Bombardier puts monkeys in front of typewriters

Exciting news from Bombardier!

As the recession bites the rolling stock manufacturer is now getting passengers to design their own trains!

According to the HYVE Innovation Community in Munich...

We, the HYVE Innovation Community in collaboration with Bombardier Transportation, are hosting the “YouRail – Visions of modern transportation” - online design competition.

The contest which runs from 26th October to mid-December is all about visionary designs that help create a unique new interior of a future train and that satisfy the special needs of different types of passengers (e.g. leisure or business).

A highlight is an online configurator by which users can develop their custom-made train seat in 3-D.

The monetary prizes and gifts for the winners and most active participants amount to a total in excess of 10,000 Euros with the winning design being presented at InnoTrans 2010.

Eye hopes lots of readers will want to help Bombardier reduce costs design their own trains.

And don't worry if you know absolutely nothing about rolling stock design.

Nor does DafT but it specified the IEP - the contract for which still hasn't been signed...

UPDATE: This from Captain Deltic...

If Ian Walmsley finds out about this the web site will probably crash.

But perhaps they have filters to prevent people designing subversive seats that people might enjoy sitting in?

Ben Fisher RIP

This obituary from the Grauniad...

Ben Fisher, who has died unexpectedly aged 45, was an inspiring teacher of French at Bangor University and the creator of one of the most visited railway websites in the world, the Welsh Highland Railway Project.

Visit Ben's website here.

UPDATE: This from Bushy...

Eye readers may be interested to know that there is a memorial service for Ben in Powis Hall, Bangor at 18:00 on Monday 23 November.