So it’s official.  The subway is where technology goes to die…or at least technology under the umbrella of the MTA.

SUBWAYblogger was riding home from business out on Long Island via the LIRR.  All along the LIRR, their stops have electronic message boards.  Not all the stops, but most of the major ones.  In addition, they have automated voice announcements.  Sure, it is a computer reading the updates, but the voice is clear and understandable.

The message boards were accurate, and it was great to be able to see how far away the next train was.  Yeah, you can check a train schedule, but the boards tell you that the 4:44 train is really going to arrive at 4:48.  That’s especially useful on freezing cold days like today.  Because the times are accurate, riders can stay huddled inside the warm waiting areas.

What the hell is the hold up with the subway?  If the MTA can get it done on the LIRR, why not the subway?

Maybe this will teach them that they should have updated the infrastructure a time a few more times since 1930.  That might have made adding moderately sophisticated technology into the system a little bit easier.