systems inside trains to announce the next stop

[34D]

Can anyone tell me any of the manufacturers (and maybe their specific products) for the screens inside trains that give next stop info.

Do these update automatically (either based on GPS or door opoen/close, etc etc) or does the driver press a button at each station?

 

[RPM]

I can't help with the manufacturer info but in terms of operation the ones we use are guided by GPS for determining the location and making the "now approaching" announcement. It detects the doors being released to trigger the "next station" announcement.
Sometimes it fails to connect with the GPS signal and in those situations the driver can manually scroll the system on so it deletes each station after departure. In this semi-manual mode there are no auto-announcements other then those at the start and end of the journey, but the screens remain updated throughout the journey.

 

[scotraildriver]

The ones in Scotrails 156 fleet are made by Alstom, and the 158/170's are made by Faivley. They announce "we are now approaching" based on GPs and the "this is......." is triggered by releasing the doors. Hope that helps.

 

[hacman]

A few suppliers include:

FOCON
Nomad Digital
Inova Multimedia
Interalia

Rolling stock manufacturers also tend to have their own products which can be bundled with new fleets, given that PA is these days a requirements.

Most systems will work using GPS, although those which are better will also take data from sensors on the train improve accuracy.

Jon

 

[A-driver]

Many modern systems are GPS based. Older systems like those on 365s work on wheel rotations-the main problem is that if the train is diverted it makes announcements too early/late.

I don't know of any systems where the driver has to actually press a button for each one, you would only do that if skipping stations out etc.


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[Muzer]

What are the London Overground GOBLIN ones? I've had that go out of sync (one station ahead of reality), and I've spoken to a couple of others who experience the same.

I've seen a few that are set to the wrong direction as well, so they announce approaching stations just as you're leaving

 

[Manchester77]

Metrolinks system is based on the trams wheel rotations

 

[vjm1975]

Merseyrails onboard information system seems to be more and more prone to failure these days.

One hiccup I've come across on a few occasions in the last few months is the system announcing the destination as being where the train has just come from. , and will then announce that the next station as being the station we previously stopped at

 

[34D]

Thanks for the responses so far

 

[CyrusWuff]

Stations being given in the wrong order are generally down to an incorrect route code being entered, which could be due to a number of factors, such as codes being changed and the driver entering the old one through habit, or the wrong code being printed on the diagram.

Another possibility is a system fault...which could cause any number of symptoms, such as no display at all, or one vehicle showing one thing and another showing something completely different. The cure for that tends to be to trip the relevant circuit breakers starting from the leading vehicle, waiting a minute, then resetting them all, again starting from the leading vehicle. Not fun on a crowded train!

 

[DaveNewcastle]

The system used inside all of EastCoast's fleet is generally very accurate. It uses a matched pair of environmental sensors, plus an on-board timetable. Unfortunately it is not fault-free and will occasionally appear to forget where it is or where it is going. But not often.

Announcements are triggered by the sensors and mediated through a redundant array of acoustic handsets.
Only one system is installed on each train, though they are usually re-positioned within the train several times in the course of a journey.

The manufacturers are parents and the energy consumed is supplied in steaming cups.

As with most on-board announcement systems, the scripts are probably written by humourless people who don't have to put up with listenening to them.

 

[A-driver]

The system used inside all of EastCoast's fleet is generally very accurate. It uses a matched pair of environmental sensors, plus an on-board timetable. Unfortunately it is not fault-free and will occasionally appear to forget where it is or where it is going. But not often.

Announcements are triggered by the sensors and mediated through a redundant array of acoustic handsets.
Only one system is installed on each train, though they are usually re-positioned within the train several times in the course of a journey.

The manufacturers are parents and the energy consumed is supplied in steaming cups.

As with most on-board announcement systems, the scripts are probably written by humourless people who don't have to put up with listenening to them.

Sounds like the systems used in 313s and 321s, although the 312&321 systems have to cope with announcing far more stops and so are more often prone to Failiure leading to them only working at major stations and during disruption.


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[AndyPJG]

Stations being given in the wrong order are generally down to an incorrect route code being entered, which could be due to a number of factors, such as codes being changed and the driver entering the old one through habit, or the wrong code being printed on the diagram.

Or not being entered at all, so the previous working is run in reverse?

 

[t_star2001uk]

Chiltern 165/168 info systems were manufactured by Whiteley Electronics. I don't think this company exists any more, i believe they were a victim of the credit crunch. From what i am led to believe Bombardier purchased the rights of the company so they could manufacture the cab coms units themselves.

 

[quarella]

As with most on-board announcement systems, the scripts are probably written by humourless people who don't have to put up with listenening to them.

I have long said the rambling announcements on Arriva Trains Wales were scripted by someone who spent too long writing them and not enough time reading them out loud to see how they would sound. It does however give the entertainment of misused English "We will be calling at the following principal stations" followed by a minor request halt. Or on London Midland, "Final Destination."

As has been mentioned the wrong code is sometimes put in so the 2207 ish Cardiff Ctl to Carmarthen which is possibly the only Manchester - Carmarthen service to call at intermediate stations Cardiff - Bridgend and not serve Neath and Swansea often has incorrect on board announcements. In trying to correct this at Cardiff a few weeks ago a few minutes into the journey we had "This train is for Carmarthen. The next station is Stockport." It can be amusing to watch the slightly inebriated try to puzzle out incorrect on board announcements.

 

[kieron]

It does however give the entertainment of misused English "We will be calling at the following principal stations" followed by a minor request halt.

I suppose "principal stations" is just one of those phrases they use in the hope that people will actually be listening when the announce tries so pronounce the station names a few seconds later.

The recorded messages completely ignore the request stops between Llandudno Junction and Holyhead, so the guard usually reads out the list separately. It always gives the recorded version, so I suppose they can't disable that on its own.

I don't recall hearing the wrong station list on a train, but every now and again, they restart the announcements for a Cardiff-Holyhead train from the beginning at Chester (calling at Newport, Cwmbran, Pontypool & New Inn, ...). They usually sort things out before the next station, though.

One thing which did confuse a 175 I was on once was when the train went the wrong way out of Chester and went back around the station. When it went back through Chester station the PIS decided that was Shotton, even though the train didn't even slow down. I didn't stay onboard long enough to find out if they sorted it out.

Do they use GPS to detect stations, and the calling pattern to decide which station it is on 175s? I have wondered how it became so confused then.

 

[Erniescooper]

I suppose "principal stations" is just one of those phrases they use in the hope that people will actually be listening when the announce tries so pronounce the station names a few seconds later.

The recorded messages completely ignore the request stops between Llandudno Junction and Holyhead, so the guard usually reads out the list separately. It always gives the recorded version, so I suppose they can't disable that on its own.

I don't recall hearing the wrong station list on a train, but every now and again, they restart the announcements for a Cardiff-Holyhead train from the beginning at Chester (calling at Newport, Cwmbran, Pontypool & New Inn, ...). They usually sort things out before the next station, though.

One thing which did confuse a 175 I was on once was when the train went the wrong way out of Chester and went back around the station. When it went back through Chester station the PIS decided that was Shotton, even though the train didn't even slow down. I didn't stay onboard long enough to find out if they sorted it out.

Do they use GPS to detect stations, and the calling pattern to decide which station it is on 175s? I have wondered how it became so confused then.

The TMS on the 175 uses the mileage information from the brake control unit to decide when to play announcements .

 

[transmanche]

Do they use GPS to detect stations, and the calling pattern to decide which station it is on 175s? I have wondered how it became so confused then.

I was on a 175 recently which ran non-stop from Chester to Manchester Piccadilly via the Mid Cheshire line (due to engineering work on the route via Warrington BQ).

On departure from Chester it did the "We shall be calling at the following principal stations [pause] and Manchester Piccadilly. As the train approached Stockport (where is wasn't stopping) it announced "We are now approaching Manchester Piccadilly". Leading to many confused people standing up and congregating by the doors...

 

[ollyrogers]

My favourite one is when First Great Western's 165's/ 166's become determined that every stop must be 'Twyford'

 

[Blindtraveler]

I seam to recall the 334s pis, like many other things being unreliable on introduction. Out of every type of stock iv ever used its still my least favourite for announcements as the splicing of different clips and lots of wrong inflections can be clearly heard

 

[Aictos]

Many modern systems are GPS based. Older systems like those on 365s work on wheel rotations-the main problem is that if the train is diverted it makes announcements too early/late.

I don't know of any systems where the driver has to actually press a button for each one, you would only do that if skipping stations out etc.


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I never knew that regarding 365s! I just assumed they used some form of GPS?

 

[brad465]

Can the GPS do the London Underground systems, given many are too far underground to get normal receptions?

 

[142094]

Tyne and Wear Metro has an Interalia system with GPS. Is linked in to the system that displays the destination on the front of the trains, and the ones on the CIS at stations.

 

[Mojo]

I assume many of the respondents missed the comedy in DaveNewcastle's post

 

[jopsuk]

Can the GPS do the London Underground systems, given many are too far underground to get normal receptions?

LU may use trackside beacons.

From what I understand, the prototype HST used a tape based system? I assume this used wheel rotations to trigger it.

 

[MikeWh]

I assume many of the respondents missed the comedy in DaveNewcastle's post

It took a while, but it sunk in eventually.