General CTrain Discussion

[Greatcoinz]

Currently riding 2408 on the Blue Line to Downtown, and they are announcing at every station where the doors. 

I included a recording of it. Skip to around 25 seconds to hear the announcement. 

Voice 001.m4a

Voice 001.m4a

Voice 001.m4a

Voice 001.m4a

[Pantograf]

Just like some of the 8's, it gets annoying pretty fast.

[1604]

They updated the layout of the screens too:

 

Some shots of the new station signage at SAIT:

Glad to see the S200 icon becoming the new norm! Nice refresh. Looks like they're using the same physical signs as before so they can probably update older signage fairly easily.

 

SAIT still has two of the previous iterations up too.

I assume this style of signage is original to the system. They use "ACA" instead of "ACAD" which puts them at least prior to 1995.

 

The current signage, designed by BOND Creative. I think this style was introduced around/prior to 2000? The oldest photo I could find where it's visible is one from June 2000 on Barp.ca

[CanadianTransitTycoon]

2 hours ago, 1604 said:

They updated the layout of the screens too:

 

Some shots of the new station signage at SAIT:

Glad to see the S200 icon becoming the new norm! Nice refresh. Looks like they're using the same physical signs as before so they can probably update older signage fairly easily.

 

SAIT still has two of the previous iterations up too.

I assume this style of signage is original to the system. They use "ACA" instead of "ACAD" which puts them at least prior to 1995.

 

The current signage, designed by BOND Creative. I think this style was introduced around/prior to 2000? The oldest photo I could find where it's visible is one from June 2000 on Barp.ca

I like the new signs. The old ones are nostalgic, but quite dated in my opinion. I hope it rolls out to the entire system!

[CTrainDude]

Thank goodness they got rid of the analog clock on the S200 interior displays!  

[TimmyC62]

This is pretty general, I guess - found out today that there's an HO scale body available for the SD160 on Shapeways from Imperial Hobby Productions: https://www.shapeways.com/product/7TLWKDEC8/ho-siemens-sd160-lrv-bodies?optionId=57331259&li=marketplace

[CanadianTransitTycoon]

1 hour ago, TimmyC62 said:

This is pretty general, I guess - found out today that there's an HO scale body available for the SD160 on Shapeways from Imperial Hobby Productions: https://www.shapeways.com/product/7TLWKDEC8/ho-siemens-sd160-lrv-bodies?optionId=57331259&li=marketplace

WOAH. Look at that price tag...

[M. Parsons]

On 6/23/2018 at 4:13 PM, CanadianTransitTycoon said:

WOAH. Look at that price tag...

And that doesn't include all of the roof top details. I snagged a resin one from IHP many, many years ago. Similar price IIRC, but it included window inserts and roof equipment, minus the pantograph.

[Blake M]

The crossing at 5 Avenue and 9 Street SW now has the same red concrete as the BRT lanes

[Transit Fan]

1 hour ago, Blake M said:

The crossing at 5 Avenue and 9 Street SW now has the same red concrete as the BRT lanes

Cool. However, I don't think some red concrete is going to prevent people from running a red light (or driving down the tracks as we saw last week) there anytime soon.

Give that people wander down 7th Ave or get stuck in the bus traps all the time, i'm already fully expecting the occasional person to be driving down the median on 17th Ave or across the transitway bridge over Deerfoot.

[Blake M]

10 hours ago, Transit Fan said:

Cool. However, I don't think some red concrete is going to prevent people from running a red light (or driving down the tracks as we saw last week) there anytime soon.

Give that people wander down 7th Ave or get stuck in the bus traps all the time, i'm already fully expecting the occasional person to be driving down the median on 17th Ave or across the transitway bridge over Deerfoot.

I wonder if they could install the gate and trap for entering the BRT lanes

[Jon Calon]

On 5/27/2018 at 11:53 AM, Transit Fan said:

I love that we've slowly been transitioning to the Red & Blue line names. However, I don't think i've ever heard those terms in the on-board announcements.

Do they ever plan on adding that? Thinking something along the lines of:

"This is a northeast blue line train. Destination Saddletowne."

"This is a northwest red line train. Destination Tuscany."

I still believe that they should ditch the colours.  "This is a Northeast Train, Destination Saddletowne"  Or "This is a South Train, Destination Somerset-Bridlewood".  We aren't going to end up with a bunch of lines that go all over the place like Edmonton with their even odder names (seriously, who knows where a Capital Line train goes?) such that cardinal directions can't be used effectively.  Simplify!

Jon

On 6/21/2018 at 2:31 AM, CTrainDude said:

Thank goodness they got rid of the analog clock on the S200 interior displays!  

If too many people don't know analog clocks, how are we supposed to describe rotations when "clockwise" means nothing?  I liked the analog clocks actually.

Jon

On 6/25/2018 at 10:27 PM, Blake M said:

I wonder if they could install the gate and trap for entering the BRT lanes

Except if the traps catch a car, then you've got an ugly situation with respect to trapped buses and long detours.  Gates on the other hand aren't bad, but are slow to raise and lower.  Nah, we just need drivers caught using BRT lanes to give up their vehicles for a week and pay a really nice fine.  :-)

Jon

[CanadianTransitTycoon]

On 6/21/2018 at 2:31 AM, CTrainDude said:

Thank goodness they got rid of the analog clock on the S200 interior displays!  

10 hours ago, Jon Calon said:

If too many people don't know analog clocks, how are we supposed to describe rotations when "clockwise" means nothing?  I liked the analog clocks actually.

Jon

I didn't mind the analog clocks. My watch is analog so I'm used to reading time this way. Although, the change is nice for quick glances rather than staring for a minute trying to determine the time. I have to agree with Jon, the analog clocks were nice while they lasted.

[reecemartin]

On the topic of the S200's I still feel like the information given could be improved, notably:

 

• Could show the next few stops names
• Could show connecting routes prior to entering each station
• Could show the current line 

[Nick B]

3 hours ago, reecemartin said:

On the topic of the S200's I still feel like the information given could be improved, notably:

 

• Could show the next few stops names
• Could show connecting routes prior to entering each station
• Could show the current line 

The infotainment screens already display the next two stops.

Good idea about showing connecting routes on the infotainment screens. I'd particularly like the MAX routes to be shown and/or announced at stations such as Heritage and Rundle.

Could you elaborate more on "show the current line"? The infotainment system and exterior signs already do a good job at distinguishing Red Line versus Blue Line, and the passenger announcements also do a good job at that in downtown (aside their failure to use line color). Outside of downtown, I wouldn't see the point in making it any clearer which line it is than what already exists.

Also, check out this thread for S200 discussion.

[reecemartin]

A good example of what I am talking about is what the new Bart Trains use: 

I just generally think the current stuff on the screen is silly because it doesn't necessitate an LCD. If you are going to have those really nice LCD screens then may as well use them!

In order to highlight routes and approach similar to Vancouver and Toronto would be appropriate where you say:

"Arriving at station x, transfer here for service y", if you are using a map display like the one above you could highlight the connecting routes after the announcement is made.

In terms of showing routes, I think the best option is to show each route name in a colored rectangle with colors for the max routes and red for regular buses if you wanna be REALLY leading edge then also give the number of minutes until each route departs next to the route number. Of course, that would require internet so while we're at it may as well start offering wifi on the trains as well (frankly its low hanging fruit given that it can be ad supported and most of the Ctrain is above ground).

[LRT]

3 hours ago, reecemartin said:

A good example of what I am talking about is what the new Bart Trains use: 

I just generally think the current stuff on the screen is silly because it doesn't necessitate an LCD. If you are going to have those really nice LCD screens then may as well use them!

In order to highlight routes and approach similar to Vancouver and Toronto would be appropriate where you say:

"Arriving at station x, transfer here for service y", if you are using a map display like the one above you could highlight the connecting routes after the announcement is made.

In terms of showing routes, I think the best option is to show each route name in a colored rectangle with colors for the max routes and red for regular buses if you wanna be REALLY leading edge then also give the number of minutes until each route departs next to the route number. Of course, that would require internet so while we're at it may as well start offering wifi on the trains as well (frankly its low hanging fruit given that it can be ad supported and most of the Ctrain is above ground).

More content will be added to those screens including weather information, service disruptions and eventually advertising.

[reecemartin]

13 hours ago, LRT said:

More content will be added to those screens including weather information, service disruptions and eventually advertising.

Which ones? On the Ctrains? Source?

[Transit geek]

14 hours ago, LRT said:

More content will be added to those screens including weather information, service disruptions and eventually advertising.

Notice how the BART screens are subtly showing the progress the train is making between stations. Some Chinese metros show the same thing more apparently using LED strip maps.

But what people would care more about is how long it will take to get to their station stop. Many Japanese trains already show this kind of info, not to say NYCT is considering it too (read: https://blog.wandr.me/2017/12/new-nyc-subway-r211-cars/).

Let's see what Calgary can learn from heavy-capacity, rapid-transit vehicle UX design and apply to a street-based LRT environment.

[Bus_Medic]

Sad commentary on life when people can’t even sit quietly to themselves for the 4 or 5 minutes it might take to arrive at the next stop. Life is rapidly becoming one continuous microwave popcorn countdown after another. 

There’s no prize waiting for anybody at the end.

[DarkKeyo]

One nice thing about above ground systems is one can look out the window. 

Information I need to know is: approximately how late I'm going to be when something goes wrong,  and when the next bus or train is coming, especially on a day when it's -40 plus windchill. 

Information I've noticed other people need to know: where a train is actually going. That's where 'red line train *south* to *somerset* becomes important, especially if that tells you it will go downtown and to the stampede. Doubly especially if that tells you the Saddledome is not reached by Saddletowne trains, which is a fairly common mistake. This is also where' 'Heritage, transfer for MAX Teal' would be important, although that sounds very awkward compared to 'South Crosstown.'

20 hours ago, LRT said:

More content will be added to those screens including weather information, service disruptions and eventually advertising.

That sounds perfect. Especially not getting the advertising right away. 

[reecemartin]

22 hours ago, Transit geek said:

Notice how the BART screens are subtly showing the progress the train is making between stations. Some Chinese metros show the same thing more apparently using LED strip maps.

But what people would care more about is how long it will take to get to their station stop. Many Japanese trains already show this kind of info, not to say NYCT is considering it too (read: https://blog.wandr.me/2017/12/new-nyc-subway-r211-cars/).

Let's see what Calgary can learn from heavy-capacity, rapid-transit vehicle UX design and apply to a street-based LRT environment.

Newer NYC Subway trains already list the time until the next several stations iirc. 

 

While yes it does lead to people focusing a lot on time I don't think there's anything wrong with that especially when you've got somewhere to be.

[Bus_Medic]

Doesn’t get you there any faster.

anyways, I digress. I’m old now. I remember having a pager....should be yelling at kids to get off my lawn.

[reecemartin]

Gonna cross post this on a few forums, some comments on a Toronto area forum compared the C-Train to GO transit in many ways and it does seem to be a somewhat apt comparison:

https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threads/go-transit-service-thread-including-extensions.4952/page-826#post-1361622

How do people think we can improve the number of people using the C-Train outside of commuting? TOD, off-peak discount etc?

[DarkKeyo]

Frequency and connectivity, something that that discussion noted as well. As a transit user with no car, I found my limits were 30 or more minute frequencies, especially in the winter, and indirect connections. One of the biggest was getting from near North Hill mall to the SW Beltline, which I would try to do frequently but which could easily take 45 min including transfers (which is also how long it takes to walk that distance on a good day). In comparison, the number of places I can currently get to in 45 minutes with one transfer now that I live in Burnaby is very large. 

The completed MAX network at a good frequency, and the Green Line, and a few gaps not covered by MAX plans (but that are in routeahead) would solve those problems that I, and people I know who mainly use Calgary Transit, have. However, I'm not sure how to get people who already drive out of their cars. Generally, I guess, by making transit easier than driving? That's what pushes C-train's rush hour ridership, and Toronto's and Vancover's....