FGW Scalextric train

Can we start one of those "if it's only one vehicle is it technically a train?" discussions? Apart from that I'd file it under "quirky but charming". Some GWR fans will love it; others will splutter into their soup.

Sam

Of course it's a train. A train is any vehicle or combination of vehicles that has authority to run on the mainline. A helper engine returning to base is a train (for example). So's a single unit railcar (for example). Authority is granted by timetable and/or signals and/or running order (train order). Nothing "technical" about this, it's universal.

So there! ;-)

Universal - right. Some people might look at the OED[1] and see the words "series" and "connected" and think they don't apply in this case. :-)

Sam (not stirring it at all, honest)

[1] "A series of connected railway carriages or wagons moved by a locomotive or by integral motors"

Brunel will be turning in his grave , it was bad enough when the 7ft and a bit gauge was abolished but that "model" has taken the insult too far.

G.harman

Didn't the GWR bring in those single unit steam railmotors and diesel railcars?

Oxford has the layman's definition - Sam has the railroad's definition.

Since we are, after all, modeling railroads (OK, railways for those of you with a queen), shouldn't we use the railroad definition? :-)

Well spluttered, sir!

Sam

On 2014-05-22 7:31 PM, Larry Blanchard wrote: [...]

Hey, I wrote that definition!