S Stock Number Crunching

Not sure quite how I worked it out, but I reckon there'll be something in the region of 8,000 - 9,000 Connect hand helds in use, once the system is fully up & running.

Does anyone know how many permutations are possible with five digits (I ain't that clever ;D)?

If a four digit system could be devised that would work with the current stocks (for the transition period), surely it'd be a better solution?

Ok then smarty pants ;D ;D

Using the digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 & 9 - how many combinations of five digit numbers can you make?


EDIT: is the answer obvious? ie, 9,999? If so, that'd leave 999 combinations available for trains.

Hmmmmmm........

But if Connect is rolling out over the whole system, somebody must have thought of it already. Look at car numbers for the Central, the Jubbly, the Northern.................

Hopefully that problem will not arise.

Oh, and the answer for 5 digits is 100,000 combinations

Proud user of Teh Second Fox of Fire


So much for the spell checker then! ;D

He has just noticed TheOneKEA's sig, which has been the same since time in memoriam!

But to digress even further (!!!) TOK is right - the more I use Firefox 2.0 the more I like it. Best browser setup ever.

Bumpety bump!!

prjb - did you ever find out an answer to my little poser?

As long as it's been passed on to the relevant people, my/your job is done

(but as I'm a nosey b*gger, I'd still be interested in knowing the answer ;D ;D)

I'm confused and I'd appreciate a bit more information

We run only 530 or so trains. Once all the upgrades are done there'll be less than 600. With three digit train/set numbers, there should be plenty.

I'm aware that the car number is coded into the connect radio. Surely the only area of confusion could be with the Picc, and their set numbers could, for example be 900 plus. I think I've missed the point along the way

Ahh - but the way the dispatcher terminals work is that you call a train/set number (as from a Service Controller or Operators point of view, that is what is important), but the system will allow you to then select ANY trains with that set number, anywhere on the system. Thus, the District Controller calls Train 211 at Victoria, and is then given a choice of two car numbers to select - one Victoria line and one Circle.

the other problem is that, with the new stock numbering, since it is possible to call an individual car number (providing it has a cab and a connect radio fitted of course ), or an individual handset or dispatcher terminal number directly, there could be a problem arising whereby there is a handset that has the same number as an individual car.

It's a common discussion that there are over 600 numbers to choose from with our current usage, and yet far fewer than that trains running around.

However, just as National Rail use certain numbers/letters to identify where a train is going to/from, so do we to a certain extent. The current numbering makes monitoring the service as a whole muh easier, as you can tell more or less where the train is going, which depot it starts from/ stables at and whether the train is a peak-hours only working or not.

Historically, LU has chosen the number series for each line based on its interaction with other lines. This was to help avoid the possibility of having 2 trains with the same number in the same area both listening to the same radio message. In the example I gave above, the Victoria Line is completely unattached to the Circle Line and therefore, until the "advance of this technology" never caused problems with numbe conflicts.

Where larger areas of control exist, numbering also takes account of possible conflicts whereby you could in theory have 2 trains numbered the same within the control area. Computers don't take too kindly to being told train 101 is a District when in fact it could be an Uxbridge. When Aldgate was transferred to Baker Street control, the Met series of numbers were changed from 0xx to 4xx to prevent conflicts with Districts which had similar 0xx numbers.

As SB says, the dispatcher unit gives the operator a choice of car numbers. In theory, once the Piccadilly and Bakerloo join Connect, there could be 4 possible 2xx numbers, as they all currently have trains using numbers in that series.

Just a quick question regarding connect, Will LUL be adding the handsets to drivers equipment? So far drivers do not have to carry them. ;-)

Out of 200 drivers at neasden i'm guessing only a dozen carry the handsets and out of that only a couple have them switched on. I carry mine but its not switched on, I have only discovered recently that the auto phone facility has been activated which is good news.