Colour Code Train Services - RETAIN NAMES

[SteelPan]

Might it be an idea for Translink to more formally apply a specific colour to every line in the SE Qld Network, in addition to the name.  This way, for example, the Ipswich service could become the "Ipswich Red Line Service".  Standardisation would make it easier for visitors and non regular train service users to navigate the system and yet RETAIN the current destination based system.

What do others think?   

[BrizCommuter]

Pointless. London Underground manages with line names, and each line coloured, but not the colour as part of line name. There are far more pressing issues on SE Queensland's rail network.

[O_128]

Might it be an idea for Translink to more formally apply a specific colour to every line in the SE Qld Network, in addition to the name.  This way, for example, the Ipswich service could become the "Ipswich Red Line Service".  Standardisation would make it easier for visitors and non regular train service users to navigate the system and yet RETAIN the current destination based system.

What do others think?   

yeh good idea, though id keep ipswich green, could be good idea to look into when there is more rollingstock and sectorization. I personally prefer numbered lines.

[Stillwater]

A colour for each line reinforces the nature of the SEQ rail system.  It would help newcomers and infrequent users of the network and it would cost very little to put a colour strip on each station name (over time, as signs are replaced).  The colour coding could flow over into the colour choice on each of the timetables.  However, I don't see the need to use the name 'Ipswich Red Line' or 'Caboolture Blue Line' etc, just Ipswich Line, where the stations on that line have the strip on signs.  The colour would provide reassurance that you are on your correct line.  For instance, someone on a train on the Ipswich Line (red) at Darra would know something was up when the next station was Springfield on the 'brown' line, or whatever.

[SteelPan]

Pointless. London Underground manages with line names, and each line coloured, but not the colour as part of line name. There are far more pressing issues on SE Queensland's rail network.

I appreciate your thoughts.

However, I can't really see how the specific linking of a colour with an UNCHANGED destination name, could be placing undue pressure on PT resources.  Let me please clarify, I'm not suggesting making the colour formally part of the line name.  The Ferny Grove line would REMAIN The Ferny Grove line, it would simply be an OPTION for a person to remember the line or state the line as the "blue line" for example.  Over time, a colour bar etc could be introduced, at absolute minimal cost, to signage etc on each line and encorporated into maps etc.

It would simply ease and standardise line use across the network - particularly with more corridors to come online over the next decade.  Final example, a visitor or non regular train user, would simply need to know you "catch a "green line" service to X station and change to a "gold line" service to travel to Y station".

[#Metro]

I would leave it as it is. It has small cost but also small benefit.

[SurfRail]

One thing I would prefer is that the Richlands service be allocated its own parallel line to the Ipswich line (the Doomben line has one for heaven's sake), and the Sunshine Coast line also receive its own line colour (perhaps teal as per the Sunbus timetables).

The Shorncliffe line should also not be depicted as travelling to South Bank.  The map is too cluttered in that area and this service is the exception, not the norm.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Agree with TT and BrizCommuter. I don't see the point with the cost to benefit.

Richlands would most likely get its own line colour once it has more than just one station on the line with sometimes shuttles working between Darra

[Gazza]

If they eventually do a full time tiered service then Richlands/Ipswich should be illustrated like the Gold Coast/Beenleigh coridoor...Two parallel lines, with linking dots at Milton, Indooroopilly and Darra.

[BribieG]

When doing GUI design at uni a few years ago, one of the big "no-nos" was identifying something by displaying it in a certain colour. The reason being that a lot of people are colour blind to a certain degree. For example like a lot of men I am red green colour blind. I can easily distinguish between traffic light red and traffic light green, that's not a problem. However when I get into the khaki and brown type colours I can get confused. Also people refer to Bunnings as the "Big Green Shed". To me it's the big airforce-blue shed 

[Gazza]

^Great point actually.

Me, I'm personally a fan of line numbering, but at the moment the current system works.

[O_128]

^Great point actually.

Me, I'm personally a fan of line numbering, but at the moment the current system works.

especially for people who dont speak english, The numbers were a lifesaver in paris and berlin where we couldnt pronounce some of the words.

[Fares_Fair]

^great point O_128.

Numbers, the universal language.
Excellent point about colour blindness too BribieG, it is particularly prevalent in the male population.
Thanks for the reminder.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[#Metro]

Be careful with numbers! Maybe it should be alpha-numberic; i.e. B1, A2 etc...

You don't want people to confuse the numbers with TL fare zones!

[O_128]

Be careful with numbers! Maybe it should be alpha-numberic; i.e. B1, A2 etc...

You don't want people to confuse the numbers with TL fare zones!

Thats a good point but not to hard, the easiest thing with numbers was that at stations such as gard du norde which is a maze all I had to do was tell someone the number. Though paris wasnt a good as berlin because the RER are done by colour lol

[Gazza]

Be careful with numbers! Maybe it should be alpha-numberic; i.e. B1, A2 etc...

Errrm, L1, L2, L3....

[ozbob]

Not quite sure I am really getting the meaning of this.  Lines are already coloured with documentation etc. with their logical pairs eg. IPSWICH  FERNYGROVE  Is the intent to break it up further into a colour kaleidoscope?  Colours can used but there needs to be a secondary system for those who are colour compromised for what ever reason.  That at the moment is the names, a numerical system is another way, and could be used as a third concurrent system.  Bus routes don't get confused with zones because they are all 3 digit (some 2 digit).  So if numbers were used for rail they would be best as T1, T2, etc.

[Fares_Fair]

Not quite sure I am really getting the meaning of this.  Lines are already coloured with documentation etc. with their logical pairs eg. IPSWICH  FERNYGROVE  Is the intent to break it up further into a colour kaleidoscope?  Colours can used but there needs to be a secondary system for those who are colour compromised for what ever reason.  That at the moment is the names, a numerical system is another way, and could be used as a third concurrent system.  Bus routes don't get confused with zones because they are all 3 digit.  So if numbers were used for rail they would be best as T1, T2, etc.

... not to be confused with road transit lanes. 
How about X1, X2 etc. where X is recognised as a symbol of rail crossings.

Just a suggestion, please feel free to shoot. 

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[ozbob]

I was suggesting an alpha-numeric in a general sense, poor choice of letter. But on further reflection I think I would be happier getting a train to Ipswich rather than X4 or whatever ... LOL  But if then all the stations became a subscript we could have X4_o  (Goodna) ...  

Auchenflower would be X4_c

Where are you going Bob?  X4_o

Guess I am happy with what we have the moment ...

[somebody]

Guess I am happy with what we have the moment ...

+1.

[Fares_Fair]

I was suggesting an alpha-numeric in a general sense, poor choice of letter. But on further reflection I think I would be happier getting a train to Ipswich rather than X4 or whatever ... LOL  But if then all the stations became a subscript we could have X4_o  (Goodna) ...  

Auchenflower would be X4_c

Where are you going Bob?  X4_o

Guess I am happy with what we have the moment ...

Out of interest, what would Palmwoods be ?

[ozbob]

Well Palmwoods would have to be a double subscript as there are only 26 letters!  eg. X6_zg  but I don't think this will be real popular with the masses ...

[BrizCommuter]

Well Palmwoods would have to be a double subscript as there are only 26 letters!  eg. X6_zg  but I don't think this will be real popular with the masses ...

There should be a surcharge to Palmwoods commuters due to the extra subscript character in the new station name. 

[Fares_Fair]

Well Palmwoods would have to be a double subscript as there are only 26 letters!  eg. X6_zg  but I don't think this will be real popular with the masses ...

There should be a surcharge to Palmwoods commuters due to the extra subscript character in the new station name. 

You never miss a beat BrizC. 
Well done.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[#Metro]

Well Palmwoods would have to be a double subscript as there are only 26 letters!  eg. X6zg  but I don't think this will be real popular with the masses ...

What! Stations have NAMES, we are talking about LINES here.



NOBODY SUGGEST ROMAN NUMERALS!!

[#Metro]

Milton would have to be XXXX 

[Gazza]

As usual, the Japanese have the solution on how to do all things rail related simply and elegantly
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Metro_Y%C5%ABrakuch%C5%8D_Line

Each line has a letter.
In addition, stations have a number, so if you don't speak/read Japanese you don't have to remember a complex name, just the station number.

[mufreight]

Milton would have to be XXXX 

TT there are times when you logic is astounding, is that a light or full strength XXXX   

[p858snake]

Milton would have to be XXXX 

TT there are times when you logic is astounding, is that a light or full strength XXXX   

Perhaps a summer breeze.

[Derwan]

I'm still trying to work out what the suggestion was?  Lines are already colour-coded in both QR and TransLink.  Is the suggestion to change the current colour coding?   

[Stillwater]

The suggestion was that the colour coding be applied to each station along a line -- maybe by way of that line's colour in a stripe beneath its name on station nameboards.

[mufreight]

A good start would be legible station nameboards.  They could put a colour strip on the nameboards when they replace the signage to make it legible.

[Stillwater]

The names are peeling off all over the place.  Tourists wanting to transfer from the Sunshine Coast Line to buses scratch their head when they get to La   b r  gh (Landsborough).  Yep, Labr(u)g(a)h.

[SteelPan]

When doing GUI design at uni a few years ago, one of the big "no-nos" was identifying something by displaying it in a certain colour. The reason being that a lot of people are colour blind to a certain degree. For example like a lot of men I am red green colour blind. I can easily distinguish between traffic light red and traffic light green, that's not a problem. However when I get into the khaki and brown type colours I can get confused. Also people refer to Bunnings as the "Big Green Shed". To me it's the big airforce-blue shed 

I don't believe the idea of a colour reference for each line is just in the actual colour itself - it's in the colour "name" reference ie, you're looking to catch an "green" line service etc....

We certainly do a double reference with buses, ie, BOTH destination name and route number - so why not trains!

[HappyTrainGuy]

Because there are hundreds of different bus routes that operate along the same roads but have different service areas from Gympie to the border compared to about 19 or so train routes that operate through out the day and in peak. (Petrie/Caboolture/Nambour/Gympie North/Shorncliffe/Richlands/Darra/Ipswich/Rosewood/Kuraby/Beenleigh/Gold Coast (Varsity Lakes)/Airport/Thornside/Manly/Cleveland/Doomben/Bowen Hills/Roma Street).

I'd perfer it to be left as route names rather than refer to any colour routes like they do now (Display screens have the route name with a colour background). Having different colours on different lines could be slightly confusing like the couple Ferny Grove services that start on the Cleveland line in peak.

[SurfRail]

I am in favour of the current system, just that now Richlands is a full-time service it should be better defined on the map as something other than a spur.

Our network will be avoiding the problems of having 'routes' like the Perth network by having consistent stopping patterns, so alphanumerics for each one shouldn't be required.