Dear Amtrak,

The Flipboard (or, the split-flap display) is an iconic part of the 30th Street Station, and should not be replaced. It's operation harkens to the historical days of of train travel, and is a piece of machinery that's complements the historic and grand Art-Deco main waiting hall.

Replacing the Flipboard with a digital display would not only upset the tradition of 30th Street Station, but it is also not necessary. In many modern train stations (for example, the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof, the Gare du Nord in Paris), which sees up to 190 million travelers anually, the slip-flap display is used successfully in their daily operations. In fact, slip-flap displays have inherent advantages, such as:

• High visibility and wide viewing angle in most lighting conditions
• Little or no power consumption while the display remains static
• Distinct metallic flapping sound draws attention when the information is updated.

Replacing such a utility with a digital display board would negate these benefits, and in addition incur expenses associated with purchase and installation. 

Please reconsider your stance on the Flipboard, and keep it as part of 30th Street Station.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned