Look for new technology upgrades to improve customer experience in the 7th Avenue Concourse at New York Penn Station — an improved sound system, larger monitors and a multi-color destination display that will enable customers to see at a glance the next train destined for their particular station.
“As the busiest rail station in our public transportation network, we understand the challenges that navigating New York Penn Station can present to our customers,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director James Weinstein. “Led by our Scorecard initiative to enhance the overall customer experience, we are committed to making the necessary investments to modernize our customer communication systems and enable customers to more easily determine when and where their train is departing.”
To make it easier for customers to identify their train, the 7th Avenue Concourse ticketing area now features a new destination display—eight monitors installed side-by-side that show an alphabetical list of destinations by station, along with the departure time for the next train headed to that station, track number, rail line and transfer station, where required.
In addition to the new destination displays, NJ TRANSIT added two large customer information displays at the 31st Street entrance and the 32nd Street entrance to the ticketing area.
As part of this project, NJ TRANSIT also replaced all of the existing 40-inch monitors in the 7th Avenue Concourse with new 55-inch monitors to improve visibility for customers, showing color-coding by train line. NJ TRANSIT relocated the monitors throughout the 7th Avenue Concourse to allow better flow of customer traffic during peak periods.
The project also included:
· Improved adaptive audio system in the 7th Avenue Concourse that adjusts the volume level of announcements based on the ambient noise in the station.
· Wireless microphones for Customer Service representatives to make announcements from the concourse floor when needed.
Kudos to NJT.
It’s good to see improvement and innovation. I see these enhancements as examples of taking action on things they _can_ control…and making life better for the commuters.
As the guy behind CleverCommute.com, I know that “improve the commute” can mean more than “just the train ride”.
Our firm has been working with NJT’s technology team….and the partnership is leading to some great new features in our service.
You may be surprised to hear it, but NJT leads LIRR and Metro North in several technology-related areas.
“Stand by” in color!
Next up–new stores. One less Zaro’s and one more farmers market would be groovy.
So many commuters have yet to discover the Montclair/Boonton line and the fact that it has 6 stops in Montclair alone.
“You may be surprised to hear it, but NJT leads LIRR and Metro North in several technology-related areas.”
And, in a three-man race among Moe, Curly and Larry, a Stooge would win!
But seriously, Conductor Josh, your technology and information sharing has helped a lot of folks. Thanks for all the hard work.
I’d rather be staring at the facade of the real Penn Station then that eyesore of a jockdome.
Put this under the “What were they thinking” category back in the 60’s.
I guess the Montclair Preservation Committee was brought in for consultation.
They can relocate the monitors to improve customer traffic flow all they want. When the temperatures go up in the summer, they will still have to put fans in the NJT concourse to cool it down, the trains will be delayed by sagging powerlines along the Amtrak section, and there will be a packed crowd of commuters waiting for the delayed trains. The concourse was so crowded on some evenings last summer that people seemed close to shove-and- push arguments. Even now on a normal evening it is sometimes difficult to get from the subway to gate 3. NJT seems to do nothing to keep people from sitting on the stairs, blocking corridors, etc.
So, does this mean that they are boing to sweep the tumbleweeds of homeless hair that blow by the monitors? Are they going to install bathrooms that you can breathe in? How about the people who are passed out face first all over the floors and in every corridor? How about the seedy criminal element? Oh, how I wish Penn Station looked like it used to or like Grand Central does now. In the 8th ave and 7th ave waiting areas for NJ Transit, it is like 118 degrees year round. NJ Transit says that’s a result of Amtrak, because they own the property. I don’t know who to blame, but the entire terror dome is like one giant night of the living dead endurance test.
Every time I find myself standing among the herd as it inches down the cattle chute to the track I curse the gangsters and corrupt pols who made a fortune tearing down the old Penn Station and erecting this daily insult to human dignity.
Conductor Josh evidently takes DeCamp.
IMHO, The current Penn Station does not hold a candle to Grand Central Terminal.
I am no apologist for NJT (or Penn Station)…and it is frustrating to hear NJT say “Amtrack this…” and “Amtrack that….”.
But, why not give credit where credit id due?
I don’t agree with all of NJT’s tech/infrascructure decisions (e.g., PDF-based schedules…Google Wallet…Web-site design). But, new monitors, better PA and color-coded sinage are real things. Maybe they are overdue…but they are real improvements nonetheless.
And -yup- I ride to/from Penn just about every day :)…and have for 16 years (plus LIRR for a while).
The “sagging electric lines in Summer” are a result of the 1930s technology in use.
When the air temperature rises, the suspended copper electric wires expand slightly. Which causes them to dip slightly in the distance between each tower. During the Winter the copper metal contracts, tightens, and rises slightly higher above the track. Train speeds are adjusted to avoid snagging the wires in Summer while the spring loaded contact allows the train to stay connected to the electric wire in Winter.
The solution, which NJ Transit has on many of its lines, is something called constant tension catenary. Weights are hung from the towers as a sort of counter balance to the temperature change on the wires. As temperatures rise the weights slightly raise the height of the formerly sagging wires, allowing trains to run at normal speeds, and lowering the possibility of snags with the pantographs.
OK, let’s put paolo in charge! Especially if he can install bathrooms we can breathe in!