trip, wish there was an inside place to wait...

Fiddle with iPhone, stare out window, listen to iPod.

I don't "commute", but when i do ride, the biggest thing that bothers me is the clear lack of communication between trains, as no one on one train ever seems to have a clue about the next train behind them. I have found this to be unique with SEPTA, and uniquely irritating when trying to utilize a system with hourly frequencies.

[jcburns]

Matt, as a designer, I want to encourage you to approach these requests—and other things you write for the world to read—with, how shall I say this, a few fewer exclamation points. It's just a lot more professional that way. (But yes, we get that you're enthusiastic.)

[mzu2006]

When I lived in Philly, I got 3/4 hour train commute. I was able to check email and grade some students papers

[Limited-Clear]

I check email, and play an online mobile game and listen to music.

25hz, why would a train crew on one train know about the one behind them? They aren't on the one behind them or have anything to do with that train, the crew will have the same (if not less) access to the same info you have, ie timetables, or they can call on their radio for info if there is serious disruption, but at the end of the day your resources are timetables, Twitter, website, phone calls (the last three the crews can't use).

I find the quiet ride car annoying, it's not as bad these days, but people seem to be under the impression its a silent ride car, sorry folks guess again, sure cell phone on silent, but you can talk just not loudly and constantly, heck I've even seem people blow up because of a newspaper russling or a soda can being opened.

I wish the conductors had a setting for the lights so that in daylight it was regular bright lights, but in the early morning and evening it could be subdued lighting, not dark so it was dangerous, but low enough to be comfortable to sleep under

[the sarge]

I check email, and play an online mobile game and listen to music.

25hz, why would a train crew on one train know about the one behind them? They aren't on the one behind them or have anything to do with that train, the crew will have the same (if not less) access to the same info you have, ie timetables, or they can call on their radio for info if there is serious disruption, but at the end of the day your resources are timetables, Twitter, website, phone calls (the last three the crews can't use).

I find the quiet ride car annoying, it's not as bad these days, but people seem to be under the impression its a silent ride car, sorry folks guess again, sure cell phone on silent, but you can talk just not loudly and constantly, heck I've even seem people blow up because of a newspaper russling or a soda can being opened.

I wish the conductors had a setting for the lights so that in daylight it was regular bright lights, but in the early morning and evening it could be subdued lighting, not dark so it was dangerous, but low enough to be comfortable to sleep under

It's obvious 25 Hz wants the trains to operate like a trucking convoy moving hazardous waste through a tight mountain pass. Although, I can't see why he couldn't use his super power eyesight to keep tabs on the other trains on the line.

I hear you on the quitecar; it's the land of two extremes. Either you have the clueless cellphone shouter or the noise nazi throwing nasty looks your way for dropping a pen on the floor.

Light settings would be nice. Very hard trying to make out with the girlfriend under those bright fluorescent lights.

[Roadgeek Adam]

I don't ride SEPTA much, but on any ride on a train, I drink Dos Equis, I usually read books, stare out the window, chat with conductors, anything to keep me busy.

I personally have always thought about railroads kind of building off what Amtrak has with city descriptions, but making kind of like a historical pamphlet for the stations within the timetable for people to read. Yes it would use more paper, but it makes a timetable worth more, personally.

[o484]

I usually just look out the window, read a book, listen to music or the sounds of the train.

[o484]

I usually just look out the window, read a book or listen to music.