Re: Some qld News

["MattyQ" <matticueQ@corplink.com.au>]

John McCandless <johnmc@topend.com.au> wrote in message
3780a355.0@news.topend.com.au">news:3780a355.0@news.topend.com.au...
> <snip>  I was travelling to
> Doomben last year, and the guard played a "This is a Kippa-Ring train,
> stopping all stations..."

> JohnMcCandless
>
> Cloncurry Nw Qld

Sounds like you were here when the VAS (Voice Announcement System) was being
implemented on suburban trains. Lots of teething problems occurred resulting
in plenty of confused expressions on the faces of the passengers. I was on
an Ipswich train once and the VAS announced "Next station..... Mitchelton".
(Different line). Fortunately, all the bugs have been ironed out and the
system works well. Too well actually.

Once I caught a lift on an empty electric from the shed to Bowen Hills. The
driver had programmed the VAS and as we climbed on to the flyover, the VAS
announced "Next station......Bowen Hills". The announcement was correct but
who was there to listen to it?

The guard does not "Play" a message, it is automatic. The driver enters a
VAS code at the start of each run. Most VAS codes are for clockface services
but special VAS codes are provided for peak services with a specific
stopping pattern. That way, all services are catered for.

The system works on the door closing buttons and the speedometer. When the
driver receives rightaway, the driver presses the door close button. This
advances the VAS message to the next station and disconnects the system from
the door close button. When the speedo reaches 20km/h the VAS makes the
announcement for the next station and reconnects to the door close button.
This prevents the system from being unexpectedly advanced if the driver has
to reopen the doors before departing.


--
Matt Smith
Brisbane, QLD

I never seem to finish anyth

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