RTD has decided to swap a system that provided live “next train” announcements to passengers on light-rail platforms for a simpler one that tells travelers when the next two trains should arrive based on a published schedule.
The Regional Transportation District’s contract for T-REX’s Southeast corridor light-rail project called for live next-train announcements over a public address system and on electronic message signs at stations.
The Southeast train line opened in late 2006, but bugs with the communications system delayed certification of the next-train messaging system for at least two years and caused RTD to hold back about $5 million due the communications contractor.
Live next-train announcements relied on a complex computerized “train-tracking” system that presented challenges to engineers.
Bugs finally were worked out and RTD released the money to the contractor, but the agency now has decided that a live alert that the next train will arrive in three minutes isn’t very useful to someone who arrives on the platform two minutes before its arrival, said Rick Clarke, RTD’s acting assistant general manager for FasTracks/engineering.
Noting that 95 percent of trains stay on schedule, Clarke said, “Scheduled information provides most of what passengers need at much less cost and much less complexity.”
If a train is delayed, RTD’s control center can make an announcement to passengers on platforms, he said.
The West rail line and all future FasTracks trains will have the simpler announcement system, Clarke said.
