Great Western Coffee Shop

Moderator note: I've split this discussion on 'Solari boards' off from another topic (http://www.firstgreatwestern.info/coffeeshop/index.php?topic=10731.msg111665#msg111665) lest the original thread drift further.  ;) bignosemac

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It does, however, beat Barnstaple in one respect, by having the closest thing to a "hub" airport on Cape Cod:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnstable_Municipal_Airport (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnstable_Municipal_Airport)

Actually, this raises a mildly interesting point (depending on your point of view, of course): as far as I'm aware, Cape Cod hasn't been served by Amtrak for many, many years*, and yet you can see Cape Cod flip over as one of the destinations on the Solari indicator at 30th Street Station when it updates.

*Certainly not from Philadelphia, anyway: there was a seasonal service for about 10 years until 1996, but that ran from NYC. Regular passenger service was discountinued in 1959 and I'm sure that Solari board in Philly isn't that old.

I absolutely loved the solari boards, are there any still on the UK network?
Here's the one at 30th Street: http://youtu.be/h1SAjGfYPI0 (http://youtu.be/h1SAjGfYPI0)

As far as I know all the ones on the UK network have now bitten the dust sadly.

30th St clings on but I think even on Amtrak they're an endangered species: it may even be the last one left on the system. However local affection for it is such that I think there will be an outcry as and when serious attempts are made to remove it. In New Haven CT, they had to come up with a slightly naff compromise which was an LED screen but which played the sound of a Solari board updating when it changed over ::)

Edited to add...
Apparently Newark Penn Station and Atlantic City Terminal still have Solari board too.

Solari board (split flap display) history:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Split-flap_display

I was always impressed that the Solari board at Euston had Leicester on it's System, I know as back in the 1980's I caught a Sheffield train from Euston, (diverted to start Euston) as I guess the Wires were going up on the MML (Midland Main Line).

Hmmn, quite a good idea to have a sound play when the LEDs / LCDs change, particularly on the platform, how many times have you been stood about waiting for a train and you look up and all of a sudden something else is being advertised!