Who gets to change the clocks?

I've noticed an occasional PA-5 car showing the time of day off by several minutes, occasionally as much as 5 minutes, from the time of day the next car keeps flashing on its own LED display.

That tells me that the time of day must be set manually, individually, in each car. That tells me that somebody will now have to change the clock in each car.

You'd think that with all the money that went into each car, they'd budget for a GPS chip, or something along the same lines. My $200 GPS receiver was able to grab the correct time the first time I turned it on, and kept up ever since, over the years.

Or, I think they update the commercials and the video fluff that cycles through the tiny video screens in each car wirelessly; so you'd expect they can keep the clocks synced that way. Alas...

mrsam wrote:I've noticed an occasional PA-5 car showing the time of day off by several minutes, occasionally as much as 5 minutes, from the time of day the next car keeps flashing on its own LED display.

I've seen PA-5's where the LED clock in the destination sign isn't showing the same time as the clock on the advertising monitors.

You'd think that with all the money that went into each car, they'd budget for a GPS chip, or something along the same lines. My $200 GPS receiver was able to grab the correct time the first time I turned it on, and kept up ever since, over the years.

Or, I think they update the commercials and the video fluff that cycles through the tiny video screens in each car wirelessly; so you'd expect they can keep the clocks synced that way. Alas...

I'm pretty sure that the clocks (and probably the ads) are supposed to be continuously updated via radio using a system that isn't operational yet - the tunnels have been getting several new leaky coax antennas each. Presumably one is for ATC.

Terry Kennedy wrote: I'm pretty sure that the clocks (and probably the ads) are supposed to be continuously updated via radio using a system that isn't operational yet - the tunnels have been getting several new leaky coax antennas each. Presumably one is for ATC.

I concur with you Terry. I believe the ads are continuously updated, as they download the new ad throughout the day to the computers in the cars. The antenna installation has been looking slow but steady, over the past couple of years.

OportRailfan wrote:I believe the ads are continuously updated, as they download the new ad throughout the day to the computers in the cars.

There are probably some spots in the system with working radios to update the ads, but I don't think there's complete coverage. One of the talking points of the monitors when the cars were announced was "future real-time service updates", and I've never seen a PA-5 display doing that.

Who would have thought? Wrong times in brand new cars............ My forty dollar Timex can do better...........

About what I'd expect from an outfit that doesn't have trash cans in their stations, and didn't think to put a window in the the cab doors of their new trains.

Head-end View wrote:Who would have thought? Wrong times in brand new cars............ My forty dollar Timex can do better...........

About what I'd expect from an outfit that doesn't have trash cans in their stations, and didn't think to put a window in the the cab doors of their new trains.

Why do you think there are no trash cans...

I think I know why there are no trash cans in PA facilities. But then why do they still exist in most other transit facilities like Penn Station? I think the Port Authority is being a little over the top, so to speak.

I somewhat agree, but I think from their standpoint they aren't taking any chances. Especially after they were attacked twice, and a third one was in the works.

OportRailfan wrote:I somewhat agree, but I think from their standpoint they aren't taking any chances. Especially after they were attacked twice, and a third one was in the works.

I am usually on the advisory committee, and I brought just this subject up, and even provided them with a contact from a company that made "blast resistant" trash cans designed for underground transit stations. I guess they never did anything with it...

Ha, ha, ha,.................Interesting. Maybe you could also suggest to them that they should install windows in the cab-doors of the new trains so we could see through. See how far that gets!(chuckle!) Sorry to be off-topic.

Head-end View wrote:Ha, ha, ha,.................Interesting. Maybe you could also suggest to them that they should install windows in the cab-doors of the new trains so we could see through. See how far that gets!(chuckle!) Sorry to be off-topic.

The trains can be operated with the cab compartment closed off from the end door. In this configuration the other side of the full width cab is also blocked off by a door. Most engineers do not operate this way, but a few do, and it's fun to see out the front when they do have it that way.

HBLR, that's interesting. But, how many times have you seen this done? And why would a PATH engineer even want to operate that way, when he can have the whole cab? That configuration must be for when the cab-car is in the middle of the train, to allow movement between cars if necessary. On LIRR you can occasionally see thru the cab window of an M-7, if the shade slips down and uncovers the window, but I haven't seen that in a couple of years now. Sigh.............

Since last summer, like 5 times. Some of the engineers know people like to look out the front, it gives them something to look at on crowded trains. On a lot of trains however they fiddle with the electronic controls on the "fireman's side" of the cab end, so they keep the doors configured for full cab operation.

I rode today and both ends of the train had the usual full-cab arrangement. I still think that configuration described above is for use in mid-train, where I did see it used. I have yet to see it on the front or rear of any train. Though I only ride about once a month.

And the clocks are still 3 minutes fast. Both on the destination signs and the ad monitors. I can't believe an operation as sharp as PATH can't display the correct friggin' time, on brand new equipment!

Head-end View wrote:
And the clocks are still 3 minutes fast. Both on the destination signs and the ad monitors. I can't believe an operation as sharp as PATH can't display the correct friggin' time, on brand new equipment!

I will bring it up at the next advisory board meeting