Solari at New Haven Union Station to be replaced by LCDs

Sarge wrote:Wonder if CDOT will be selling any of the remnants? Or donating to museums? I bet it would be interesting to see some of those long ago destinations.

I believe that the board was installed post-Amtrak, so the unused destination are not so long ago, but still interesting .

The MBTA replaced the Solari boards at North and South station last year

This is what the new electronic ones look like.....they also make a fake clicking noise when there are changes.


It is possible you guys will get the same model.

The change also included these:



Honestly, I liked the old boards, but I have bad eye sight and these are much easier to read from a distance.

Well, by now it seems the public wants the solari to stay.

Facebook Group - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=1 ... 8881146..1
SeeClickFix - http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/10494

Both have a nice number of supporters. But if the sign is replaced, I'd want the same design as Penn Station (NY), that doesn't even look like an LCD. Is it?

Problem is the Solari boards are no longer made, and parts are getting hard to get and are to expensive.

DutchRailnut wrote:Problem is the Solari boards are no longer made, and parts are getting hard to get and are to expensive.

People have reported that they've called Solari, and the boards are still being distributed and they still create parts for it.

people have reported, yet the reality is the older solari boards cost way more to maintain, than buying newer technology.
specially in repair man hours its just time to replace the 25 year old boards.
and since a new solari board is more expesive than a new LCD sign its easy to figure.
specialy since the Euro is not competitive with the Dollar.

people from new haven are known to get things done dont be suprised if the board is saved

Just remember every dollar that CDOT has to piss away at useless projects will cut into other projects.
The well has run dry , but no one believes it.

Just remember every dollar that CDOT has to piss away at useless projects will cut into other projects.
The well has run dry , but no one believes it.

I'd rather have the Solari board than another study of Springfield Line commuter rail. The question isn't if CDOT is wasting money, but how CDOT is wasting money. Might as well waste it on something the public can enjoy rather than having money go into the pockets of consultants and insiders.

Can anyone point to figures on how many years it will take the new technology boards to pay for themselves? It's pointless to have the argument unless someone can come up with some numbers.

God almighty it's a freakin sign! Forgive me if I am not one of the enlightened ones, but if there is sufficient evidence to show that a new board will save previous $$ then so be it. And before any of you go down the GCT road about preservation, GCT is an entire building and an engineering marvel with plenty of uses beside a railroad terminal.

Patrick A. wrote:God almighty it's a freakin sign!

And one with not that much historical value, to boot. Just let CDOT make the improvements already. If you fight them on this, you wont see other improvements come too quickly in the future...

-otto-

This sounds like a "It's old so let's replace it" issue more than anything else.

What goes wrong with those signs? Most of the time I saw them they rarely gave any trouble and since I work on stuff like that I wouldn't be surprised if it has had no major maintenance at all. (oh sure once in a while something sticks but a little windex and some graphite and I bet it's as good as new).

Frankly I don't care and if they're determined to get rid of it, give it to the Danbury museum.

I suppose the LCD board does offer more flexibility than the Solari in terms of adding destinations; something that might be a consideration if/when NH-H-S commuter rail becomes a reality.

Apparently the plan called for the signs to be based off of the ones in GCT. Well, I have nothing against this anymore. Those signs look pretty classy, down in Grand Central.

Sarge wrote:If they end up selling any of the destinations, I want Willoughby.

I want the Vermonter one off the Solari Board shadyJay can have the other one
I would also not be surprised if the Montrealer is still in there