User talk:SnrRailways

Hi there. I blog/edit about all manner of things but mostly, as the name suggests, transport-related issues. If that's what interests you too, I'll be interested in collaborating!

Language

I write in several varieties of English. As friction between different types of English can be a source of unnecessary aggravation, here's my approach. On articles which are specifically about US subjects, I contribute in American English. For international subjects, I usually find it makes more sense to work in 'International English', which for the most part is the same in European, Indian, African and Australasian variants - and added together that makes for such an enormous audience that the US-educated readership is in the minority. 'ENGVAR' disputes are a terrible waste of time, so if you think I've strayed from this (hopefully reasonable) approach, do let me know - I'd much rather work consensually than get into edit wars and the like. I try to be open here about my own position even where it is inevitably subjective, as it's through the accumulation of contributions from editors with an inevitably subjective position that 'consensus' arises.

Answers to some other occasional "why did you do that?" questions

Transport or transportation

'Transportation' is a US-specific term, so when I'm contributing to or editing an article which is solely about a US subject, I use it. In other forms of English, adding the suffix 'ation' to the end of 'transport' is redundant. The redundancy makes it poor style, but it is also usually incorrect in that it actually means something different; 'transportation' specifically means punitive relocation, usually in lieu of a prison sentence (Australia, for instance, was settled by Europeans initially through the judicial transportation of criminals by British courts).

Railway station or railroad station

It's 'railroad station' in the US, and 'railway station', everywhere else. 'Rail station', a well-intentioned attempt at a compromise, is unnecessarily clunky. 'Train station', a neologism which appears to have emerged through conversational usage, is usually just wrong, and where I encounter it I correct it, other than when it is used as part of a local brand (i.e. a proper noun). For anyone who wants to discuss why the first two terms are 'correct' and the latter two phrases 'incorrect', well, the talk page is here for that.

Edits between 12:05 and 12:36

I am concerned about the large number of edits made by this account between 12:05 and 12:36 today. Please note that repeated edits of such nature are covered by our Wikipedia:Bot policy, this account is not approved as such. I am also concerned that you were invited to discuss such edits as [1] and [2] last night [3] at WT:UKRAIL#Linking to railway station, but have continued. Wikipedia works on a collaborative basis, so please stop and discuss your edits. Edgepedia (talk) 16:38, 21 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

'Not a bot. All now discussed. Relax, and move on. SnrRailways (talk) 15:38, 22 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

ANI

Hello. There is currently a discussion at Wikipedia:Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents regarding an issue with which you may have been involved. Thank you.--Charles (talk) 22:51, 23 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

You have been blocked indefinitely from editing for running a bot script on this account without approval. As soon as you demonstrate that you are no longer operating a bot script, you should be unblocked, and you will be welcome to make useful contributions. If you think there are good reasons why you should be unblocked, you may appeal this block by adding below this notice the text {{unblock|reason=Your reason here ~~~~}}, but you should read the guide to appealing blocks first.

Under the bot policy, all automated scripts must be approved by the Bot Approvals Group to ensure that they perform safe and useful functions without stressing system resources.

Nyttend (talk) 02:45, 24 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Sockpuppetry case

Your name has been mentioned in connection with a sockpuppetry case. Please refer to Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Wedensambo for evidence. Please make sure you make yourself familiar with the guide to responding to cases before editing the evidence page. Charles (talk) 14:32, 24 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

corrected link: hope this was OK. DBaK (talk) 15:18, 24 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Hi. Cheers for that. Thankfully, I'm not a bot, but until I'm unblocked there's no way of contributing to the discussion or responding. Maybe that's just as well. I'll leave it wiser and cooler heads to sort the panic out. SnrRailways (talk) 18:11, 24 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]