[ng12]

> * They only publish the scheduled times, not the actual estimated arrival times

Do you have a source for this? I'm positively certain it's not true. I time my commute every morning with the online subway clock that matches exactly with the one in the station -- I leave my apartment when the Q is ~8m away and it always arrives shortly after I get to the platform. I've only encountered one situation where the clock was unacceptably wrong: a downtown A train at 59th that was 1m away for over 5m. That happened over a year ago and I still remember it.

Similarly, when delays happen the clock does get updated accordingly. Today was a good example -- 24m for the next N train during commuting hours :/

I think you may be confusing the countdown clocks with the kiosks. Once upon a time they did display the scheduled time. I'm not sure if they still do but the above head displays are without a doubt more accurate. Anecdotally speaking, the margin of error seems to be roughly +/- one minute. I'm aware that's anecdotal evidence but I simply don't believe that somebody could take the subway on a daily basis and think the countdown clocks are that inaccurate.

[chimeracoder]

> I think you may be confusing the countdown clocks with the kiosks

No, I'm not. I know the difference between the kiosks and the overhead clocks.

> I simply don't believe that somebody could take the subway on a daily basis and think the countdown clocks are that inaccurate.

Benjamin Kabak, whom I linked above, has been covering the MTA and transit in New York for over a decade, in addition to being a daily subway rider. Offhand, I can't think of a single independent journalist who has more comprehensive knowledge of the minutiae of the NYC transit systems than he does, let alone a more established track record of documenting not only the visible problems, but the factors that create those problems. If that, combined with the other data provided, isn't convincing, I don't know what else could be.

[ng12]

You haven't really provided any data. A few random tweets about incidents, only one about the countdown clocks where the next response offers a probable explanation.

You're trying to sell me on a different version of reality, here. You're telling me a system I rely on every single day is completely unreliable.

Do you live in NYC? Do you take the trains? Go put your theory to the test. Go sit at at a busy train station for 20m and watch the countdown clocks tick down until the train comes. I promise you'll be pleasantly surprised. The countdown clocks are just about the only part of the MTA system that works.

[chimeracoder]

> You're trying to sell me on a different version of reality, here.... Give the MTA their single, well-deserved victory. Put your theory for the test. Go sit at at a busy train station for 20m and watch the countdown clocks tick down until the train comes. I promise you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I'm not trying to sell you on anything. In fact, I'm not even interested in continuing this discussion. I've provided you with a reference to the most well-respected journalist covering the technical details of the MTA and NYC transit. If you're really interested in learning more, it's not hard to do some basic Googling and find their extensive coverage and analysis of this problem.

> Do you live in NYC? Do you take the trains? I'm so confused -- are you astroturfing for some reason?

Just because someone presents information that contradicts your anecdotal experience, that doesn't mean they're astroturfing. Though at this point, if you're going to start slinging bad-faith accusations with no basis, it's pretty clear this conversation is going nowhere.

[ng12]

> it's pretty clear this conversation is going nowhere.

Yes, obviously, because you keep saying "look at the data" while providing none of relevance. Nobody's arguing that the MTA is rife with delays and poor planning, we're talking about the countdown clocks specifically.

The countdown clocks do not show the scheduled time. They use Bluetooth receivers to physically track the trains [1]. Your fundamental premise is wrong.

I'm honestly curious -- do you Uber everywhere? How often do you take the train?

1. http://www.thetransitwire.com/2017/09/01/mta-uses-bluetooth-...