The app now arriving at Platform 1 . . . rail puts digital on track

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Financial Times:

The app now arriving at Platform 1 . . . rail puts digital on track



As the train pulls into the station you board the first carriage because your smartphone told you that was where the only vacant seats were. Your app scoured social media for the latest information on any delays so you avoided hold-ups, and as you settle into your seat you touch the window, transforming it from transparent glass into an interactive display of travel information.

This journey has yet to arrive, but is on its way. Recognising that technology has the potential to improve train journeys, the government has shifted innovation up its priority list to become an essential part of what companies must include in bids to win rail franchises.

I'll not quote that article any further, in view of copyright restrictions imposed by the Financial Times:

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2014. You may share using our article tools.
Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web.

[Network SouthEast]

Indeed.

The TSGN contract award (warning; heavily redacted), says that GTR must fit passenger counting equipment to permit "...'near real time' communication of passenger loads on trains with the Franchisee's control centre whilst such trains are in Passenger Service". The document mentions the 313, 365 and 455 fleets to be fitted. The 377 and 387 fleets aren't mentioned, but they do have counting equipment, so I suggest they'll have some kind of upgrade to allow live communication. The 700 Thameslink trains will have this functionality from delivery.

Back to the Western region, and the class 800/801 IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) trains will also have this functionality. This is what the specification says:

4.16 Passenger Counting System
TS299    Each IEP Vehicle must be installed with a system that automatically records the number of
passengers boarding and alighting the IEP Train at each station. The system must record the
individual journey, time and date for which this information applies. The system must
provide data which shows for each IEP Vehicle:
^ the number of passengers aboard the IEP Train on approach to each station;
^ the number of passengers which alight the IEP Train at each station;
^ the number of passengers which board the IEP Train at each station; and
^ the number of passengers aboard the IEP Train on departure from each station.

TS1993 The passenger counting systems must, in addition to the requirements of TS299,
automatically record the number of people moving between IEP Vehicles to facilitate the
calculation of the number of passengers per IEP Vehicle.

TS1857 The system must be able to record the passenger numbers to within 5% or one person
(whichever is the greater) of the actual number of people on board the IEP Train between
each station stop.

TS1859 Recorded data for the entire IEP Train must be downloadable via the TMS

TS1860 All passenger count data must be accessible remotely and in real time from a control centre
and operating depot.

[grahame]

^ the number of passengers aboard the IEP^▸ (Intercity Express Program / Project.) Train on approach to each station;
^ the number of passengers aboard the IEP Train on departure from each station.

One hopes that the number departing from from one station is equal to the number approaching the next (arrival of early babies excepted!).

The mind boggles a bit with the thoughts of what this sort of data can do, especially when linked to ticketing:
"There are plenty of seats in First Class.  If anyone would like to upgrade ..."
"Stop the train.  We're the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police).  There's someone on board who hasn't bought a ticket"
"As this is a quiet train, it will be designated off peak and you'll be refunded the difference in fares"
"To relieve overcrowding, we'll be attaching an extra carriage at Reading"
"We are sorry this train has been delayed by swans on the line near Maidenhead, and we notice there are passengers for Yeovil on board.  A Taxi has been arranged for you three at Castle Cary as the last connection has been missed"

[IndustryInsider]

It could certainly enable CIS^▸ (Customer Information System) screens/announcements/apps to advise passengers where to wait on the platform - probably most useful for commuter routes, but then again I've seen plenty of trains out in the sticks with people standing completely unnecessarily.  I will also be of great assistance in optimising the use of stock as although manual passenger counts get done now, a much more accurate average load data for each train will be provided.

[Rhydgaled]

"We are sorry this train has been delayed by swans on the line near Maidenhead, and we notice there are passengers for Yeovil on board.  A Taxi has been arranged for you three at Castle Cary as the last connection has been missed"

Passenger counters wouldn't know where the passengers were heading. Unless everyone has a RFID ticket and somebody has developed a long-range RFID reader which can identify every ticket on the train.