gadgetbahn

English

WOTD – 7 July 2021

Etymology

Linimo (Aichi Rapid Transit Tobu Kyuryo Line) in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, a low-speed urban maglev system. Maglev (magnetic levitation) train systems are regarded by some people as a form of gadgetbahn.

From English gadget +‎ German Bahn (“route, trail; rail transport; train, tram”).

Pronunciation

• Singular:
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɡædʒɪtbɑːn/
  • (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɡæd͡ʒətˌbɑn/

  • Audio (AU)

    (file)

  • Hyphenation: gad‧get‧bahn
• Plural:
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɡædʒɪtˌbɑːnən/
  • (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɡæd͡ʒətˌbɑnən/
  • Hyphenation: gad‧get‧bahn‧en

Noun

gadgetbahn (plural gadgetbahns or gadgetbahnen)

1. (transport, derogatory, slang) A public transportation scheme based on modern technology which seems to be infeasible or unnecessary.
   • 2002 November 25, Michael D. Setty, Leroy W. Demery, Jr., “Conventional Rail vs. ‘Gadgetbahnen’”, in Planetizen‎^[1], Los Angeles, Calif., archived from the original on 2 May 2021:

     To cite a favorite example of gadgetbahnen enthusiasts, automated train operation is as easily applied to conventional rail as monorails, as demonstrated by the Vancouver, BC, Skytrain (which uses standard railroad technology, not monorail as some Seattle monorail boosters apparently believe). […] To some extent, the promising concept of bus rapid transit (BRT) has also suffered from the "gadgetbahnen" mentality.

   • 2007 March 16, Marc Albert, “Newfangled rail system for Alameda Point questioned”, in The Alameda Sun‎^[2], Alameda, Calif.: Eric J. Kos and Dennis Evanosky, →OCLC, archived from the original on 22 May 2013:

     Ken Avidor, a Minnesota transit advocate and critic of similarly proposed systems, called the project the latest iteration of "gadgetbahn," a play on "autobahn" the German word for freeway. Gadgetbahn refers to highly technological transport systems relying on untried innovations. "All of these gadgetbahn projects always rely on totally unrealistic cost estimates," he said.

   • [2016 June 6, Josh Zumbrun, “Uphill climb: Cities push gondolas on skeptical commuters”, in The Wall Street Journal‎^[3], New York, N.Y.: Dow Jones & Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 March 2021:

     In transit communities, projects that sound complicated and unnecessary go by the German epithet "gadgetbahn." If early gondolas are successful, advocates hope gondolas can shake this label.]

   • [2020 November 18, Gareth Dennis, “Can Cambridgeshire plan transform transportation?”, in Rail, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire: Bauer Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 64:

     Have you heard the word "gadgetbahn"? It's a portmanteau coined to describe transport proposals that, to all intents and purposes, ought to be delivered using proven railway technology … and yet go out of their way to be anything but a railway.]

   • 2021 April 28, “East West Rail Company responds over debate on northern approach into Cambridge, freight and technology”, in Paul Brackley, editor, Cambridge Independent‎^[4], Milton, Cambridgeshire: Iliffe Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 28 April 2021:

     [I]t is important to remember that we have to design the railway now on the basis of current engineering possibilities, as opposed to unidentified and untested technologies – sometimes referred to as ‘gadgetbahns’ – that may or may not be available, suitable or safe in the future.

     Apparently an isolated use of this plural form.

Usage notes

Transportation concepts often labelled as gadgetbahns include maglev, monorail, hyperloop, and personal rapid transit.

Translations

public transportation scheme which seems to be infeasible or unnecessary

Further reading

• Aaron Naparstek (2007) “Gadgetbahn”, in New York Press‎^[5], New York, N.Y.: New York Press, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 7 August 2007.