PTIS (GPS Tracking) On The Commuter Rail Discussion

BostonUrbEx wrote:

TrainManTy wrote:"Welcome to [station]. For train information please tune to 1630 AM." loop.

I wish this announcement wouldn't play on the radio and they could filter it out. I'm already listening, I don't need to know to go to 1630!

Does anything else ever actually play? That's all I heard before deciding to head over to the platform and use the LED sign instead.

To keep this vaguely on-topic...do these supposed radio announcements use GPS technology?

TrainManTy wrote:

BostonUrbEx wrote:

TrainManTy wrote:"Welcome to [station]. For train information please tune to 1630 AM." loop.

I wish this announcement wouldn't play on the radio and they could filter it out. I'm already listening, I don't need to know to go to 1630!

Does anything else ever actually play? That's all I heard before deciding to head over to the platform and use the LED sign instead.

To keep this vaguely on-topic...do these supposed radio announcements use GPS technology?

All of the countdowns and approaching announcements play over the radio. I don't know if the announcements for delays play or not. But it's a bit annoying and not worth it when it's basically just:

"[robot voice]: Welcome to x Station. For train information, tune to 1630 A.M."
...
"[robot voice]: Welcome to x Station. For train information, tune to 1630 A.M."
...
...
...
"[robot voice]: Welcome to x Station. For train information, tune to 1630 A.M."
"[robot voice]: Welcome to x Station. For train information, tune to 1630 A.M."
...
"[robot voice]: Welcome to x Station. For train information, tune to 1630 A.M."
...
"[robot voice]: Welcome to x Station. For train information, tune to 1630 A.M."

BostonUrbEx wrote:

TrainManTy wrote:

BostonUrbEx wrote:

TrainManTy wrote:"Welcome to [station]. For train information please tune to 1630 AM." loop.

I wish this announcement wouldn't play on the radio and they could filter it out. I'm already listening, I don't need to know to go to 1630!

The radio software just "reads" whatever scrolls on the digital sign. To do anything else (eliminate the "welcome," etc.) would require additional intelligence programmed into the system. For what it's worth, I find it useful. At Anderson/Woburn I can sit in my car until the T-3 minute mark, and then get to the platform just when the train is arriving. There was even one time when I tuned in before paying to enter the lot (there the $4 is collected at a booth by a human), heard about cancellations and delays, turned around, and drove in.

mbcrvictim wrote:I am by no means the only passenger who absolutely hates this system. What do we need to do to kill this thing off for good, or at the very least, make a car where we can escape it and relax on our long commutes?

Unfortunately these announcements are require by law. The courtesy ones are not and should be reduced for sure. The system is missing required connecting transportation information at the stops, which is required by law. So at some point there will be an adjustment to the system, and some of the non required announcements will be replaces with more required ADA informational. They cannot make a car that is free of these announcements, I suggest ear plugs

sery2831 wrote:

mbcrvictim wrote:I am by no means the only passenger who absolutely hates this system. What do we need to do to kill this thing off for good, or at the very least, make a car where we can escape it and relax on our long commutes?

Unfortunately these announcements are require by law. The courtesy ones are not and should be reduced for sure. The system is missing required connecting transportation information at the stops, which is required by law. So at some point there will be an adjustment to the system, and some of the non required announcements will be replaces with more required ADA informational. They cannot make a car that is free of these announcements, I suggest ear plugs

I always cringe when I hear "Bus connections!" on the ADA-required announcements on the Red Line at nearly every station. It meets the letter of the law, but gives NO useful information. So when the CR terminates at North Station, in addition to hearing that we should take our newspapers, food containers, and other personal items in consideration of others... we also should be hearing a long litany of bus routes, not to mention the Orange Line, Green Line, EZ Ride...

sery2831 wrote:

mbcrvictim wrote:I am by no means the only passenger who absolutely hates this system. What do we need to do to kill this thing off for good, or at the very least, make a car where we can escape it and relax on our long commutes?

Unfortunately these announcements are require by law. The courtesy ones are not and should be reduced for sure. The system is missing required connecting transportation information at the stops, which is required by law. So at some point there will be an adjustment to the system, and some of the non required announcements will be replaces with more required ADA informational. They cannot make a car that is free of these announcements, I suggest ear plugs

Has anyone at MBCR actually read the Act? Specifically, there is a "one car per train rule" with respect to accessibility unless brand new cars are being purchased, which certainly isn't the case on the commuter rail. We absolutely can, and should, have a car without these announcements.


Section 12162. Intercity and commuter rail actions considered discriminatory

(b) Commuter rail transportation

(1) One car per train rule
It shall be considered discrimination for purposes of section 12132 of this title and section 794 of title 29 for a person who provides commuter rail transportation to fail to have at least one passenger car per train that is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities, including individuals who use wheelchairs, in accordance with regulations issued under section 12164 of this title, as soon as practicable, but in no event later than 5 years after July 26, 1990.

Sorry our equipment on the Commuter Rail is 100% ADA compliant. We cannot go back and remove this from equipment.

At Anderson/Woburn (at least, perhaps system-wide?), the radio voice for the variable message display has had a sex change in the last few weeks. What used to be a female voice is now a male voice. And he says "sixteen thirty ay-em" instead of her prior reading of "sixteen thirty am."

Hmm - sounds like somebody bought the Australian English text-to-speech language pack by mistake

(I think this is the right thread...I had to do a search to find it.)

For some time now the automated voice aboard commuter trains has announced flag stops with the letter F like in the timetables. When pronounced, it sounds like it's saying "next stop" rather than "F stop." Today I was on board 467 (in car 1620), and the ASA has been updated!

Before: "Next stop, Belmont, which is an F stop (sounds like "next stop"). Please notify a conductor if you will be getting off the train at Belmont."

After: "Next stop, Belmont. Belmont is a flag stop. Please notify a conductor if you will be getting off the train at Belmont."

Props to the T for fixing this problem!

I've thought since I first heard it that it should actually say flag stop, because "f stop" is meaningless. I'm glad they made that change.

Ah, I always thought it said "Next stop is X. Which is the next stop". Now that I know what the ASA was actually saying it makes a lot more sense...

This change happened around the end of last week. There have been other corrections as well. For example, train 467 had an error when departing North Station. It called the stops in the wrong order. It has now been fixed. I noticed at least one error on 468 now though. If anyone notices mistakes like stops being announced as flag stops that are not for example. Please PM me.

I've reported to MBCR twice that Melrose Cedar Park is announced AFTER the stop when going outbound on certain trains, but the update doesn't seem to have fixed that. What exactly triggers these announcements?

I don't think it's related to the recent update, but today on #64 there were TWO different sets of announcements being made. Sometimes the same announcement would be repeated twice, one after the other, and sometimes one was stepping on the other. "Next stop next stop Chelsea which Chelsea which is a flag is a flag..." etc. etc.
It's the first time since the PTIS roll-out that I've heard two at the same time.

I had a hunch that two different control cars were in this consist, both with PTIS logged in & active, and I was right. I checked the live feed .csv (which is the most human-readable one) and sure enough, two cars each think they are running the show... Both 1625 and 1632 are sending trip #64...

1339768205,64,North Station,Chelsea,1339767720,arr,1625,42.39587,-71.03538,272,,
1339768205,64,North Station,Chelsea,1339767720,arr,1632,42.39592,-71.03572,295,,
1339768205,64,North Station,North Station,1339768440,pre,1625,42.39587,-71.03538,272,,420
1339768205,64,North Station,North Station,1339768440,pre,1632,42.39592,-71.03572,295,,420

That's from the live feed CSV URL for Newburyport/Rockport, http://developer.mbta.com/lib/RTCR/RailLine_12.csv