http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/19991004/tc/y2k_france_trains_1.html

-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), October 04, 1999

Answers

[Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only]

Monday October 4 4:47 AM ET

France To Stop Trains for Y2K

PARIS (AP) - All trains in France will stop briefly on New Year's Eve to reassure travelers worried about possible Year 2000 technology problems, the national train company said today.

The SNCF said in a statement that all trains, including those on subway lines, would stop between 11:55 p.m. and 0:15 a.m.

The SNCF said it has taken all precautions to ward off any problems due to the Y2K bug but that it wanted to ``respond to the anxiety'' of passengers.

French radio reported that the pause will also allow conductors, drivers and ticket takers a chance for a quick glass of champagne to ring in the New Year.

The year 2000 problem is linked to the design of some older computers, which recognize years in a two-digit format, such as ``99'' for 1999. Some could malfunction when the new century starts if they confuse ``00'' for 1900 instead of 2000.

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-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), October 04, 1999.

Anxiety + alcohol ... hhhmmm

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), October 04, 1999.

Excellent idea! It will give the passengers enough time to sip their last champagne and kiss each other goodbye before they go rolling down the tracks and slam head-on into another train going 150 miles an hour.

-- @ (@@@.@), October 04, 1999.