Sign, sign, everywhere a sign ...

[BandA]

If there was a loose tactile strip that was a tripping hazard, or the escalator was broken, or a light was burned out, or someone defaced a sign with graffiti someone would handle it. Don't see how this is different.

[Yellowspoon]

As the OP who started this thread eight months ago, it saddens me to report that none of the errors mentioned in this thread has been corrected (as of December 3rd).
--> The sign between tracks 3 & 4 still tell people to go to Haymarket to get to the Airport. To date, MBTA employees have been notified on four occasions.
--> Despite the word of an MBTA employee, there are no signs at GovCen telling patrons that BC cars do not go past Park Street. All maps except the new maps at GovCen show the B train terminating at GovCen.
--> A sign at Haymarket still says that trains to B.C. and Riverside are available, as if any tourist has any idea what "B.C." means.
--> On 29-SEP-16, user=DivergingRoute suggested that I write the Access Advisory Committee of the MBTA regarding the handicapped sign error. I did. I was assigned a case number. The problem still exists.
--> "COPLEY & WEST" What idiot thought people would know what that meant. Probably the same people that dreamed up "PARK ST. & NORTH", which I assumed meant North Station.

On the plus side, the "Green Line, to all trains" sign at the top of the stairs from the commuter rail platform at Forest Hills was covered up some time in the past few months.

There are three sign errors in this photograph. Parts of the photo are labeled, A, B, C.

Part A: The elevator says that the elevator leads to all green line trains. So I called an MBTA employee over and said, "Does this elevator go to all green line trains?" He said, "Yes". So I asked, "So if I want to take the green line to Lechmere, this is the elevator I should use?". "Well, no. That elevator leads to all trains, the B, C, D, and E". Unlike the sign at Forest Hills, this sign was incorrect the day it was installed.

Part B: These are secret stairs. Anyone walking to the south (to the right in this photograph) on the center platform will not see these stairs unless they are explicitly looking for them. There are no signs facing the oncoming pedestrians that these are the only stairs to westbound green line. I've stood here about an hour before a RedSox game and about 40% of the patrons in baseball attire walk right past this sign and wind up at track 4.

Part C: The sign for "ELEVATOR ->" faces the inside. Not only that, it points to the Lechmeme elevator when the primary green line elevator is 10m in the other direction.

[Yellowspoon]

As many of you know, a portion of the Second Avenue subway opened earlier this month. On January 6th, I was in mid-town. I rode several trains and visited several stations. Every map that I viewed, both on trains and in stations, showed the new Q train routing. Apparently, New York keeps its passengers informed with up-to-date signs and maps. Perhaps the T should use laminated paper maps that can be easily replaced whenever there is a change.

Here in Boston, we still have signs that say Arborway. A few week ago, a customer asked me how to get to the Blue Line because the signs at Park Street still say that GovCen is closed. Or signs at Hynes that say Lechmere trains pass through there. On the other hand, it doesn't matter because anyone who reads this forum already knows their way around the T and so should everybody else.

[Yellowspoon]

I was in Park Street on Sunday. All the green-line clocks were still set for standard time. A two-car train pulled into track four. The first car had the rollsigns turned off. Was the operator making announcements? Of course not. So I went to look at the 2nd car. It said, E-Heath Street. This was a northbound train. Ah, what the heck. Let the tourists solve the puzzle.

Here's another photo with three errors: The first is the sign that tells patrons to go to GovCen to catch a Boston College train. The second is the sign that points to the left for a Blue Line Transfer. GovCen has been reopened for a year. Way over on the right is a sign that says that "B.C." trains come through this station. Isn't it time to update these signs that are several years out-of-date? Does a tourist really know what "B.C." stands for?

[diburning]

Meanwhile, they covered over Riverside on a bunch of the signs on the southbound platform, but left B.C.

[CRail]

The first car had the rollsigns turned off. Was the operator making announcements? Of course not. So I went to look at the 2nd car. It said, E-Heath Street.

You can't turn the signs off in one car. Likely the destination was set and the train was making announcements on its own, but the exterior signs didn't update correctly. The people inside the train have no way of knowing that unless you tell them.

[orange1234]

Does a tourist really know what "B.C." stands for?

On the new signs at Government Center, I love this one: Green Line - North Station and North

I know what that means, but from a tourist's perspective: what!?!? Why did the T decide to remove the word "to" from their signs? How is "Green Line - North Station and North" an improvement over "To North Station and Lechmere"?

[jwhite07]

I know what that means, but from a tourist's perspective: what!?!? Why did the T decide to remove the word "to" from their signs? How is "Green Line - North Station and North" an improvement over "To North Station and Lechmere"?

Saves them from having to go back and put up a new sign when the Green Line gets extended to College Avenue and Union Square.

[deathtopumpkins]

Also, "to North Station and Lechmere" ignores the existence of Haymarket and Science Park.

North Station gets mentioned because it's the next 'major' station, and also where half the trains terminate (for now).

[orange1234]

Still, I don't understand why it couldn't have been "Green Line - To North Station and Points North". Why has the T been removing words from their signs recently? "Blue Line - To Bowdoin" makes more sense than "Blue Line - Bowdoin", especially for tourists or people whose first language isn't English.

[CRail]

Also, "to North Station and Lechmere" ignores the existence of Haymarket and Science Park.

North Station gets mentioned because it's the next 'major' station, and also where half the trains terminate (for now).

North Station and Lechmere are destinations. People are told to take a Lechmere or North Station train, and so the signs on the wall tell you where to get the train with the matching sign. Does "To Alewife" ignore Davis, Porter, Harvard, Central, Kendall, and Charles? No. That wouldn't make sense. Should the sign that says I90 To NY list every town that has an exit? Let's not be ridiculous. Then, of course, Copley is the last stop served by all westbound trains, so it's the stop they list for that direction. Considering it's what most people are looking for l, I'd probably have put "Trains to Park Street, Copley, and points west."

Points north and points west is exactly what the signage should say, I'm with that completely. North Station and North is as foolish as it gets.

[deathtopumpkins]

No, I'm not suggesting that at all. I know you're always looking for an excuse to argue and antagonize, but we're actually in agreement here.

I was just pointing out that the T's probable logic in choosing "North Station and North" is that it both singles out a destination (which is also the next 'major' station, and the one that all trains stopping there go to) and includes all stations (present and future) in that direction, rather than implying that trains leaving from this platform only go to specific places.

[Yellowspoon]

Two weeks ago, I was sitting at Park Street between tracks 3 & 4, waiting for my wife. I was reading a newspaper. A foreigner approached me and asked how to get to Copley. I pointer her to the connecting stairs to the other side and told her to take any train three stops. She asked, "How do you know that?". I responded that I've lived her for over 60 years. Then, she rephrased her question, "I mean, how is anyone else supposed to know that? There are no signs."

Then, in my most sarcastic voice, I explained that the MBTA knows where the trains are and they are apathetic that others do not. As an example, I pointed to the pictured sign and told her that Arborway closed in 1986. I also pointed out to her that the tape on the sign under the words, "GREEN LINE" should have been removed 18 months ago.

GPAR_160619_17519_9.jpg (43.9 KiB) Viewed 5063 times

As the OP, who started this thread eighteen months ago, I wish to report that none of the sign errors mentioned have been corrected. This includes

• A sign at Park Street still says that the best way to the Airport is via Haymarket. I have reported this to seven MBTA employees over the past 18 months. The surprising part is that three of the employees believed the sign to be correct because they did not know how to get to the airport.
• The sign between tracks 1 & 2 at Park Street still tells handicapped patrons that the elevator to the surface is near the south end of the station. This, despite informing two supervisors AND writing the MBTA accessibility department.

Every time I think about MBTA signage, I'm reminded of Lily Tomlin when she played Ernestine, the telephone operator, some fifty years ago, "We don't care. We don't have to. We're the phone company".

[RenegadeMonster]

I assume the tape is over "Government Center".

Kind of funny they would have that taped over but not Arborway.

[BandA]

I assume the tape is over "Government Center".

Kind of funny they would have that taped over but not Arborway.

That's a different contract.