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→Trainspotting & Train Spotting
:::If it helps, the only reference to train spotting is a scene in the novel that was not included in the film, and it is pretty much what Phillip describes above. However, there is an important omission that changes the significance of the scene entirely, the homeless drunkard turns out to be Begbie's father. That doesn't clear up the use of the term for the title entirely, and there is likely still a symbolic meaning, but the reference, in this context, is clearly more significant than the mere passing mention indicated above. Not sure if that's worth adding to the article. [[User:SamJ|SamJ]] 10:44, 27 October 2008 (EDT)
:::If it helps, the only reference to train spotting is a scene in the novel that was not included in the film, and it is pretty much what Phillip describes above. However, there is an important omission that changes the significance of the scene entirely, the homeless drunkard turns out to be Begbie's father. That doesn't clear up the use of the term for the title entirely, and there is likely still a symbolic meaning, but the reference, in this context, is clearly more significant than the mere passing mention indicated above. Not sure if that's worth adding to the article. [[User:SamJ|SamJ]] 10:44, 27 October 2008 (EDT)
OK, nice work all! So we've got several things to put in: <br>
1) There is no actual train spotting in the movie (I think we agree on that), <br>
2) There is some train imagery/symbolism/motifs in the movie ("tracks" on addicts' arms, wallpaper, scenes in train stations or with trains (I vaguely remember some, but I could be wrong and I have no desire to watch the movie over again to see if I remember right - it was disturbing enough the first time), etc.), <br>
3) There is a scene in the novel that mentions train spotting, but it is not in the movie, (Confirmed by SamJ above, and Wikipedia, but unfortunately nothing we can cite yet - perhaps we can use it with a "cite needed" notation)<br>
4) "Trainspotting" may have a local slang meaning. (This rings true for me.)<br>
Without the quote from the book, I'm not sure we can make the case that the author felt "that shooting heroin is as little use as he considers the railfan hobby to be" - that seems to me to be a bit stronger than the scene implies to me - I don't know that we can say the author feels train spotting is useless. The slang sounds more to me like an ironic use of the term and not necessarily commenting on the actual hobby - like a bar I saw recently called "Rehab" - "Let's all go to Rehab" (and aren't we all clever) - that kind of thing. I did look in my library system for the book, but they've only got the movie and the soundtrack, so I couldn't get the actual quote.<br>
SO - let's see if we can put together a paragraph that works. ''"Despite the name, ''Trainspotting'' does not have anything directly to do with the hobby of train spotting, in which railfans keep track of the rolling stock they've seen. The name refers to a scene in the original novel, which was not included in the movie. The movie also includes a number of references to trains, including the train wallpaper in the lead character's childhood bedroom."'' This is not perfect - can we improve it here then transfer it to the main page? --[[User:Hsmom|Hsmom]] 14:50, 28 October 2008 (EDT)