The aim of the
ACONIT research project
is to understand comfort
from an overall
perspective, taking into
consideration personal
perceptions as well as
psychological and
sociological factors and
changes in train design.
The project's initial phase consisted of
three analyses: passengers’
impressions in the train; the
memory of comfort that
passengers retain after
they leave the train;
and the history of comfort
on trains. Passenger-survey
data and a study of the
train were compared
to determine what
contributes to the overall
feeling of comfort.
The first conclusion: While
expressions of comfort
tend to be general,
perceptions of discomfort
are much more precise and
related to specific things
like air conditioning or
lighting. A sense of comfort
also seems to vary
depending on whether the
passenger has any control
over the factor involved.
This observation ties in
with the historical analysis.
After the era of footwarmers
and then
temperature regulation
by compartment, does
automatic climate-control
for the entire train diminish
the sense of comfort?
Another question related
to history: Do the homelike
decorative elements
(frames, carpeting, etc.)
that were replaced by an
emphasis on colours and
materials make passengers
feel more comfortable?
And while the occasional
traveller associates
comfort with good spacesharing
arrangements,
the regular traveller wants
to create his own “bubble”
of privacy.
All of these findings, which
customer-survey data will
either corroborate or
contradict, will enable the
managers of France
Europe Passenger Services
to confirm their decisions
concerning rolling stock
specifications for comfortrelated
elements and
the features that make
customer services
distinctive.
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