This past week I was out to dinner with a friend in Highwood, Illinos, USA. It was a convenient place to meet, as I was able to take the train – the oft delayed Metra – there and back from Chicago.
As I waited for the 7:31PM train to take me back into the city, I noticed that the Highwood Metra station has come up with an innovative solution to the issue of train timeliness.
Rather than attempting to ensure the trains run on time, they simply attempt to prevent riders from knowing the actual correct time, so the potential passengers have no way to know if the train is actually on time. The station has a clock tower, and when I was waiting for the train it was around 7:25PM. The sun had set, so I apologize for the low quality pictures, but please notice below that according to the four sides of this tower, it was 7:19, 7:35, 8:22 or 10:54.
Additionally, inside the station they took the vagueness up a notch, presenting a clock with only the hour hand. Of course, that hand was also incorrect. Bonus points to the station master for putting this incorrect single-hand clock above signs warning customers about the open hours of the station!
Great post! Thanks for the laugh.
I also like it when Metra identifies a late train by the actual train number (which is located on the front of the engine) instead of by the normal departure time. That way most commuters have no idea what train it is since we do not have a handy guide with engine numbers. Tricky, tricky.
@ Noel
I laugh about that every time they announce the incidents by train number. Great comment!
@ Noel –
So, the loudspeaker announcement in the station (which are always impossible to understand anyway) says something like “Train 1092 will now be leaving at 6.54 pm from Platform 9”, rather than something like “The 6.48 pm train to Des Plaines will now be departing at 6.54 pm from Platform 9”? Am I am understanding that right?
If that is the case, that’s absolutely ridiculous. Who decides on these policies?
Liam, I wish we got that much information. Rather, it’s something like “Train No. 1873 will be delayed for 10-20 minutes.” That’s it. Completely useless information.
@ Noel –
That’s hilarious. Why bother wasting the breath and energy to make the announcement? Completely useless indeed. Ha-ha!
Howya Conall,
I just so happened to read this post while a very apt song was playing on my ipod. Not the best quality, or even the full song, but it’ll give you the gist of it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmmdsJ8YLHc
@ Sticky Beans
Welcome to chickenmonkeydog! Thanks for reading and for commenting. That song describe this exact situation…credit to the Wolfe Tones for that! Thanks for sharing.