The lack of enough Presto tap-on machines, and platform display screens, in the Bay West Teamway has been creating huge bottlenecks. Serious issue. Lots of complaints to GO on twitter, and they've been saying that they're working as fast as they can to install more.
Just today, however, I was browsing through their tweets and saw they have changed their response to say
"Adding more [Presto tap-on] machines may not be possible at Bay [West Teamway]". Is it honestly physically impossible to put any more in? Incredible.
Hogwash!
That statement by GO is false, and does not acknowledge a related serious safety issue.
All a Presto machine needs is a connection (Ethernet) and power (electricity).
If there's no more Ethernet cables, then simply add an Ethernet switch + wire ethernet cables in the open bleachers.
Have power/Ethernet cables drop vertically directly into temporary Presto machines mounted on heavy blocks. No permanent modification to teamways necessary.
It is indirectly really creating a
serious safety issue. I know many people are
overloading the York concourse
because they are avoiding Bay teamways
because of of lack of Presto tap machines in the Bay teamways. Look at how overcrowded the York platforms are, and how empty the GO coaches in the middle of the GOtrains are -- and less crowding on the Bay end of the train. The loading GO trains are currently
very seriously unbalanced and someone could
get killed from the platform overcrowding.
Wayfinding needs to rebalance the number of people in the Bay teamways versus the number of people in York concourse. It is exceedingly
critical to make sure that people flow is reasonably balanced.
Metrolinx needs to find a way to FIX this safety issue. The tweet by @GOTransit is completely false, as that said tweet is not made by an experienced computer professional. There is
already existing electricity and existing Ethernet cables in the Bay West teamway. So there is already infrastructure to add more machines! You just hook into this. (Use an Ethernet switch if there's not enough Ethernet cables; and yes; there's freezeproof weatherproof Ethernet switches -- an Ethernet switch is like a "power bar" for Ethernet cables -- it multiple the number of Ethernet connections available, allowing for MORE Presto machines). Dangle temporary power/Ethernet cables (inside metal shield) directly down to temporary presto machines sitting on movable concreate blocks. Make sure everything is up to code. Done.
Not enough machines? Hogwash -- there's existing Presto machines inside the Bay concourse. USE THEM! No additional machines need to be manufactured.
Sincerely
IT Software Developer -- with network infrastructure experience -- who might know more a bit about this than some GO employees...
Cc: GO Safety Officer BIll Grodzinski (who follows me on Twitter)
https://twitter.com/GOgrodzinski301
(I've contacted him by both Twitter and Email.)