Côtois Rapid Movement Train Debate

The Côtois Rapid Movement Train Debate (Frakanic: Le débat sur le Train à Mouvement Rapide Côtois) or informally called by the public "Where the boom?" (Frakanic: où est le boom?) was a public outcry in the Federation of the Southern Coast of Lapérouse in 1997 when the Côtois Transport Agency (Frakanic: Agence des Transports Côtois) replaced the old 410 series of trains with the at-the time new 450 series of trains. The new trains had a flat 'duck-bill' nose, which reduced the piston effect and the ATC was unaware of the popularity of the sonic-boom like sound for passengers as well the public as a whole. The outcry of from the Côtois populous resulted in the ATC to add in speakers and fans to train stations, for when trains arrive which provide the sonic-boom like sound for passengers but without the ear damage or sound damage surrounding to the area. While the public generally saw the new speakers at the train stations as serviceable and acceptable but ultimately as the leader of the movement Sandra Brosseau, said it on Red Dove Media "Décevant mais compréhensible" or translated "Disappointing but understandable."

History

The ATC in the 1990s seek replace the old series of 410 trains and issued a request to the Norse Way Group to create a new series of trains that can tone-down the piston effect as well general improvements. The sonic-boom like sound generated by the trains was heavily reduced, on the new more advanced and efficient series 450 trains. It wasn't known by the ATC that the sound generated by the high-speed trains of the previous series held a beloved status for commuters on the train. As such when the new train type was developed, and new ad campaign showed off the new 'soundless' trains to the public.

The news of the impending replacement spread, a groundswell of opposition began to form among the public. Passengers wrote letters to the ATC headquarters expressing their disappointment with the changes to the beloved sonic-boom-like sound, as it would be heavily reduced or in majority of cases completely gone. The ATC put aside the concerns, believing that it was a small minority of passengers that would miss the sonic boom. As ATC believed majority of passengers didn't actually approve of the sonic boom as well engineering and health concerns from the piston effect.

As the series 450 trains was rolling out and replacing the series 410 trains in 1997. Protests formed outside of various regional ATC headquarters across all petite-nations in the Federation, demanding a return to the 410 series of trains. Sandra Brosseau a wedding florist that frequently traveled by train for work across the Federation became the vocal leader of the movement creating the slogan used by protesters "Where the boom?" (Frakanic: où est le boom?)

In response to the public pressure ATC installed speakers and fans at all train stations. The devices are synchronized to activate as trains arrived in a effort to capture the experience the public wanted. While the introduction of the simulated sound was generally viewed by the public as a pragmatic compromise, it was not without its detractors. Some voices argueing that the artificial replication failed to capture the authentic essence of the original sonic boom, and the speakers was a pale imitation. Nevertheless, the majority of commuters ultimately accepted the solution as a necessary adaptation to changing technological realities.

Sandra Brosseau, gave a somewhat famous statement about the solution "Décevant mais compréhensible" (Codexian: Disappointing but understandable).