"That was for the trainspotters. This one's for the planespotters"

[Clawgrabber]

Bono says this at the end of "The Ocean" on the Chicago 9/21/2005 boot.

Being American, (and quite dumb, i may add) I had no frame of reference for "trainspotting" save the book by Irvine Welsh (which I haven't read) and the film by Danny Boyle (Which I have seen)...

So I looked it up.

Trainspotting as a definition seemed as straightforward as I could have imagined. And it meant what I thought, but in the context of a railroad enthusiast his commenst made no sense.

Until the slang definition:

"The term "train spotter" is often used as a derogatory term towards someone perceived to have an enthusiasm for acquiring or hoarding detailed or humdrum information"

So those who recognize "The Ocean" (read: all of us) are setlist junkies looking for a rarity.

Then they play "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" to all the (after much hesitation) "Planespotters"...

i percieve that comment as something Bono made up meaning "Those looking to hear a hit" (I.E. Looking up rather than down)

Horses was a pretty sizeable hit.

Anyway, I thought that was an interesting comment.
I apologise to all the brits and non-Americans who will think me "daft" (to use their parlance) for not knowing the term "trainspotting"...

but America is a strange country with little interest in the rail system. In fact, our rail system is struggling quite hard at the moment. Hardly anyone uses it anymore.

 

[MissMaCo]

interesting indeed, thanks for posting about it. I saw the film and read the book both amazing.

 

[Axver]

but America is a strange country with little interest in the rail system.

Definitely would not say that, as America probably has the most model railroads per capita and has some of the best model railway equipment manufacturers and magazines in the world based in the country. The passenger rail network may be suffering outside of a few major cities, but freight rail transport and interest in modelling the railways is definitely not at a level I would consider 'little'.

Though surprisingly enough, while in the US, I discovered model railway stuff was closest in price to things back here in Australia - books, CDs, movies, that sort of stuff was cheaper, but trains were almost the same price. Except for this one awesome locomotive I managed to find extremely cheap.

 

[angelordevil]

Time is a train Makes the future the past...

 

[HelloAngel]

but America is a strange country with little interest in the rail system. In fact, our rail system is struggling quite hard at the moment. Hardly anyone uses it anymore.

Perhaps in the midwest and what not, but that's certainly not the case in New England and the heavily populated tri-state area.

 

[GibsonGirl]

I love Newfoundland's railway system. Top notch!

 

[Clawgrabber]

well, obviously New England and the Tri State are is the exception to the rule...

and model trains are... well i can't say i have any knowledge of them whatsoever...

but trainspotters according to definition are more interested in actual rail networks and following and getting to know the the cars and routes themselves...

either way...

amtrak's enormous downsizing of employees and number of departures in the past few years more than proves my point.

for the most part (barring new york, connecticut, vermont)

americans don't use trains nearly as much as europeans do. i have ridden on amtrak trains in the past and they are sparsely populated at all times, including major holidays...

not the case in europe, where i had major trouble getting on board certain departures and the terminals are far larger in size and passenger usage.

again, new england is the small exception.

this is off the topic anyway, all i wanted to do was post about bono's comments.

sure, freight rail transport is still in use and probably will always be...

but that wasn't what i was talking about either.

there have been several major stories written about the trend of the disappearing rail interest in the US written in many publications in the past few years. The major theme of most articles is this:

Rail companies are shocked that even in such a time of hiked gas prices and rising airline fares, people are still not moving toward the rail system as an alternative means of transport.

A majority of americans still prefer to use their cars and fly on airplanes.

In America, the rail systems account for less than one percent of inter-city transport. I would say that warrants "little interest"

there is no cure for the problem. America is bigger in size than most countries. with only 7 hour train rides between munich and berlin, train travel makes sense economically... airfare is just a burden. But when it takes 18 hours to get from Denver to Chicago... two major cities that are merely 2 1/2 hours apart by air travel... the American railway system that has never been profitable in the past, will never catch on except in highly populated areas where major cities are close together (I.E. New England)

Nothing I said even hinted at freight or model trains.

 

[BVS]

What is this thread about?

Either U2 riding on a train, heroin, or maybe it has something to do with Bono's conductors hat...

 

[Axver]

Nothing I said even hinted at freight or model trains.

Yes it did, you said there's little interest in the rail system. I argue it's not due to 1. its high usage to convey large quantities of freight (which is the primary function of North America's rail system) and 2. the high amount of model railways, as you wouldn't be modelling trains unless you're interested in them. I model trains rather than jet fighters for the reason that the trains interest me while the only time I'd care about a model of a jet fighter is if I'm modelling a rail spur that services an air force base! (As a matter of fact, I'm even more of a rail fanatic than U2/setlist fanatic.)

Trainspotting is essentially watching trains of any variety, not necessarily passenger ones. In my opinion, trainspotting is a lot more fun when freight trains are involved anyway, as your average rail network's passenger carriages are typically very similar, especially if you're talking about diesel/electric multiple units on commuter networks. Freight trains normally provide a far greater degree of diversity in both motive power and wagons.

OK, so this is wildly off topic. I'm rather enjoying it, though.

Passenger use of trains has been falling off in many countries worldwide, even small New Zealand where trains should be competitive against cars and aeroplanes (I argue this is due to gross mismanagement, especially in the post-NZR era). I don't necessarily think downsizing is proof, as a lot of major companies downsize while remaining successful and profitable, but the amount of passengers carried speaks volumes. I'm surprised high speed rail transport has not caught on in the US beyond the Acela trains. Surely a network running trains such as France's TGV or Japan's Bullet Train would prove profitable and win customers away from cars with their expensive petrol prices. Even Australia, with its sparse population and great distances, can support many long-distance trains (i.e. the cross-continent Ghan and Indian Pacific journeys, Queensland's Tilt Train, and New South Wales' XPT services).

OK, that's enough off topic rambling from me for now, but if anyone ever wants to talk trains ...

 

[Utoo]

Oh, Axver! With your love of setlist knowledge, we should have known you were a train guy!

 

[AtomicBono]

What is this thread about?

Either U2 riding on a train, heroin, or maybe it has something to do with Bono's conductors hat...

bono's conductor hat...

U2 riding on a train... like the electrical storm video!!

heroin...

the Velvet Underground song, guys. GOSH.

Maybe it's about the song "Trains" by Porcupine Tree. I like that song a lot.

OMG YOU GUYS one time I had this dream that I was trying to get tickets to see U2 but I kept missing them and I was on a train and it repeated itself over and over again because I really wanted to get U2 tickets so I kept turning back time but I messed up everytime anyway and sometimes I missed the train

 

[Axver]

Oh, Axver! With your love of setlist knowledge, we should have known you were a train guy!

Before I spent hours designing setlists, I would spend hours designing model railways.

I'd love a computer program I could use to design model railways.

[How to remix this post to reply to AtomicBono: give the first sentence's drool to Porcupine Tree's Trains, and give the second sentence's two drools to Trains' two solos.]

 

[beegee]

but America is a strange country with little interest in the rail system. In fact, our rail system is struggling quite hard at the moment. Hardly anyone uses it anymore.

i took the amtrak across country last summer, from southern california to new york. i absolutely loved it, and my trip for next summer - the same route - is already in the works.

interesting comment bono made, though.

 

[DILETTANTE]

[Hardly anyone uses it anymore. [/B][/QUOTE]

I know that this is only tangentially related to the main topic, BUT passenger trains are used quite a bit between Washington, DC and Boston -- by college kids, daily commuters, those of us who would rather go from center-city to center-city instead of from outlying airport to airport. Trains SHOULD rule, but unfortunately they don't. (I'll spare you my ranting about this country's transportation policies......But the thought of Bono in his conductor's hat showing up on one of "my" trains....hmmm. Intriguing!)

 

[Axver]

Re: Re: "That was for the trainspotters. This one's for the planespotters"

Trains SHOULD rule, but unfortunately they don't. (I'll spare you my ranting about this country's transportation policies......

Rant, please! I think I'll enjoy it.

Trains ruling ...

 

[DILETTANTE]

It's wicked early here, and I've gotta go to work. I'll be back to rant a bit later.

 

[Axver]

It's wicked early here, and I've gotta go to work. I'll be back to rant a bit later.

I hope you're taking the train to work.

 

[angelordevil]

I love Newfoundland's railway system. Top notch!

We have a railway museum, but strangely, not a scrap of track left for tourists, etc, to ride on..

 

[Clawgrabber]

in the context of my original post, the rail system meant passenger transport.

axver, i am beginning to think you like debate more than setlists

 

[Ifeelnumb84]

I always though trainspotting referred to heroin use, but maybe I've just watched that movie too much.

 

[Axver]

in the context of my original post, the rail system meant passenger transport.

axver, i am beginning to think you like debate more than setlists

Your post mentioned the rail system; you never clarified it to mean the passenger rail system and without that clarification, 'rail system' is and should be naturally taken to mean - gasp - the general rail system incorporating both freight and passenger transport (and as you mentioned interest, model railroading too as a railway modeller has an inherent interest in the system).

And yes, I love debate! Want to see the awards I've won for competitive debating?

 

[DILETTANTE]

I hope you're taking the train to work. [/B][/QUOTE]

Nope. But my weekend plans include a commuter train, several Metro (subway) trips and an Amtrak (passenger) train. I should be well-trained, don't you think?

 

[pookybear]

OMG YOU GUYS one time I had this dream that I was trying to get tickets to see U2 but I kept missing them and I was on a train and it repeated itself over and over again because I really wanted to get U2 tickets so I kept turning back time but I messed up everytime anyway and sometimes I missed the train

Sorry, I have nothing to add about trains or heroin or debates or songs involving trains, but I thought that was pretty funny-- I had a similar dream the night before the U2 ticket presale in which I forgot to get to my computer on time and was given two more chances to do it but missed it every time.

 

[AtomicBono]

Sorry, I have nothing to add about trains or heroin or debates or songs involving trains, but I thought that was pretty funny-- I had a similar dream the night before the U2 ticket presale in which I forgot to get to my computer on time and was given two more chances to do it but missed it every time.

Being a U2 fan is hard work, man. Getting those tickets is so stressful. Guess we all have U2 ticket anxiety

 

[Neenie]

Even Australia, with its sparse population and great distances, can support many long-distance trains (i.e. the cross-continent Ghan and Indian Pacific journeys, Queensland's Tilt Train, and New South Wales' XPT services).

While those interstate trains like the Indian Pacific have great patronage about 100,000 each year. Most of NSW countrylink XPT services have very low patronage such as the Murwillumbah line which was closed last year. The line was very run down because the government didn't see it justifiable to spend millions on a service that only carried about 100 people each journey. The NSW government had also planned to close the Armidale line and the Dubbo Line but that hasn't happened yet because of much public outcry. I could say that privatisation could make things better for NSW. But that hasn't been the case here in Victoria National express went into liquidation last year and V/Line is under state ownership again. But we have seen lines re-opened under a change of government!

 

[Axver]

While those interstate trains like the Indian Pacific have great patronage about 100,000 each year. Most of NSW countrylink XPT services have very low patronage such as the Murwillumbah line which was closed last year. The line was very run down because the government didn't see it justifiable to spend millions on a service that only carried about 100 people each journey. The NSW government had also planned to close the Armidale line and the Dubbo Line but that hasn't happened yet because of much public outcry. I could say that privatisation could make things better for NSW. But that hasn't been the case here in Victoria National express went into liquidation last year and V/Line is under state ownership again. But we have seen lines re-opened under a change of government!

The XPT situation in Murwillumbah is disappointing, especially because I was hoping they'd extend the line to the QLD border and QR would extend the Robina line down to meet it so the Brisbane-Sydney XPT could go via the Gold Coast, a pretty decent sized market. I still, however, feel that the XPT network in general thoroughly outdoes the passenger services provided in much of the USA, though. And New Zealand. Privatisation killed the Kiwi passenger network - they even cancelled the Southerner, once the flagship service of Kiwi rail! As a passionate Kiwi railfan, I don't know if I'll ever get over never riding the Southerner. At least I managed to ride the Bay Express about a year before its untimely demise.

 

[DILETTANTE]

I hope you're taking the train to work.

This is maybe more than a tad off topic -- but in the latest "off the record" column posted on the @u2 website, there's a picture of Bono....taking the train to work!

 

[Axver]

This is maybe more than a tad off topic -- but in the latest "off the record" column posted on the @u2 website, there's a picture of Bono....taking the train to work!

Clearly Bono forgot to take Edge's advice in Numb.