Subscribe to RSSTrain RTI Signs On August 6
We’re see the first real time information signs at some train stations in time for the Bledisloe Cup rugby clash at Eden Park on August 6.
That game will be the final trial run for the RWC2011 games.
Stations getting the signs first will be:
- Kingsland (Eden Park)
- Morningside
- Henderson
- Swanson
- Papatoetoe
- Manurewa
- Ellerslie
They will be installed between 25 July and August 5 in time for the match.
The rest of the signs will go up between October 5 and the end of November.
Abbreviations being are used on the sign are :
* (asterisk) - Once the train is predicted to be departing from the platform within two minutes (one minute for bus), the “Due” column will show this as an asterisk.
C - Cancelled. This will display on all signs displaying a service that is cancelled.
/N - Via Newmarket. This will only be used if the number of characters for the destination of a service exceeds the number that can be displayed on the train station signs.
/GI - Via Glen Innes. This will only be used if the number of characters for the destination of a service exceeds the number that can be displayed on the train station signs.
/LS - Limited Service. This will only be used if the number of characters for the destination of a service exceeds the number that can be displayed on the train station signs.
From June, Auckland Transport says bus signs will be improved.
This week AKT revealed that the signs we have had just been rolled out in Wellington but problems meant the rollout has been halted.
Auckland Transport says there will be “improvements” to service and disruption information and more electronic signs will be added, including new solar powered bus signs specially designed for lower patronage stops.
Auckland Transport are also making changes to all the existing electronic signs, to accommodate new information that will be displayed.
They will also be on the bus loop services introduced later this year that should be confirmed shortly.
AT says the information display changes will be:
- For each service, in addition to the details about the route, you will see the scheduled time for that service to be arriving at or departing from your stop.
- You will see in the “Due” column a countdown of the minutes to go until the bus, train or ferry is predicted to arrive/depart, based on its current location, speed & direction.
- When a service is cancelled, you will see a “C” instead of a countdown for that service.
- Where we have lost track of a vehicle, and cannot currently predict its arrival or departure time, you will only see the scheduled time for that service - the “Due” information will be blank.
- When the arrival / departure of the bus, train or ferry is imminent (typically within the next one to two minutes) the minutes to go displayed in the “Due” column will be replaced with an asterisk (*).
- You will no longer see a long list of all the stops where the train is stopping. In its place you will see whether the service is via Glen Innes or Newmarket, and if it is a Limited Stops service this will be indicated.
- Destination names and abbreviations are being standardized, so for example, you will no longer see some bus services advertised as going to “MIDTWN” and some “MDTOWN” and some “MIDTOWN”.
- X - means Bus Express service.
9 Comments
Glad to see this is finally coming and also that AT have standardised the messages. On the few occasions I have caught a train out south, it was really annoying getting to Britomart and having to wait for board to scroll through all of the stations to work out where it was going. Also pleased to see they will put a ‘Due’ column on there.
The only thing is, it seems odd putting one at Swanson in the first batch, I would have though a higher patronage station like Glen Eden might have been in the first group.
One question, if someone is say at Ellerslie, will they see the abbreviated ‘/N’ route as that is the only option available.
So are we actually getting new signs or just more of the ancient ugly orange ones?
Will the current signs at Britomart and Newmarket include real time information from that date too?
Also, wouldn’t something like “STH Papakura” or “EST Pukekohe” be slightly more meaningful to passengers than N or GI? Speaking as someone who’s twice managed to get on an Eastern train when trying to go to Newmarket from Britomart.
Probably once all Eastern line trains go to Manakau this will become less of an issue.
Papakura via Glen Innes, Papakura via Sylvia Park, and the trains pre-Britomart even said Papakura via Orakei. How many Eastern lines do we have?!
I agree with Miggle, line codes would help too. To understand the current system you need to know ALL possible terminus stations on the line you intend to travel on, which is not fair on visitors.
They have no way of knowing trains to places called “Henderson”, “Swanson”, “Waitakere” are all on the same line, but not the train to “Otahuhu” or “Onehunga” etc.
are they going to show every station?
the signs here in perth are excellent for this, they show you what service it is, then they also scroll showing you all the stops.
Yes everybody who catches a train every day will know it, but for the first timers maybe they wont.
you shouldn’t have to ask it should be displayed in front of you.
There’s a colour assigned to each line (as at http://www.maxx.co.nz/info/how-to-travel.aspx ). But the platform signs will not only not use those colours to refer to lines, but will use one of those colours for all train times.
Is that right?
Damn, I was hoping Papakura would be in the first wave. It needs the signs more than Manurewa, since Papakura has three platforms rather than the predictable two. Everyone I know from outside the area has issues with the station, though at least the occasional audio announcements are acting as a good stopgap measure.
I have just done extensive train travel in UK, on Brit Rail Pass. On most lines I was a stranger. First thing I look for is the real time board, the scroll through is needed, final destination always needs to be shown. Abbreviations are meaningless, and confusing.
Go to it!
Dan - Papakura is being redesigned (this Christmas i think)