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Electron and Solo cards are not accepted because of restrictions on these cards imposed by the banks; transactions on these cards are much more restricted than on most other debit cards. The ticketing equipment used on-train does not have a 'live' feed to the banks, the transaction is put through and the ticket issued, and the information is then downloaded each night when the machine is docked at the end of the shift. Some restrictive accounts will not release the money if a person overspends, in which case the train operator does not receive their payment even though the ticket has already been sold. Some other cards will also encounter problems, as the banks will only allow a set number of non-'live' transactions of this type before the card automatically declines. 'Swiping' can sometimes override this - not with Electron and Solo - and hence the cards will sometimes then accept, but of course the point of the chip and pin system is then defeated. This is one of the reasons that most TOCs operate poilicies of 'Buy Before You Board' etc.
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