Un train peut en cacher un autre.

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Old 09-04-2012, 10:51 AM
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Default Un train peut en cacher un autre.

Saw this on a railroad crossing sign in a 2003 movie set in France. Any idea what it could mean? It looks like a literal translation is "One train can hide another one".

Not sure why they would put something with hidden meanings though at a railroad crossing.

It sounds like it could be close to "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"??
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Old 09-04-2012, 10:56 AM
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In the US, it may say "Two tracks" or "Another train may be coming"
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Old 09-04-2012, 11:03 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Taltarzac725 View Post
Saw this on a railroad crossing sign in a 2003 movie set in France. Any idea what it could mean? It looks like a literal translation is "One train can hide another one".

Not sure why they would put something with hidden meanings though at a railroad crossing.

It sounds like it could be close to "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth"??
I would think that it means that their are two sets of tracks and if one train is moving from left to right (or right to left) on the far track that it could be hidden by another train on the near track moving in either direction.

I don't know why a driver waiting to cross the tracks would need that warning, but then again... well... you know!
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Old 09-04-2012, 12:57 PM
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Default It seems to have a special meaning in French culture.

François Hollande, un train peut en cacher un autre - Du fil à retordre

It pops up in other contexts so I am guessing that it has quite a different meaning than just "two train tracks" or something like that.
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Old 09-04-2012, 12:59 PM
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I would think that it means that their are two sets of tracks and if one train is moving from left to right (or right to left) on the far track that it could be hidden by another train on the near track moving in either direction.

I don't know why a driver waiting to cross the tracks would need that warning, but then again... well... you know!
How about?

...that it could be hidden by another train on the near track, stopped, but not blocking the crossing.
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Old 09-04-2012, 02:38 PM
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As a retired RR worker, I have hear too many times of cars waiting for a train to clear a crossing and as soon as that train clears, they pull off. They didn't think about another train on the adjacent track just as they were crossing and got hit.
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Old 09-04-2012, 03:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Taltarzac725 View Post
Saw this on a railroad crossing sign in a 2003 movie set in France. Any idea what it could mean? It looks like a literal translation is "One train can hide another one".
It means there may be a second train along very shortly - even on the same track - so don't assume it is safe to cross just because one train has gone past
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Old 09-04-2012, 05:12 PM
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Literal translation - a train may hide another
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