Speaker A
Finally tonight, I'd like to give you a quick word regarding trains, or as I call them, ground planes.
John Oliver discusses Scranton's beloved backyard train, its passionate local following, and presents a massive custom train set as a gift.
Key Takeaways
- Scranton's backyard train is a cherished local tradition with a passionate fanbase.
- John Oliver's segment brought national attention to this unique feature of WNEP's weather forecast.
- HBO created an elaborate, oversized train set as a humorous yet heartfelt gift to Scranton.
- Local reactions to the new train set were mixed, reflecting diverse community perspectives.
- The video balances satire with respect and admiration for Scranton's culture.
Summary
- John Oliver introduces the topic of Scranton, Pennsylvania's WNEP backyard train featured behind weather forecasts.
- The train has a devoted local fanbase, with many talkback callers expressing strong opinions and emotional investment.
- Some locals reacted defensively to Oliver's segment, feeling it misrepresented their community.
- Oliver clarifies he respects the train and the passion behind it, joking about clowns and murder threats.
- He reveals that HBO created an enormous, detailed train set featuring Scranton landmarks as a gift to the community.
- The new train set includes multiple levels, a waterfall, and references to local icons like the Penn Paper building and Lackawanna Station Hotel.
- Oliver encourages WNEP to arrange pickup or delivery of the new train set, humorously noting it also catches fire.
- The segment ends with a reflection on the mixed local reactions to the oversized train gift.
- Oliver highlights the unique cultural significance of the backyard train to Scranton residents.
- The video blends humor with genuine appreciation for local traditions and community pride.
Chapters
- 00:00Introduction to Scranton's Backyard Train
- 00:31Local Talkback Callers' Obsession
- 00:58Questions and Criticism About the Train
- 02:16National Attention and Local Reactions
- 03:50John Oliver's Apology and Clarification
- 04:52Presentation of the New Train Set
- 05:45Details of the Custom Scranton Train Set
- 06:56Call to Action for WNEP and Closing Remarks
Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown
Speaker A
Now, you may remember one of our recent and now segments concerned Scranton, Pennsylvania's WNEP.
Speaker A
More specifically, their backyard train that runs behind their weather forecasters all year round.
Speaker A
It is a charming feature of that newscast, and the people of Scranton have a lot of opinions about it.
Speaker A
Regularly calling in during their talkback segment.
Speaker A
Talkback callers seem to be pretty much obsessed with the train and trolley in our backyard.
Speaker A
I would just like to know whose idea it was to put a train in the backyard. I'm calling about your train.
Speaker A
Keep the train rolling, babies.
Speaker A
Question, what is going on with the train? Why isn't it running? It hasn't been running in weeks.
Speaker A
Why, why, why the train's not running? I wish Nittany Lion would put a quarter stick in that train and blow it up.
Speaker A
Whoa. Whoa. That level of emotional investment in a toy train set is usually only experienced by middle-aged dads who are divorced or about to get divorced.
Speaker A
Well, here's the thing. It turns out the people of Scranton saw our segment on them, and the reason I know that is this.
Speaker A
Our backyard train getting some national attention. Some folks love it, some folks feel it's at our area's expense.
Speaker A
You know what? I just watched this John Oliver train controversy. This guy, we're not we're not clowns for his entertainment.
Speaker A
I think this guy owes us an apology here in NEP.
Speaker A
Hey, hey, hey. Look, first, let me be clear. I do not think that residents of Scranton are clowns for my entertainment.
Speaker A
I don't think clowns are for entertainment at all. They are for murder threats, attempted murder, and actual murder. That's it. That's what clowns are for.
Speaker A
So, please please as well, don't think that I was making fun of your backyard train. I love that backyard train.
Speaker A
And I also love how passionate you all are about it. And if you don't believe me, let me prove it to you, because my only criticism of your train set is that I think you deserve a better one.
Speaker A
A bigger one. An almost irresponsibly large one. And that is why, and I hope you don't mind, we've used HBO's resources to make you something truly special.
Speaker A
Please, come with me. BECAUSE I HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW you that I'm pretty sure you are going to like.
Speaker A
Scranton, LOOK AT THIS. OH. IT'S NOT THE TRAIN SET THAT SCRANTON NEEDS, but it is the train set it deserves.
Speaker A
This thing spins around, and it has every Scranton landmark that we could find on Google. It's all there.
Speaker A
Uh the Scranton sign is there. The Electric City building, multiple other Scranton landmarks.
Speaker A
I know you have a waterfall, that's why THIS THING HAS A WATERFALL AS WELL.
Speaker A
There's three levels of trains. There's the Tunkhannock Viaduct, uh the Penn Paper building from The Office, that's right there.
Speaker A
Uh the Times building and radio tower is there. And of course of course, what what we wouldn't miss the Lackawanna Station Hotel and Coal Mine Tour.
Speaker A
This thing EVEN HAS THE TRAIN TUNNEL THE SHAPE OF SCRANTON'S FAMOUS SON, former local coach P.J. Carlesimo.
Speaker A
And we've Look at this beautiful thing, Scranton. We built it for you. Seriously, this is yours now. You need to come and get it. It can't stay here.
Speaker A
So, please, WNEP, call us to arrange pick up or delivery OF THE GREATEST BACKYARD TRAIN THAT LOCAL NEWS HAS EVER SEEN.
Speaker A
OH, THAT'S RIGHT. THIS THING ALSO CATCHES FIRE. I forgot about that. That's something you should probably know.
Speaker A
Just a quick word regarding trains. Basically, buses that Now, you probably know that we recently became obsessed with WNEP Scranton's backyard train.
Speaker A
It runs behind their weather forecast. We got so obsessed that on our last program, we actually made them a ridiculously large train set and ended our show with this plea.
Speaker A
Please, WNEP, call us to arrange pickup or delivery OF THE GREATEST BACKYARD TRAIN that local news has ever seen.
Speaker A
It's true. We built them an enormous train set and then demanded that they drive 2 and 1/2 hours to come and get it.
Speaker A
Which is basically the world's worst gift right after giving someone a plant.
Speaker A
That is not a present, it is an assignment. And you know, in classic Scranton style, viewers were split on the issue of the new train.
Speaker A
Some, like this one, were positive. You got to go get that that train, that that beautiful train for the backyard that that HBO made.
Topics:ScrantonWNEPbackyard trainJohn OliverLast Week Tonighttrain setlocal newsPennsylvaniaHBOcommunity pride
