A publicity triumph for Sweden

The name Trainy McTrainface wins by miles in an online poll among Swedes and becomes world news. 

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  The news that one of the new high-speed trains in Sweden will be dubbed Trainy McTrainface became world news in July. TV channels and newspapers in the U.S., Great Britain, India, Australia and elsewhere noted the event. Above, a still from Australian TV.

• In a bid “to bring joy” to the many, many voters who were disappointed last year when the U.K. overturned a popular public vote to name a ship Boaty McBoatface, a train operator in Sweden decided to open up the vote for a new train name — and use it.

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  A Swedish train company is inspired to name a train Trainy McTrainface after voters in the U.K. had a similar idea in the wake of losing a vote to name a ship Boaty McBoatface. Photo source Twitter

• After the top suggestion won by a landslide in an online poll with 49 percent of the vote, Trainy McTrainface — an obvious tip of the hat to Boaty McBoatface — will be ceremoniously baptized in the fall.

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  Trainy McTrainface: Half of all Swedish voters chose that name.

• Trainy McTrainface is one of four locomotives that MTR Express, a corporation which runs express trains between Gothenburg and Stockholm, that will be unveiled at an official ceremony in Gothenburg. Trainy is joined by other new members of the fleet: Estelle (named for the 5-year-old Swedish princess), Glenn, and another named by an MTR Express staff member.

• For more info, see www.mtr.se