Tune Changed On Solari

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by Paul Bass | Dec 30, 2009 12:42 pm

(10) Comments | Commenting has been closed | E-mail the Author

Posted to: Transportation

A sharp-eyed reader noticed that the state has in two years dramatically changed its official tune on the Union Station clackety-clack that’s headed for the dustbin.

The clacking sound—music to the ears of many train riders—comes from the “Solari” departure board in the train station’s grand waiting room.

The Independent reported this month that the state Department of Transportation (DOT) plans to replace the sign with modern, more expansive and easier to maintain informational boards. That news produced an outcry among citizens who want it preserved; but the state’s hanging tough.

The reader dug up a 2007 DOT “New Haven Union Station Visual Inspection Report.” The report (read it here) makes just two mentions of the message board: one positive, one neutral, and none suggesting a need for change.

On page 2: “Today, the waiting room looks magnificent. Its large, Italian-made Solari message board clacks away announcing train arrivals and departures, reminiscent of days long past.”

On page 7: “The Solari message board informs passengers of arrival and departure time changes, and it provides special messages when required.”

A photograph of the board also appears in the appendix.

By contrast, a DOT official sent New Haven-area state legislators and aides a detailed email this week responding to the outcry to preserve the sign and explaining the state’s reasoning for pursuing the change. “We understand that the current board has a sentimental value to some, but sentimental value cannot preclude making prudent, reasonable and very necessary changes to the station,” wrote the official, legislative liaison Pamela Sucato.

Here’s the full email:

Subject: New Haven - Union Station upgrades

Good morning, everyone:

Some of you may have heard from constituents regarding the proposed upgrades to Union Station and in particular, our plans to replace the current schedule board. I spoke with Rep. Dillon recently and promised her some additional information on the project. I thought I would share it with the entire delegation as well.

Attached, please find a brief project description of the New Haven Union Station upgrades.

This project is aimed at improving rail service in the State of Connecticut and that includes upgrading our rail station infrastructure. The Union Station improvements are designed to make the station a more convenient and user-friendly transportation hub for all commuters, including those with disabilities.

Some of the work can be considered “state of good repair” or “code improvements,” while others can be considered “upgrades.” As you already know, we are replacing the liner in the tunnel - essentially rehabilitating the tunnel. We will also address water infiltration issues, do some drainage work, and extend fire sprinklers into the tunnel. Additionally, we will be addressing building code compliance issues throughout the building - that would include electrical, HVAC and fire protection upgrades, among others.

We will be upgrading the public information system in the station as well. This includes the installation of 19 LCD panels on the platforms, 2 LCD panels in the tunnel next to the stair entryways, 1 display above
the ticketing area, and two new LED panels, each roughly 17 feet long and 7 feet high, to replace the existing schedule board. We will also be upgrading the public address system with 400 new speakers throughout the facility (waiting area, tunnel, platforms). The PA system will also have an ambient noise detection system that will gauge noise levels throughout the facility, and adjust the volume level output accordingly and automatically. Simply put, if it is noisy in the station, the PA volume will be louder - if it is quiet in the station, the PA volume will be lowered respectively. The PA system and the visual displays will work in concert to provide users with both visual and audible travel information.

The new schedule board will consist of 2 displays. Each is roughly 17 feet long by 7 feet high. They are LED systems and have a tri-color display. They are ADA-compliant (the existing board is not ADA-compliant), and they have an ambient light level sensor system so the display brightness will be adjusted automatically for optimal viewing conditions in all lighting scenarios. The panels will be viewable from all angles within the waiting area.

The existing board can only display 7 lines of information. That translates to a limited viewing window between changes, so users only have a limited timeframe to read the information they need. The new boards can display 24 lines of information in total. This is important for two reasons: first, 24 lines of information means we can provide more information to our customers and we can keep it on the screen longer between change intervals. Secondly, as you may already be aware, the Department is pursuing additional rail service in the state, including expanded Shore Line East service and commuter rail / hi-speed rail service on the Springfield - Hartford - New Haven rail corridor.

The new LED’s can accommodate for such expanded service - the current board cannot. The current board cannot accommodate the Department’s desire to provide more and better quality information to the public - not just today, but in the future. It simply must be replaced to accomplish this.

Ease of maintenance with the existing board has been an issue for the Department. The current schedule board requires monthly maintenance/serving at a cost of $971.00 per month. It is essentially a proprietary system. I believe there is only one manufacturer of this type of system and service on the board requires factory certified technicians. Acquiring parts and making repairs in a timely manner has not been optimal. The new panels are a very common technology (LED) that is utilized in both the public and private sector extensively. This means that parts are readily available and service options are abundant.

The new LED’s have the ability to display any information that is necessary at the touch of a button - you could describe them as “infinitely variable.” If we need to say (for example only Tom, I’m just pulling this off the top of my head), “track 2 is out of service - all trains on track 2 are delayed” - we can do that on a moments notice. We can even make that message flash or change colors to highlight the urgency.

The existing board is not infinitely variable. Displaying messages that are outside the norm (norm would be schedule information for example) would require obtaining a technician to change the necessary hardware to allow the sign to display the message. It could be done, but it would take so much time that the issue would be moot. Displaying any information, outside the norm, would require a technician, and again, would take too much time to be effective.

The displays installed in the station as part of this project are designed to work integrally with the PA system. It is a seamless system designed to work in concert to provide visual and audible information to users of the station. This will allow for the visual displays to coincide with automated and manual messages generated by the station operators.

New Haven’s Union Station is a heavily utilized and critical transportation hub in the state. Literally thousands of customers come and go on a daily basis with more very likely to come as rail and transit services are expanded and improved in Connecticut. We understand that the current board has a sentimental value to some, but sentimental value cannot preclude making prudent, reasonable and very necessary changes to the station.

That said, the Department is certainly open to the idea of donating the existing sign, perhaps to a museum or similar institution. We are also investigating potentially moving the sign to another location in the station where it could be put on display. Moreover, we are open to retaining the “clicking” sound that folks associate with the flip boards - it can be built into the new system.

The cost of both panels in total, is roughly $60,000. The current board has been at the station since the early 1980’s.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Wishing you all a very happy holiday!

Best, Pam

Comments

posted by: anon on December 30, 2009 12:52pm

Keep the sign, place the LED ...elsewhere.

Why not save $55,000 and put a small LED display just below, for use when an “urgent” message is required?

posted by: john on December 30, 2009 1:23pm

heck, don’t they know that mario batali’s restaurant “otto” has a solari-type board used for posting reservations? can’t be that big of a deal if it’s used in a restaurant…

posted by: Peter on December 30, 2009 7:04pm

saving the sign is ridiculous. It is not an antique but from the 80’s. Why not bring back the sign that was there beforehand in chalk, now that was classic. Or bring back the old New Haven Railroad Palour Cars with velvet.

Times change….now what about parking. Why don’t the politicians channel their efforts to have adaquate parking so there are spaces to park.

posted by: Steven on December 31, 2009 3:46pm

Instead of replacing of the Solari board and the PA system, how about using those funds for replacing the decrepit and disgusting public rest room facilities in Union Station?

Some of the arguments made for replacing the Solari board by this DOT official are baloney:

High speed commuter rail service north to Springfield is pie in the sky; billions of dollars and a decade, or more, away(if ever).

Finally, all modern display systems are proprietary systems. There is no such thing as maintaining systems, like these, with off-the-shelf generic parts and non-factory maintenance services.

posted by: SW on December 31, 2009 5:20pm

Wow how this story doesn’t end! A man dies, people get mugged, and noone comments on them, but the vaulted “Solari” is so soothing to our refined artistic sensibilities that we have to make a minority’s conspiracy theory out of it being deemed inefficient technology that doesn’t comply with the Americans w/Disabilities Act!
Here’s a solution: I say someone out there with disposable income should buy a downtown bar, and utilize the Sign to display drinks and hamburger specials. Of course, one might then realize that there are clearer, less costly, more flexible, and faster ways of displaying a few lines of text. By the way, the Solari is Italian, and that’s hot, especially for all you Chianti and Campagnolo fans. You gotta have your Italian, but, to all those out there on Campy, how many of you are riding antique used Italian Campy? Italian stuff is overpriced, especially this side of the Atlantic. SRAM and Shimano are better for the money - just look at their market shares. Oh, but they aren’t sexy, that’s right, they’re not sexy if you’re stuck to some old idea of what makes the best fashion statement. Whether it’s Chianti, new (and used) Campagnolo parts, or “Solari,” only the rich can truly “afford” it.
Our society lets poor souls die on the streets, and chooses prisons as the proper housing for the mentally ill - no bother! Let’s ignore that, break the ADA rules, and shortchange the public for the sake of one vocal minority’s subjective - yet alluring - artistic sensibility.

posted by: Lifer on December 31, 2009 9:01pm

I’m all for keeping the Solari board.

But while we’re airing gripes with the current station let me say that we really need improved security at the overflow parking garage across the street from the station. It is pretty terrifying to have to return to your car there after getting off a late-night train.

posted by: Walt on January 2, 2010 7:33am

She sold me.

Modernize and keep the clickety clack as an attention getter so that folks know that changes are being made on the Board.

posted by: Brian Tang on January 3, 2010 1:32am

I like Anon’s idea. Just add a small sign underneath the existing sign for urgent updates.

posted by: John Dankosky on January 3, 2010 1:54pm

Story first read here makes NPR’s Weekend Edition. Read more:

http://whereweblog.wordpress.com/2010/01/03/new-havens-union-station-board-making-its-last-clickety-clacks/

posted by: Pioneer on January 3, 2010 2:20pm

I’d be thrilled to see the new board displaying new train services that we don’t currently have as well as ARRIVALS and not just departures. If we don’t get that on a classy board that looks exactly like the ones in Grand Central, then keep the solari.

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