Obsessed with watching Japanese trains go by? Now you can indulge your hobby regardless of bad weather or friends who just don¡¯t get your hobby ¡ª whether you¡¯re in Japan or not.
The website (¡°railroads now¡°) has elevated trainspotting to a new level by allowing viewers to watch virtual trains zip around the major cities of Japan on a Google map mash-up.? Twitter users in Japan were bubbling with excitement yesterday, with some tweeting that the illustrated trains move in real-time. If only. The site¡¯s explanation says that the trains actually move in accordance with their weekday timetables, so the map doesn¡¯t reflect delays, stoppages or weekend schedules.
The navigation tools do, however, let you see the routes of most major railways in Japan at any time of day. To hobbyists¡¯ delight, the trains are all labeled with their actual line colors and approximate shapes, so you can tell a green Yamanote train from a snub-nosed shinkansen at a glance. Click on any moving train to see where it¡¯s coming from and where it¡¯s headed.
Now you can trainspot with a bag of popcorn in one hand and a Coke in the other from the comfort of your swivel chair with no one jostling or judging you. Us? We wouldn¡¯t judge you.
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