Meet Sweden's newest train: Trainy McTrainface
Will of the people triumphs as legacy of Boaty McBoatface lives on
A Swedish rail service says it will honour the public's choice and name its new engine Trainy McTrainface.
In an online poll, 49 per cent of Swedes chose the name, a reference to last year's "Boaty McBoatface" story, putting it lightyears ahead of runners-up Hakan, Poseidon and Miriam.
Trainy, who joins a fleet of newly-christened trains which includes Estelle, Glenn and Ingvar, will run between between Stockholm and Gothenburg starting this autumn.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In April 2016, the Natural Environment Research Council learned the perils of open-ended polling when they asked Brits to suggest names for their new research vessel. The runaway favourite: Boaty McBoatface.
To the outrage of the voting public, the name was rejected by the council in favour of the eminently more sensible runner up, the RSS David Attenborough.
But while the will of the people may have been thwarted by the elites in that case, in egalitarian Sweden the democratic choice has been upheld.
Rail operator MTR Express has pledged to honour the result and hoped it would "be received with joy by many, not only in Sweden".
Twitter users were delighted that Boaty's legacy lives on:
For some, it was a moment of catharsis after the lingering disappointment of the Boaty incident:
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Precedent-setting lawsuit against Glock seeks gun industry accountability
The Explainer New Jersey and Minnesota are suing the gun company, and 16 states in total are joining forces to counter firearms
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
5 cozy books to read this December
The Week Recommends A deep dive into futurology, a couple of highly anticipated romantasy books, and more
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Jay Bhattacharya: another Covid-19 critic goes to Washington
In the Spotlight Trump picks a prominent pandemic skeptic to lead the National Institutes of Health
By David Faris Published
-
Romania's election rerun
The Explainer Shock result of presidential election has been annulled following allegations of Russian interference
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Russia's shadow war in Europe
Talking Point Steering clear of open conflict, Moscow is slowly ratcheting up the pressure on Nato rivals to see what it can get away with.
By The Week UK Published
-
Cutting cables: the war being waged under the sea
In the Spotlight Two undersea cables were cut in the Baltic sea, sparking concern for the global network
By The Week UK Published
-
The nuclear threat: is Vladimir Putin bluffing?
Talking Point Kremlin's newest ballistic missile has some worried for Nato nations
By The Week UK Published
-
Russia vows retaliation for Ukrainian missile strikes
Speed Read Ukraine's forces have been using U.S.-supplied, long-range ATCMS missiles to hit Russia
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Has the Taliban banned women from speaking?
Today's Big Question 'Rambling' message about 'bizarre' restriction joins series of recent decrees that amount to silencing of Afghanistan's women
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Cuba's energy crisis
The Explainer Already beset by a host of issues, the island nation is struggling with nationwide blackouts
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published