Greenwood Subway Yard - Only at yards can TTC trains turn 180 degrees.

Rollsigns!  Those useful little things that tell us where the train is going so that we know where we’re going when we get on.  A small but very important detail in every transit system. 

I remember when I was travelling by transit to get to college (Sheridan’s Davis campus), I would take the Spadina line to Yorkdale to connect with a GO bus.  In the mornings, many trains short-turn at St.Clair West.  And sure enough, both the desitnation signs and the Solari signs (those signs on the platform that tell you where the next train is terminating) would switch between Downsview and St.Clair West as appropriate.

I’ve been noticing something that I typically never saw, or at least saw so rarely that I don’t remember it happening.  For reasons that I do not know, subway rollsigns are losing their accuracy now.  I’ve noticed this now 5 times in about as many weeks.  From “almost never” to “about weekly” is a big jump.

The first instance I noticed was probably the most glaring.  I’m transferring from the Yonge line to the Bloor line, on the way home from work.  I get to Yonge station on the Bloor line as an eastbound train pulls in.  I am a little surprised to see the rollsign read “Yonge Street.”  Is this train going out of service right here, right now?

Apparently not, as there’s no annoucement or warning telling people not to board the train.  So, with only one other explaination left, obviously this train (or, to be accurate, this married pair) has previously been in service on the Sheppard line to have had its rollsign set to that.   I tried to let the crew know the sign is wrong as I got off, as I was in the DWA car anyway, but all I got was a shrug, complete with facial expression that read “whaddaya want me t’do ’bout it?”  That was the first and last time I let staff know the rollsign is wrong, they clearly don’t care (and don’t recognize that they matter).

Twice I’ve noticed it on my way to work in the morning.  I was at Bloor station on the Yonge line, on the northbound platform.  A train pulls in, and I saw the sign: “Downsview.”  I just shook my head, positive that I was on the right platform (and I was, too).  Twice I’ve seen this now, same station, same time of day.

I was at Queen station in the early evening on the way home, heading northbound again.  A train pulls in… “Downsview.”  I look back to the stairs I just came down to make sure I’m on the right platform.  “Albert St.” it says, meaning that this train is absolutely heading north.  Now, I think this is significant, think about this:  I’m extremely familiar with the system, and an incorrect rollsign is making me double check whether I’m on the wrong platform or not.  These signs are clearly important.

Then there was that blackout last month that shut down part Bloor St. West’s subway service during the morning rush.  All announcements being broadcast were saying that trains would be turning back at St.George.  “St.George” exists in the rollsign, and it should have been used… what about the riders that are hearing-impaired?

The subway is managed in such a manner so as to not need to check the rollsign except when leaving the yard to enter revenue service (particularly at Greenwood due to the wye there, but apparently the runaround track at Wilson is popular to be sending me on ”Downsview” trains to Finch).  Is it not in the subway operators’ job responsibilities to ensure the rollsign is properly set?  If not the duty of the operator, then of the yard staff that take the train from the depths of the yard to a special platform to hand over to the operator?

If the TTC is planning to short-turn trains at Steeles West and Finch in the future when the York Region extensions are open, they have to pay better attention to the rollsigns.  Riders are not going to be impressed when they’re told to get off and that the train is out of service at Finch when the rollsign says “Richmond Hill.”  Nevermind getting on a train from Steeles West’s middle track that reads “Finch” and ending up in Vaughan.