I heard this morning on WCBS 88AM, where the MTA wants to retrofit, presumably the R68/R68A's (or has they were described: "the orange and yellow cars") with digital signs and announcements. The problem: these cars are 24 years old, with the most obsolete technology. This project might be possible, though. But, when you are adding modern technology to an old concept that dates back to the turn of the century, you are going to have problems-BIG PROBLEMS. Who is going to pay for it? (Us, the public.) As many of you know me on this forum, I have a hatred for these longwinded announcements for the illiterate and those who chose not to read. People do not know how to be independent, self-sufficient or self-reliant. It is not the job of a transit system to be a social service.
That would be government mandated ADA compliance. The R68/A cars have a lot of useful life left in them before they meet their fate at the bottom of the ocean, so that is probably why the MTA is looking at adding the displays. The R62/A cars could also potentially be retrofitted at some point although that is not mentioned here. The other cars before the R62/A would definitely not be as those are scheduled to be replaced.
Although, 1 example of where it worked without rebuilding the entire car was in Montreal with their 1970's Bombardier cars. Alstom added automated announcements and digital displays, and those have performed really well since being added in the early 1990's.
