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British Rail Moving Forward with Sat-Nav/GPS

Posted by Zonk on from the need-that-for-my-bicycle dept.

de1orean writes "The BBC is reporting that after a successful limited trial using GPS satellite navigation to improve train safety and efficiency, British Rail is committed to instituting sat-nav throughout the system. It may be in operation as early as 2008."

10 of 192 comments (clear)

  1. First impression by Dancin_Santa · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's a train. It's not like these things can wander all over the place.

    Maybe if they were able to get them to run on time like they do in Japan and Fascist Italy, they could tell where the trains were by just looking at the clock.

  2. British Rail? by sulli · · Score: 4, Funny

    They renationalised and didn't tell anyone?

    --

    sulli
    RTFJ.
  3. "putting intelligence on trains" by ABeowulfCluster · · Score: 4, Funny

    So, they're implying the conductor is dumber than a GPS unit?

  4. So.... why do trains need GPS? by 1_interest_1 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is it that hard to follow the track?

  5. A British Rail Joke.. by TechyImmigrant · · Score: 4, Funny

    This joke did the rounds during the first US-Iraq war and shortly after a big train accident..

    What is the difference between British Rail and a Scud missile?

    British Rail kills people.

    --
    Evil people are out to get you.
  6. lol by mpower1 · · Score: 2, Funny

    and they say canadians are dumb, at least we dont get lost following rail tracks

  7. Re:In the US trucking industry, GPS is common. by Moderatbastard · · Score: 1, Funny
    Here in the US, trucking companies use GPS and satcom to create greater efficiencies than would otherwise be possible. http://www.power-trak.com/ BTW, I have no involvement with trucking
    If you did, you'd know that trucks don't run on rails, but trains do.
    --
    1/3 of jokes get modded OT. If you get the joke, mod 1 in 3 insightful/interesting/underrated to restore karma balance.
  8. It could be useful in Italy... by Federico2 · · Score: 2, Funny

    In few days GPS-enabled trains could create a map of the entire rail system.
    Train drivers will be happy... no more asking directions!

  9. "British Rail"? by jb.hl.com · · Score: 3, Funny

    We've not had "British Rail" for some time. For you USians who may be a little confused, here's a little history.

    Before the 50s, the railways were all in lots of groups of competing companies. The government then nationalised these companies (OMG SOCIALISM!!!1) as, well, you can't really run a railway for profit and even if you could it's a son of a bitch to do so without killing hundreds of people. This new confederacy was British Rail, and had that pointy double arrow logo some of you may have seen.

    In the 60s, the government axed all of the loss making lines in an attempt to make a profit. This involved axing all of the lines to small rural communities, and it made the railway much less attractive to people and made the car a de facto requirement.

    In the 80s, Margaret Thatcher grew weary of nationalised industry, and while sitting on her stylised throne of evil ordered that the railways be privatised, which took effect in 1997, just when the new government was coming in. Clever that.

    So now we're stuck with a bunch of fucking idiots who can't run trains on time and have to rely on satellites to do so. As I once heard someone describe, it's fairly simple to run a decent train service; you have a train, you have a track, the former rides on the latter. The problem is that we have lots of people trying to make money off it, which just won't work.

    --
    By summer it was all gone...now shesmovedon. --
  10. Re:In the US trucking industry, GPS is common. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    It amazed me that the Americans thought Janet Jacksons nipple was such a big deal. Does this make us even?