NHSL Flag stops

[ExCon90]

I haven't ridden the NHSL for quite a while, but I just viewed a head-end video and noticed that the lunar-white wayside flag-stop signals are gone, along with the short third-rail sections on the platform side at stations. When was that installation removed, and was it because maintenance costs were becoming impractally high? (I assume it dated from about the 1930's.) It appeared that the operator slowed down to look for passengers on the platform before accelerating away without stopping.

But life goes on. On the Karlsruhe tram-train network in Germany there are some infill stations served by tram-trains but not DB trains, and a similar system has been in place when I have visited there.

[R36 Combine Coach]

Flag stop policy discontinued 12/7/2020.

[JeffK]

My understanding is that the signal-rail system was implemented even earlier, perhaps somewhere in the 1920s. It was considered to be quite innovative, and definitely contributed to the line's comparatively fast schedules.

I don't know how true the story is but one operator said there'd been an increasing number of complaints from riders who were evidently unable to comprehend "Push Button to Stop Train". Given that route 123 express bus service along West Chester Pike was converted to a local after riders fussed about "drivers refusing to stop", I don't think the story's completely bogus.

An old schedule showed the NHSL (still the P&W to many of us) had end-to-end times on the order of 20 minutes in the days of flag stops. That's now up to around a half-hour. Similarly, converting the WC Pike part of the 123 to local service - despite four other routes on the same segment - added 10 to 12 minutes to the schedule.

[ExCon90]

Thanks for the information -- good to know but sad to hear.

[NotYou]

As usual, SEPTA's priorities aren't a well run service

[redarrow5591]

Its that same mentality that caused the Express/Limited services to be discontinued; too many complaints of passups despite the destination signs being multicolored and easy to read.

Complacency at its finest.....

[JeffK]

Complacency at its finest.....

Worse than complacency IMO. It's catering to the people who fuss the loudest, because they can't or won't understand the merely bleedin' obvious.

Next up: "Do Not Stand on Tracks When Train Approaches".

Mike Judge got only one thing wrong in Idiocracy - he set it 500 years in the future.

[scratchyX1]

Its that same mentality that caused the Express/Limited services to be discontinued; too many complaints of passups despite the destination signs being multicolored and easy to read.

Complacency at its finest.....

Seriously?
We have both quickbus (limited stop) and express (large sections with no stops for people living further out) with MAryland MTA buses, and no one has complained about that.

[ExCon90]

CTA commissioned a study some years ago from Illinois University Chicago (I think) of their wayfinding signage at L stations which found that 1/3 of the passengers were functionally illiterate, and another 1/3 simply couldn't be bothered to read the signs. I suspect that someone at SEPTA simply decided it was easier to mess up the schedule for everybody than figure out how to get the message across. (Under P&W and Red Arrow management expresses, locals, and short turns worked fine, even without color coding.). I think some people have a mindset of "oh we got a complaint, we have to change something."

[MACTRAXX]

Everyone: Interesting subject about the NHSL Flag Stop changes at intermediate lower-ridership stations...
Those waiting to board need to be visible to the Train Operator for the car to make the stop...

The N5 cars (and previous equipment) were/are equipped with a bell similar to buses to request the next stop
on board which avoids the car having to make unnecessary stops with no riders getting off (or on)...

The intermediate station signals were an remnant of the P&W that survived until recently as mentioned...
This was an example that helped make the NHSL unique as a rail transit line...MACTRAXX