Montreal subway platforms add more screens

November 24, 2008 by Dave Haynes

I zipped around to a few meetings last week in Montreal using the subway rather than taxi. Cheaper and faster, if you know where you are going.

The subway system has had, for a few years now, big projectors with long throw lenses firing an image across the tracks on some major platforms showing well-laid out screens, with a great feature that maps to the information system and tells you when the next train is due.

Now MetroMedia, which runs the MetroVision network, has added more screens – but this time has gone for Sanyo LCDs mounted from the platform ceilings and sometimes on the far wall across from single tracks. There are several per station and I saw them at multiple stops.

It’s probably a better way to go, as the larger projections have more “oomph” but ambient lighting can wash them out a bit and servicing the projectors would be an ongoing, expensive hassle.