newspaper article

[rudo]

Is there any difference in meaning in these two sentences? If yes, could you explain it?

1. Cars have been daubed with slogans.

2. Cars are have been daubed with slogans.

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This is the last paragraph of one newspaper article about Maglev (magnetic levitation) trains. (The headline is: China's 270mph flying train could run on London to Glasgow route if plan takes off)

A Maglev network would improve on the dismal weather record of Britain's existing trains. The train's speed is sufficient to blow snow up to 20cm deep off the rails. Other peculiarly British hazards are unlikely to mount an obstacle. Mr Kruse said: "Leaves on the line? I really don't think that will be a problem."

Could you explain me what the author means by the sentence "Leaves on the line?"

[Casiopea]

The second sentence is ungrammatical. There are too many verbs: *are have been.

"Leaves on the line?" means, I believe, but I could be wrong, tree leaves on the train rails/lines. It's a joke.

[Coffa]

Originally Posted by rudo

Is there any difference in meaning in these two sentences? If yes, could you explain it?
1. Cars have been daubed with slogans.
2. Cars are have been daubed with slogans.
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This is the last paragraph of one newspaper article about Maglev (magnetic levitation) trains. (The headline is: China's 270mph flying train could run on London to Glasgow route if plan takes off)
A Maglev network would improve on the dismal weather record of Britain's existing trains. The train's speed is sufficient to blow snow up to 20cm deep off the rails. Other peculiarly British hazards are unlikely to mount an obstacle. Mr Kruse said: "Leaves on the line? I really don't think that will be a problem."
Could you explain me what the author means by the sentence "Leaves on the line?"

Unfortunately it's not really a joke. The railway companies in Britain have been lampooned in the British media for several years over a number of bizarre "excuses" their PR departments gave for trains running late. These included "The wrong kind of snow fell unexpectedly overnight" and "The leaves falling onto the line were unusually wet this year, and caused the trains to run slowly".

This became a "standing joke", and so whenever a train is delayed now someone will probably turn to you and say "Oh well, must be the wrong kind of leaves on the line again."