CTA gripes (homeless, stations, assault)

[BigLake]

The train PA systems are so loud that I get a headache just riding.

When I have a few free hours, I can log other issues with the CTA. It's really a ridiculously poorly run system.

[jwaiter]

The PA system at most stops on the L are so bad that they are just useless. They go on the mic if there's a delay to report and it's so full of noise and static that nobody can make out what they said, they're better off just not using them, they do not work at all.

[gomexico]

Originally Posted by jwaiter

The PA system at most stops on the L are so bad that they are just useless. They go on the mic if there's a delay to report and it's so full of noise and static that nobody can make out what they said, they're better off just not using them, they do not work at all.

What you report is not what I see and hear when riding the subway/el trains 5/6 days a week. The PA system isn't on the platform, it's on the trains themselves. On the outside of the trains. They sound crystal clear, to me.

[css9450]

Originally Posted by gomexico

What you report is not what I see and hear when riding the subway/el trains 5/6 days a week. The PA system isn't on the platform, it's on the trains themselves. On the outside of the trains. They sound crystal clear, to me.

The PA system is one thing we have that's better than what they have in New York. New York's in-station and on-board announcements run the gamut from clear and audible recordings to mumbling, undecipherable utterances to nothing at all. And everything in between.

[marothisu]

I can't understand 90% of the announcements made on the platform....

[JBVirtuoso]

My favorite are those marquee electronic display things that say "Thank you for riding the CTA!" While it's really great that the CTA is so thankful, it would be cool if they used those to display actual helpful information, like, you know, when the train is coming.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by JBVirtuoso

My favorite are those marquee electronic display things that say "Thank you for riding the CTA!" While it's really great that the CTA is so thankful, it would be cool if they used those to display actual helpful information, like, you know, when the train is coming.

Yeah. I mean they do say when the next train is coming, but they do display too much of that "Thank you" stuff. I don't even need to see that and most people don't. All we care about is when the next trains are coming.

[nikitakolata]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Yeah. I mean they do say when the next train is coming, but they do display too much of that "Thank you" stuff. I don't even need to see that and most people don't. All we care about is when the next trains are coming.

The info displayed depends on what station you are at. The Western (O'Hare) blue line station, for example, has a bunch of these stupid signs that scroll between the date and time. They are broken about 60% of the time though. While the time is nice, who cares? Showing when the train is coming would be way more useful and relevant.

I agree that the announcements made on the platforms are impossible to understand. On the train, the PA systems are usually extremely loud and piercing. On the platforms I've been on they are nothing more than a mumble of static. Usually after an announcement was made everyone on the platform is looking around asking "did you get any of that?"

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by nikitakolata

The info displayed depends on what station you are at. The Western (O'Hare) blue line station, for example, has a bunch of these stupid signs that scroll between the date and time. They are broken about 60% of the time though. While the time is nice, who cares? Showing when the train is coming would be way more useful and relevant.

I agree that the announcements made on the platforms are impossible to understand. On the train, the PA systems are usually extremely loud and piercing. On the platforms I've been on they are nothing more than a mumble of static. Usually after an announcement was made everyone on the platform is looking around asking "did you get any of that?"

Yeah. Same as "my" station (Chicago Red Line). I've never once seen when the next train is coming. However, at the Chinatown stop, I see it everytime, but they display like 2x as many "Thank you for using the CTA!" messages.

It's pretty rare to understand a CTA message on the train or platform besides "doors are closing doors are closing" ones. I've only had maybe 10 total times of riding where the speaker was extremely clear.

[MassVt]

"In the direction of travel, doors open on the right ...at Damen.."