There's not much to look out of the windows at when you're on the tube/subway/alternatively named underground mass transit system (except on the non-underground bits but they defeat the point anyway). And it's kind of scarey.

Simply film the view as it would be seen if the underground train was travelling on the surface. This would require filming sideways (both ways) while driving/walking/riding the rail route. Even if it takes you through buildings.

Then play the film back on screens mounted over the windows of the aforementioned train. Speed of playback should be linked to speed of train.

Perhaps a nighttime and daytime view, and could be expanded to seasonal/weather views in the future, depending on available storage space.

Not only provides entertainment but employment for lots of people who like walking around the city with video cameras - ie. could even make tourists do it, for free or come to think of it they'd probably pay for the privilege.
-- faffer, Mar 19 2002

Didn't someone just do this?
-- angel, Mar 19 2002


I've read about a technology currently used for advertising that could be employed for this. The video is divided into still frames that are printed on the tunnel walls in sequence, at a size large enough to fill the window. As the train passes, lights flash in synch with the passing windows to re-create the video image in the window.
-- beauxeault, Mar 19 2002


Good Idea. Having looked at the *real* tube map superimposed on a street map; it appears that most of the lines run along the approximate line of surface roads anyhow. This would prevent the problem that many people have of not being able to geographically associate any of the tube stop locations on the surface.

[As an aside - this reminds me of "Charlie & the chocolate factory" where they see all the images on the tunnel wall as they go through on the boat]
-- stupop, Mar 19 2002


I'd prefer if they film clouds and sky so we could all pretend we are in a plane, or at least slightly above ground level.
-- rbl, Mar 19 2002


they could always film the view looking straight down from 15,000 feet and have it playing back on floor mounted panels. plus if they were LCDs they'd look cool and squidgy when you walked on them (like when you press a laptop's screen).
-- faffer, Mar 19 2002


How cool would it be if the scenery kept changing? Snow covered glaciers to cattle stampedes to inside a subway tunnel (moving backwards) to blasting off staight up to...
-- phoenix, Mar 19 2002


let's see those commuters ignore *that* ;-)
-- faffer, Mar 19 2002


we'd need to provide barf bags. end up getting to work all green.
-- rbl, Mar 19 2002


Why not totally spectacular video's. Under the sea, traveling on Mars, through the human body...
-- phazed, Mar 24 2002


Fantastic Voyage
-- thumbwax, Mar 24 2002


I wonder if they can add some laser image projector on the train and project laser pictures on the tunnel wall. That way image will move along with the train and it is cheaper than install display unit on each window or painting the entire tunnel wall. That should be easily accomplishable. You can put advertisment on that too. Flashing news could also work.

Of course, the projector automatically shut off if it can't detect the wall in front of it. Do not want to blind people stand on the station.
-- bing, Mar 24 2002


[rbl] is correct, viewing a speeding scenery can give one headaches and nausea. Of course most subways don't zip along at 175mph. but on the bullet train in Japan there are warning signs all over not to stare out the windows.
-- dentworth, Aug 23 2004



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