PT Real Time Information Signs

[pcuser42]

(and Britomart?) should now show real-time.

Not quite sure why Britomart would need to show real-time information, unless it's showing the estimated arrival time of the inbound service forming the outbound service?

[Andrew]

Hence the question mark, although when an inbound service that forms your outbound service is late enough to knock on to your service, an automatic bit of info informing of the delay and a realtime estimate of the delay would be good.

In my case, sometimes I transfer from bus to bus, or bus to train, coming home from the Shore, and knowing in advance through real-time info to my phone of any delays to the train would be helpful and would help me decide on the rest of the route home.

[commuter]

If I'm understanding this correctly, Rail RTPIS should now be live, and I'm interpreting "migrated from the legacy system" to mean that existing signs at New Lynn, Grafton, Newmarket, Onehunga-Penrose-3 etc (and Britomart?) should now show real-time. Anyone seen it? (I'm working from home today so haven't been able to look)

Well, the 'legacy' system was working to its usual confusing standard at New Lynn today. The only real thing about it was that it didn't reflect any sort of reality, ie train delays and cancellations (15:18 Waitakere to Britomart) and deeply confusing platform announcements.

Not quite sure why Britomart would need to show real-time information

Any number of reasons, but let's look at departure delays, especially if you're only going to Newmarket when you want to take the first available running service and not one that's timetabled but not operating for whatever excuse Veolia can come up with.

[CCreegan]

It ain't live today.

Ellerslie showing "scheduled departure times coming soon" (which is a downgrade from last week's "real time departure times coming soon")

On Friday there was a crew playing with the display at Ellerslie - they had some form of updating turned on but they turned it off again.

[Akarana]

Papatoetoe's PID was displaying information today, albeit only scheduled time much like Newmarket for example, but it is a start.

[Kalelovil]

Papatoetoe's PID was displaying information today, albeit only scheduled time much like Newmarket for example, but it is a start.

The same appeared to be the case for Swanson, Henderson and Morningside this morning, although It might have been real-time since I didn't take much notice.

[AKL_Train_Driver]

Papatoetoe's PID was displaying information today, albeit only scheduled time much like Newmarket for example, but it is a start.

The same appeared to be the case for Swanson, Henderson and Morningside this morning, although It might have been real-time since I didn't take much notice.

As per our staff txt earlier today, all stations fitted with the new PIDs will be undergoing testing, starting today. This may well be scheduled times for the moment, as mentioned above. Perhaps a problem with the real time feed? Perhaps not all trains have the necessary equiptment for sending real time data.

[commuter]

There were a couple of blokes on platform 1 at Kingsland early this afternoon chattering away on an iPhone. It appeared that they were instructing someone to turn the PIDs on and off. These were only displaying scheduled times, so no RTPIS.

[CCreegan]

Scrolling text at Ellerslie indicates it is showing scheduled times.

I wonder if the database being used is correct (the one used with the older units at New Lynn is far out of date)

[Andrew]

I seem to be on a train with a recently updated announcement system. The word "Please" has been dropped from announcements. But it's also not been tested. This west line citybound station keeps displaying the previous station as the next station, the display said to transfer to Southern line services at Grafton (voice correctly said hospital), the Newmarket announcement didn't happen and all scrolling messages are preceded with "#1" and ended with "NEXT".

At one point coming into Kingsland I could swear it briefly displayed "KINGSLAND OR MORNINGSIDE".

Seems to have been rushed in without testing (although its possible they are testing it on this train, I'm in SA 3289 if that means anything).

[Matt L]

Yep I noticed they dropped the "please" as well. Also was on a train the other day that said "door closing" at each stop and they still had the door alarms which was quite annoying.

[vworp]

SD 5859 performing as expected. Doors closing and "please" dropped.

[jimbot]

I seem to be on a train with a recently updated announcement system. The word "Please" has been dropped from announcements. But it's also not been tested. This west line citybound station keeps displaying the previous station as the next station, the display said to transfer to Southern line services at Grafton (voice correctly said hospital), the Newmarket announcement didn't happen and all scrolling messages are preceded with "#1" and ended with "NEXT".

At one point coming into Kingsland I could swear it briefly displayed "KINGSLAND OR MORNINGSIDE".

Seems to have been rushed in without testing (although its possible they are testing it on this train, I'm in SA 3289 if that means anything).

Was the external PID correct? It sounds like the TM has it set for an outbound service, and it's confusing the GPS.

[Chris Randal.]

the ADK I ws on last night showed Manukau Next as we were passing Wiri Jn.

[Andrew]

I ran for that train so I can't be sure, I think it was correct, next stop voice announcements and " This train terminates here" were all correct except for Newmarket where there was no voice announcement at all.

[CCreegan]

I seem to be on a train with a recently updated announcement system. The word "Please" has been dropped from announcements. But it's also not been tested.

I've been on several different rude ones this week (no Please) and they have all been working correctly.

The "doors closing" is less successful. It seems to be intended to replace the first half of the beeps. But every time I've been on the train so equipped, while the beeps are always reduced, "doors closing" only sounds at less fewer than half the stops.

[Andrew]

"Please" makes an announcement sound like a request. while appropriate for "Please mind the gap...", it doesn't suit announcements for transfer options, or when your train asks you to get off and go to the hospital!

[mcgyvor001]

You all maybe aware of the new Pids at 5 new stations which supposedly include realtime.
This has still not happened and some of you are Blaming Ontrack/Kiwirail. Kiwirail could have given ARTA the realtime feed over 2 years ago, but for ARTA's own consultants stopping this from happening. From what I have been told the company which supplied the Pids at Britomart and other Stations prior to this year could have had realtime system running over 18 months ago and connected all the stations into this system.
I think the only people who are to blame are ARTA's own staff and their consultants (who get paid large fees to slow things down)
About time the Auckland Council took the blame and got things moving in the right direction.
Also I have noticed that the new Pids (like the one at Ellerslie have less information displayed (bad for visitors to our city)

[Andrew]

It helps to have staff rather than consultants.

It also helps to be big enough to be able to have staff rather than consultants.

Anyone know if this is the case with AT? It seems so, they are quicker off the mark these days.

[Kalelovil]

You all maybe aware of the new Pids at 5 new stations which supposedly include realtime.
This has still not happened and some of you are Blaming Ontrack/Kiwirail. Kiwirail could have given ARTA the realtime feed over 2 years ago, but for ARTA's own consultants stopping this from happening. From what I have been told the company which supplied the Pids at Britomart and other Stations prior to this year could have had realtime system running over 18 months ago and connected all the stations into this system.
I think the only people who are to blame are ARTA's own staff and their consultants (who get paid large fees to slow things down)
About time the Auckland Council took the blame and got things moving in the right direction.
Also I have noticed that the new Pids (like the one at Ellerslie have less information displayed (bad for visitors to our city)

It's not just 5 stations, I have noticed they have been installed at almost all western line stations but they still as often as not are only set to display schedueled times.