RR terms

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I think this is a really good question, but is there something out there like a dictionary of rail road terminology? Some of them like TOFC and COFC I know (Trailer On Flat Car, Container On Flat Car) but there’s others that intrigue me. For instance way freight, through freight, fiddle yard. I haven’t the slightest idea what each of them means. And then there’s some, like Less-Than-Car-Load, that are pretty self explanatory, but I still lack a true definition. I came up with this question after looking through my old MR issues and reading posts on the forms trying to get info and ideas for my layout and these terms popped up.

2

Making it even more difficult, some terms like “fiddle yard” are model railroad terms, not real railroad terms. Plus a term like “turnout” is used differently by modellers than real railroaders.

I used to subscribe to a now-defunct model rail mag that used to have a page towards the back where they would explain terms used in the articles (it was a French language mag from Quebec, and often it included French translations of English railroading terms). I’ve often thought that would be a good idea for any RR related mag - find terms in articles that might not be familiar to everyone and include a page explaining them briefly so you don’t have to spend hours trying to track down what a “shoo-fly” or a “flying switch” is.

http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/reference/gloss/rtalkgls.shtml

http://www.modeltrainguide.com/index.php?mode=displayarticle&section=1&article=2

3

Here’s a start

http://www.catskillarchive.com/rrextra/glossry1.Html

But if you google RailRoad Terms i’m sure you’ll find more

Whats more interesting to me is the origin of the terms

ie "Team Track "

Is a siding for the loading and unloading of rail cars that can be accessed by a team of Horses

also the origin of the Union Name “Teamsters”

4

You could e.g read this for a start: http://www.trains.com/trn/default.aspx?c=ss&id=13

An excellent introductory guide to both prototype railroading and model railroad layout design is John Armstrong’s “Track Planning for Realistic Operations”: http://kalmbachcatalog.stores.yahoo.net/12148.html

Smile,
Stein

5

I’ve been reffered to that book quite a few times now. I might just have to actually go get it lol.

6

Actually real railroad speak is far better then model or railfan jargon.

If the switch was on the fireman’s side then the fireman would tell the engineer that "Larry’s got the switch…Ok,now shove 'em back…Ok…Stop 'em…Ok…Take 'em ahead…Stop 'em.Larry’s got the switch.Shove 'em back.All of this was done by hand signals…See how clear and precise?

A locomotive was simply a XXX number class,not GP7, GP9 phase 2 but,a XXX number class.

Simply put.

John,Those 700 class locomotives should be sent to the junk yard!!!

or

yup,the new 1500 class is more junk the upper management spent money on.

A engine house worker will go to the store room and ask for a part for a given engine type(say a amp meter for a SW7) and the store keeper will look up the part number much like a automobile or truck part.

7

Don’t mind me pretending to be a sales person’ but I’m sure that Kalmbach has some book on railroad terms.

8

There is a Glossary on this web site. The link to it is on the main page under the heading “Trains.com: Resources”

9

This thread reminds me of a story in Trains magazine years ago. Seems there was a brakeman hired out on the newly formed Burlington Northern RR, and he had been trained in ex-CB&Q territory. He happened to get called for a freight with all ex-NP guys rounding out the crew. Somehow, he had to refer to the hind end of the train, and as any “Q” rail would do, he called it a “Waycar”. Well, much teasing and guffawing ensued, the old NP conductor asked him, "What in the %@(& is a Waycar? Is that something you use to weigh cars with? Here on the Northern Pacific we call it a CABOOSE!!

10

Problem with books they use terms that Casey Jones may have used.

I never heard any of those so called railroad terms during my 9 1/2 years working as a brakeman other then kick,spot,switch and yard engine and what few terms I heard has no bearing on modeling.