The Solari, named for its Italian manufacturer, was the last one in use on Amtrak, and when it was first announced that it would be replaced last year, a hue and cry developed that eventually found more than 1,500 signers on an on-line petition to keep it. In addition, several politicians at the local, state, and national levels tried to use their influence to keep it in place.
It is not clear whether Amtrak’s offer to donate the sign to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania at Strasburg will carry through. Patrick Morrison, the museum’s site director, said a spot is being prepared for it at the museum.
“It’s something we’ve been eyeballing for a long time,” he said. Morrison noted that Amtrak has agreed to shrink wrap and crate the machine and store it until the museum is ready to accept it.
Just looked it up on Wikipedia. Solari Board redirects to Split-Flap Display. Never new the things were so complicated. It’s a wonder they worked, and the electronics (let alone the mechanics) must be very complicated and not terribly easy to fix.
The Wiipedia article includes a comment same as Doug Anderson’s (below).
Sorry, Solari, you’re just plain obsolete. Newer technologies do far more for far less money.
Never figured out how the thing worked. Always a total mystery to me. Maybe I’ll look it up on Wikipedia.
When South Station in Boston replaced it’s Solari board maybe 10 years ago, the new one included an electronic clickety clack sound. I suppose not just for nostalgia but also so folks would know when the board was changing. I haven’t heard it for a few years, tho. Maybe it broke or it was determined to no longer be necessary.
RRMPA currently has a chalkboard from Penn Station Newark (NJ). The Solari Board at 30th St had replaced a chalkboard so they will have generational continuity.
The difference is that the Newark chalkboard has some of the through trains permanently shown while at 30th St. the Usher had to enter each train by hand, actually quite elegantly.
When the 30th St. Solari Board was new, they had a chalkboard on rollers which they brought out whenever the Solari Board was down. The maintenance crew soon figured out how to keep the Solari Board working and that was the end of the chalkboard.
I know it’s not Amtrak, but isn’t there a a Solari board at NJ Transit Atlantic City station that is still working?? Also, check this story that the board WILL be returning to 30th Street Station at some point in the future: https://www.riamindustryheadlines.com/all-news/breaking-amtrak-begins-tear-down-of-30th-street-station-train-information-ticker-board