Anyone who follows Muni knows to roll their eyes when the subject of ATCS comes up. That's the lousy old software that controls the trains in the subway -- it was supposed to speed things up when it was installed back in the 90s, but as we know, subway service is slow slow slow. It's also to blame for those incomprehensible maps displayed on the flat-screens on the platforms. And now, finally, it's close to getting a makeover.

On the agenda for a Wednesday meeting of the SF County Transportation Authority: allocating $300,000 for a variety of projects, including an upgrade for the ATCS network platform from OS/2 to Windows. (Yes, OS/2. Our subway runs on OS/2. You're not surprised, are you?)

Hopefully this will mean faster operations and better support; but as Rescue Muni pointed out a year ago, system upgrades at Muni are often accompanied by disastrous hiccups. We can't wait!