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On 03/04/2012 19:23, wrote:
On Apr 3, 4:13 am, Neil wrote:
On Apr 2, 6:56 pm, wrote:

It used to be the ticket agent at a US station would call the
dispatcher to get train status. But now some won't bother.

The sort of stations we're talking about won't have any staff at all,
let alone a ticketing agent...

In the US some carriers are installed electronic displays at
unattended stations to provide information. One time at a SEPTA
station the indicator said the train was on-time, but there was no
train. As time went on, the indicator said the train was late--but
simply the number of minutes past due. It appeared to be simply
counting upward from the schedule as opposed to indicating the actual
projected late arrival time.

Also, computerized PA [public address] announcements are used.
Several times at a SEPTA station they announced a train would be
delayed just when the training was pulling into the station--on time.

On the River Line, sometimes the automated 'next station' announcement
gets ahead of itself and announces a station further down the line
rather than the one coming up next.

It seems that computerized indications, which are 'supposed' to be
more accurate, are less accurate than manual arrangements.

On the NYC subway, the automated professional-voice announcements
sound classy at first, but after a while becoming very irritating,
kind of like being stuck in a weird 1960s sci-fi movie.

You've never heard of the North London Line, I take it, with its ghost
trains. The display board would indicate when the next train was due,
and then suddenly the train would simply disappear off the display as it
was getting close to arrival at your station.

Think of it as the Bermuda Triangle for trains.