22
$\begingroup$ 
                      - - - - - 
                      - - - - - 
                    | |
                    ++++++++++++++++    ++++++++++++++++    ++++++++++++++++   ++++++++++++++++
                    | 1            |----| 2            |----| 3            |---| 4            | - -                                                                                                                                                                                        
                    |___________CBG|    |___________EEP|    |___________OSD|   |___________MAN|    |
    ____________________O       O           O       O           O       O           O       O      |
                                                                                                   |                                                                                        
                                                                                                ++++++++
                                                                                                | 5    +
                                                                                               O|      +
                                                                                                |      +
                                                                                               O|      +
                                                                                                |___CGN+
                                                                                                |
                                                                                                ++++++++
                                                                                                | 6    +
                                                                                               O|      +
                                                                                                |      +
                                                                                               O|      +
                                                                                                |___ADB+
                                                                                                    |
                                                                                                ++++++++
                                                                                                | 7    +
                                                                                               O|      +
                                                                                                |      +
                                                                                               O|      +
                                                                                                |___TRD+
                                                                                                    |
                                                                                                ++++++++
                                                                                                | 8    +
                                                                                               O|      +
                                                                                                |      +
                                                                                               O|      +
                                                                                                |___VIE+
                                                                                                    |
    *************  +++++++++++++++++    ++++++++++++++++     ++++++++++++++++   ++++++++++++++++    |
    |           |--|               |--- |              |-----|              |---|              | - -*                                                                                                                                                                                      
    |CAN*_______|  |ZSF_________12_|    |XEF________11_|     |XRK________10_|   |F*__________9_|   
       O      O         O      O            O       O           O       O           O       O

Can you find the message my train brings to you?

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ line 5, 8 and 38 are very long. is it on purpose? $\endgroup$
    – sp2danny
    Mar 22, 2017 at 15:33
  • $\begingroup$ @sp2danny No. Just an ASCII glitch if you may call it that. $\endgroup$
    – Techidiot
    Mar 22, 2017 at 15:35

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
21
$\begingroup$

Choo! Choo! The message is:

Catch me if you can!

How so?

The three-letter codes on the carriages are IATA codes for railway stations. Many of these codes match the airport they serve and CGN, VIE and MAN made me look up airports. I couldn't find the codes starting with X and Z, but eventually I stumbled upon the railway station codes.

Take the names verbatim from the Wikipedia page linked above and then take the letter that corresponds to the carriage number. The two words with asterisks mean that these are taken as they are. We get:

   1   CBG   [C]ambridge railway station
   2   EEP   P[a]mplona Railway Station
   3   OSD   Ös[t]ersund railway station
   4   MAN   Man[c]hester Airport railway station
   5   CGN   Bahn[h]of Köln/Bonn Flughafen
   6   ADB   Adnan [M]enderes Airport Rail Station
   7   TRD   Trondh[e]im Airport Station, Norway
   8   VIE   Vienna A[i]rport railway station
   9   F*             F
  10   XRK   Paveletsk[y] Rail Terminal
  11   XEF   Union Stati[o]n, Winnipeg, Manitoba
  12   ZSF   Springfield [U]nion Station, Springfield, MA
  13   CAN*               CAN

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
3
  • $\begingroup$ I'm wondering, if I made it easier or its just you :-) Great work! $\endgroup$
    – Techidiot
    Mar 22, 2017 at 14:51
  • 3
    $\begingroup$ Maybe I'm just getting on your wavelength.:) Nice puzzle. $\endgroup$
    – M Oehm
    Mar 22, 2017 at 15:00
  • $\begingroup$ You might want to recheck TRD... $\endgroup$
    – Sabre
    Mar 22, 2017 at 15:35

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.