First Ticket Pre-Purchasing System Is an IEEE Milestone

For Japan’s train commuters in the years following World War II, buying a ticket could be a stressful experience. Today it’s not difficult to go online and reserve a seat, but 65 years ago, travelers faced long queues at the ticket window and limited ways to find out if seats were available. Reservations were handwritten in a paper ledger, and there were plenty of accidental double-bookings. Travelers had no real way to know if they’d have—or could get—a reservation once they reached a ticket…