Research[edit]

Article name[edit]

I initially used "train melody", but we'll leave the official name open until we figure out what the topic likely is called in the U.S. Mailer Diablo noted "It's Departure Melody (発車メロディ, or Hasha Melody, Train Melody, Departure Jingle) in Japan. If you have travelled on any Japanese railways before, you would probably heard a song, tune or melody before train doors close and moving off. In other countries, operators usually use a buzzer to warn passengers of departing trains. (Tip : Use a translator!)." -- Suntag ☼ 15:24, 1 December 2008 (UTC)[reply]

General comments[edit]

This article was initiated as a result of DYKs first Main Page hits contest. Initially, this seemed like a difficult topic since the references likely are in Japanese. On thinking about it, the melody conveys information to humans that allows them to make decisions. I used to work at McDonalds and they use different ding sounds to convey information to humans that allows them to make decisions (" 'Ding!' The Frys are done.") There probably is a general scientific area concerning this topic (please find the name) as it relates to trains or perhaps transportation. I know that New York, Washington, D.C, and Chicago transit use music to signal arrival and departure, so someone somewhere must have written a study on the topic in English. I posted a request to have the Japanese article translated at Wikipedia:Translation/Departure Melody. -- Suntag ☼ 15:24, 1 December 2008 (UTC)[reply]

From my short look into the matter, the scope of the topic appears to train arrival/departure music, sound, tone, melody directed at people on and around the train. The first such communications probably were voice commands from the conductor or the blowing of the train whistle. Then probably came monotones, then melodies that were based on the five aspects of ergonomics. Once we figure out what this is called in English speaking countries, we then may find scholarly papers on the topic. -- Suntag ☼ 19:28, 1 December 2008 (UTC)[reply]
Well, I've found a tempting-looking abstract... but no more than this seems to be available online, sadly. Hassocks5489 (tickets please!) 20:26, 1 December 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Anecdotal stuff about Britain[edit]

Following on from Suntag's second paragraph under the "General comments" heading: in my extensive experience of travelling by rail in Britain, I can't think of anything analogous to the train melody. At larger stations, when a train is ready to depart, some or all of the following will take place:

Passenger information systems only announce details about upcoming services ("the train now standing at Platform 2 is the 0730 service to Brighton..."). The only melody-type thing I have ever heard is the "fast train approaching" sound used by some Train Operating Companies here, where the loudspeakers play a strident, four-note ascending chime.

So the Japanese "model" has evolved completely differently, which suggests it might be worthwhile searching for any comparative studies, analysis etc. Even if train melodies are not their main focus, they may mention them in passing. Hassocks5489 (tickets please!) 20:37, 1 December 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Anecdotal stuff about Canada[edit]

Many trains of the Montreal metro happen to have a now iconic three-notes chime that is actually a sideproduct of some electrical equipment at startup. It's briefly discussed in the Montreal Metroarticle. Circeus (talk) 20:52, 2 December 2008 (UTC)[reply]

South Korea[edit]

South Korea has now implimented these on a couple of its metro systems. In practice, a secondary function of the Japanese themes is to cue sleeping passengers to awaken at their stop, or one prior. The Korean ones tend to fulfill this role as they are played to passengers IN the carriages to herald the arrival at a given station. Most significantly exceed 7 seconds.

Urban metro jingles[edit]

Budapest and Stockholm have brief melodies or jingles that play on arrival and/or departure of their metros. The Budapest jingle can be heard at [[1]].CharlesHBennett (talk) 21:57, 22 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Categories