Railfan Technology > A Solari board for you

I recently saw an ad on Facebook for a split-flap style board available to consumers. I thought that I saved the information, but did not. It looked like it could be an interesting addition to a dyed-in-the-wool railfan's envirnoment, although it's probably not cheap. 

Update: I did a bit of searching and found the information. The product is called Vestaboard, and is available for only $2850. Not within my budget!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/21 13:00 by colehour.

Something about a Solari that brings back my worst RR memories.  

Late afternoon in NYC after a long day arguing with lawyers and bureaucrats,  looking for a train home, and wondering as the board slowly updates whether it will announce a boarding location for my train, or just more blank space, or the dreaded “delayed”?

march_hare Wrote:
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> Something about a Solari that brings back my worst
> RR memories.  
>
> Late afternoon in NYC after a long day arguing
> with lawyers and bureaucrats,  looking for a
> train home, and wondering as the board slowly
> updates whether it will announce a boarding
> location for my train, or just more blank space,
> or the dreaded “delayed”?

I actually have good memories of the boards, in Europe, for example. It was a bit exciting to see the flaps spinning around and finally letting me know the stats for my train, which would take me to my next place on my itinerary. By the time I left Rome, however, the boards were all digital. 

Of course, I did not use the train for business travel, in more recent years mainly to get from my home to downtown Chicago on the South Shore. There were occasional delays, of course, but they were largely pleasant (if short) trips.

Here in the UK, I recall massive Solari boards at London Euston and Birmingham New St. It was quite hypnotic watching them updating and scrolling.chris uk.

http://dixielandsoftware.net/Amtrak/solari/stations.php?data=CHI&tz=CT

You can get board for any Amtrak station.Above is Chicago now.

Amazon.com has "flip" clocks for well under $100 with a Solari style. 
Mostly just 4 digits, but a nice effect.

Bill

Buhl56 Wrote:
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> Amazon.com has "flip" clocks for well under $100
> with a Solari style. 
> Mostly just 4 digits, but a nice effect.

I also checked those out. Years ago I had one of these, back when LEDs were still in their infancy and were expensive. LCD screens were still a dream. The split-flap clock was kind of "diigital" for the day. 

I recall buying my first calculator (four function) with LED display in 1972. I think it cost around  $70 bucks at the time. Amazing the advances in 50 years.

colehour Wrote:
> I recall buying my first calculator (four
> function) with LED display in 1972. I think it
> cost around  $70 bucks at the time. Amazing the
> advances in 50 years.

I first encountered an HP scientific calculator (HP45 ??) about 1963.
I think it was $350 to $400, and I could not justify replacing my engineering slide rule.

For perspective, we usually got the 99 cent lunch special at a restaurant, as under a dollar for a meal was not taxed.

Different times...

Bill