Real-Time Subway Monitoring

In a trial run starting in December, monitors in one New York City subway station will display the exact location of every train on the line, giving riders a more accurate idea about how long they'll have to wait for the next train.

1 minute read

October 26, 2008, 11:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg

"Beginning in December, officials will install a computer screen at each end of the platform showing a graphic representation of the entire L line and the location of every train on it. Waiting passengers can watch the trains move along the tracks as the data is updated every 15 seconds. That way, passengers can see for themselves if there really is another train 'right behind this one.'"

"If the system works, and riders like it, it could be installed in other stations on the L line, said Greg Lombardi, the line's general manager, who helped create the system. Ultimately it could be used on other lines as well."

"Mr. Lombardi said the system might also be able to point straphangers to the least crowded cars on a train, using information from onboard sensors that monitor the weight of each car."

"The screens at the Myrtle-Wyckoff station will complement a system that has been in place on the L line for more than a year, using electronic signs and announcements to tell passengers approximately how many minutes they will have to wait for the next train to arrive."

Thanks to Streetsblog

FULL STORY: Maybe There Is Another Train Right Behind

Wednesday, October 22, 2008 in The New York Times

Technology Transportation New York New York City Subway

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