Re: [melb] PIDs on Connex Comengs

[OgO <quentisl@leaves.qjc.cjb.net>]

In aus.rail, on 13 Jun 2001, Paul announced:

> Hang on.....PRIDE announcements are played at Flinders St as
> it arrives and will usually announce the stopping pattern
> immediately before departure with a "stand clear....train
> now departing...stand clear please" sound bite attached.  I
> have heard messages whilst a train is sitting on the
> platform.

Sometimes it's like this - generally when I'm passing through 
however there is an announcement as the train is pulling out, 
which is useless, as everone who is on the train is there until 
at least the next stop and everyone who isn't has missed out.

>>An announcement should be made at least 10 seconds before
>>the driver closes the doors and departs 
> 
> I know of no passenger information system in the world that
> can identify when a manned train is about to close it's
> doors!  It knows the time it should depart, but of course
> cannot predict when a driver will press the "Close Doors"
> button. 

Ok, I thought of this after I posted it too :)  But what I meant 
was that the station staff can see the train sitting there, and 
can see when it's just about ready to go, and can make an 
announcement then, if an automated system can't do this, is it 
really an improvement?

Actually - why isn't an announcment made when the signal goes 
green for the train to depart?  The train shouldn't be sitting 
there with it's doors closed before then, and if the train isn't 
ready to leave by then, there should be someone at the station 
watching to tell people to stand clear, or whatever.

Thinking about it (but not for long, so my idea is probably full 
of holes), why doesn't the train wait until the announcement at 
the station that it is about to depart? I can see the argument 
that this would hold up the trains, but only where the station 
staff weren't paying attention (surely even the automated 
announcements have somebody 'watching over them' don't they?

Regards

OgO
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