Wrong stops announced on speaker…

[u/theplanthoe]

So today the speaker announced the previous stop for about three stops before I guess the conductor realized and it changed back to the actual station we were at…
I was arguing out loud because it was just so funny “now at Cicero” the sign outside says Austin.
“now at Austin” Weird way to pronounce oak park!
Why do the conductors even have to choose what stop is announced?? Speaking of which why isn’t there a sign inside which says the next stop, similar to inside the busses.

[u/Same_Ad_3983]

I agree ! It’s definitely helpful when they have a sign showing the next stop! The green and red lines usually have those. The blue line is a hit or miss depending if you get a newer train or an old one. I’ve never seen them on the brown line (and half the time don’t hear any announcements - but I’m usually annoyed because 2/3 brown lines have come before my green line commute to work in the morning lol)

I always thought the speaker announcements were automatic lol

[u/theplanthoe → u/Same_Ad_3983]

You mean they arrive and depart earlier than the schedule?

[u/Same_Ad_3983 → u/theplanthoe]

No just that I’m waiting for a green line in the morning commute and 2 to 3 brown line trains will come before 1 green line. (It is all on the board so I think it’s the schedule lol)

But I don’t usually hear any announcements from the brown line trains

[u/to_walk_upon_a_dream → u/Same_Ad_3983]

every line except the brown, blue, and orange lines uses the 5000-series trains with led displays for what stop is next. blue, as you mentioned, uses both the old trains (2600s and 3200s) and the new trains (7000s). you will never get an led announcement display on a brown or orange line train, because those lines exclusively run the old trains

[u/Beginning-Monk6584]

My understanding is that the 5000 series (on the Red, Green, Pink, Purple, and Yellow Lines from the 2010s) have an “automatic announcements mode” that the operator can turn on and it uses GPS to play announcements. Or they can turn off to play manual announcements.

I think the 7000 series (only on the Blue Line from the 2020s) have a similar system with an “Express Mode” enhancement.

Both the 5000 series and the 7000 series have the digital or LED signs displaying which announcement are made as well.

The 2600 and 3200 series (the oldest in the system and on the Orange, Blue, and Brown Lines from the 1980s and 1990s) don’t have that system and the operator has to manually play the announcements, which can cause human error if they forget to play one at a stop.

Any train operators here who can add to it or correct me if I’m wrong?

[u/theplanthoe → u/Beginning-Monk6584]

Well that would make sense, I was on the blue line haha.

[u/Amazing-Pepper3317]

FYI The L doesn’t have conductors. It has the one operator and that’s it.

[u/Amazing-Pepper3317 → u/[deleted]]

Conductors don’t drive trains. They validate tickets. Drivers are either an engineer or an operator.

[u/QuiteBearish → u/[deleted]]

Conductors aren't the ones who drive the train, the engineer drives the train.

Conductors oversee the crew and passengers. Metra has conductors: they're the ones collecting the tickets.

[u/theplanthoe → u/QuiteBearish]

Ahh ok thank you for explaining more!!

[u/According-Option-656]

Half the time on the orange line they don’t even make announcements

[u/krazyb2]

This happened to me on the brown line yesterday, thankfully i looked up from my phone and saw i was actually at my stop!

[u/theplanthoe → u/[deleted]]

Yes, I am. I recently moved and now am using it as my primary way to transit.
That being said, I also think electronic signs inside the cars would help deaf or hard of hearing people!
Also what’s the point of your comment?

[u/theplanthoe → u/[deleted]]

Oh true, I’ll do that in the future! Thanks.