The "Return Of The Flipboard To It's Rightful Place!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Visiting with a former high school student of mine who volunteers at The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, PA.  Hadn’t seen George for close to  50 years and the reunion was…well fantastic.  Tough to catch up with 50 years of life, but we had a great time talking as well as viewing the displays at the museum. 

The clipboard at the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia.

The main reason I had planned a trip to Strasburg was to take a photograph of the recently moved flipboard that had been delivered from Philadelphia’s 30th Street Railroad Station a few months ago. Meeting George happened to be an unexpected surprise.  Noticed his name a few weeks ago in the newspaper for winning the “Volunteer of the Year” award at the museum and found he would be at the museum when I planned to visit for my photograph. 

Preparing to move the clipboard to Strasburg, PA.

George showed me the flipboard and explained what they had done to it over the past few weeks.  Did a total cleaning of the board, which removed about 50 years of scum and haze from the numbers and letters and brought it back to life once again.  Each individual number or letter has multiple faces that could be shown, so the work was very tedious.  He said he believes the cleaning is just about complete and it will be ready for the public soon and a metal railing will be put in front of it. 

Click on this image and you will see how each letter and
number is split in half which allows them to be changed.
The new proposed board would be electronic and not
in need of letters such as these.  As they change they
creating a clacking noise that is familiar to customers.

I just assumed it would be working again, but did not ask.  The iconic, clacking 70’s era board has been viewed by millions over it’s lifetime.  And, it was supposed to be retired and replaced by a blinding blue-light digital monstrosity when renovations are complete at the Philadelphia railroad station.  Well, that didn’t sit well with many who visit the station on a daily basis.  Seems U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle was asked to help keep the board as it always was so he telephoned railroad CEO Richard Anderson and urged him to keep the popular display board at the center of the station’s gigantic waiting room. 

This will be the new home of the clipboard for a few years.
Fencing will be placed in front to prevent people from touching it. 

Rep. Boyle was pleasantly surprised by Mr Anderson’s response that they will try to retain the sign in some form, if not make it the main flipboard once again.  The board provided travelers with details about track locations and delays since shortly after Amtrak was formed in 1971.  Some times new technology may be for the best, but in this case keeping a renovated board will be a sentimental favorite for many who travel daily through the station.  The main reason they had planned to change the flipboard is because Italy’s Solari Company, maker of the board years ago, no longer makes replacement parts.  New electromechanical displays are run by computers.  But, the clacking noise of the changing flipboard numbers and letters would be missed.  Perhaps the board I just photographed will someday be returned to its proper location in the train station and make most everyone happy again.  And, my visit with George was an added pleasure for me during my visit.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.