premetro

(rail transport) A suburban-urban tramway or light rail system partially built with subway standard but not fully converted to subway


rail-motor

There was a time when the Adams 0-4-4 tanks then working the Exmouth branch were supplemented by steam rail-motors. [...] As built they were under-boilered, but as a result of the experience gained from them fifteen more steam rail-motors had been put into service by 1906.

1960 May, R. C. Riley, “The coastal branches of South-East Devon: Part One”, in Trains Illustrated, page 292:

(rail transport) Alternative form of railmotor


rail fare

rail fares (plural)
railfare (alternative)

(rail transport) The cost (to be) paid to travel by train; a train fare.


four-tracking

Arlesey: Demolition of Three Counties station in connection with four-tracking through Arlesey.

1960 June, “Talking of trains: Sunday on the G.N. line”, in Trains Illustrated, page 322:

DfT said the £589m that has been released will be used on design and enabling works for TRU. This includes partial electrification, a new through platform at Huddersfield, and around eight miles of extra four-tracking.

2020 August 12, “Network News: Release of £589 million kick-starts Trans-Pennine Route upgrade”, in Rail, page 9:

(rail transport) Provision of four running lines on a stretch of railway track, usually two in each direction.

viergleisiger Ausbau

(rail transport) provision of four running lines


camping coach

All regions of British Railways are offering camping coach accommodation to holidaymakers this summer. Since the war until this year, camping coaches (24 in number) have been available only on the Southern Region, but a programme of converting 89 vehicles has enabled coaches to be sited in attractive holiday areas in East Anglia, North Wales, the Peak District, the West Country, the South of England, Yorkshire Coast and Dales, and in Scotland.

1952 August, “Notes and News: Camping Coaches on British Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 565:

At Littleham, a pleasant little station with three camping coaches, the token was exchanged.

1960 June, R. C. Riley, “The coastal branches of South-West Devon: Part Two”, in Trains Illustrated, page 337:

After renovation at Preston Park works, they will replace the 52 wooden-bodied cars still working south of the Thames, one of which dates back as far as 1906; some 20 of the latter will be converted to camping coaches.

1960 November, G. Freeman Allen, “New Pullman Cars for the East Coast Route”, in Trains Illustrated, page 666:

(rail transport, UK, dated) A retired passenger coach converted into accommodation for holidaymakers, and placed in a station siding in an area frequented by holidaymakers.


mixed train

On both the Gothland and the Öland Railway, a spanking railcar provides an alternative to riding in the wayward, steam-driven mixed train, but the latter is the proper conveyance for a real railway lover, even over the flat, limestone plains which form much of the Baltic island scenery.

1939 July, “Overseas Railways: Baltic Island Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 51:

One passenger train in each direction can run as a mixed train, and by this means the empty wagons are returned.

1960 June, R. C. Riley, “The coastal branches of South-East Devon: Part Two”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 343–344:

(rail transport) A train consisting of both passenger coaches and freight vehicles.


match wagon

Match wagons are provided to support the jib when the crane is travelling in train formation between locations and roller bearing axleboxes enable speeds of up to 60 m.p.h. to be maintained.

1960 July, “Talking of Trains: New breakdown cranes”, in Trains Illustrated, page 392:

(rail transport, UK) A wagon attached to a rail-mounted crane to support the jib when the crane is being hauled in a train.


take water

en-verb

take water (third-person singular simple present takes water, present participle taking water, simple past took water, past participle taken water)

takes water (present singular third-person)
taking water (participle present)
took water (past)
taken water (participle past)

The engines took water at Dingwall, the junction for the cross-country line to Kyle of Lochalsh, and again at Tain, 44 miles from Inverness.

1950 January, Arthur F. Beckenham, “With British Railways to the Far North”, in Railway Magazine, page 6:

(rail transport, of steam locomotives) To top up the water tanks.


buffer beam

buffer beams (plural)
bufferbeam (alternative)

This locomotive was fitted experimentally with a seat on the front buffer beam, for the inspection of station gardens.

1948 November and December, “The Holden 2-4-0 Locomotives of the L.N.E.R.”, in Railway Magazine, page 374, photo caption:

(rail transport) A transverse metal beam at each end of a rail vehicle on which buffers, couplings, brake pipes etc. are mounted.


cab signal

As we sped effortlessly along at a steady 75-80 m.p.h., with the three vertical lights of a clear aspect shining unwinkingly on the ground glass of the cab signal, our engineer lolled back in his chair and leisurely lit a huge cigar; [...].

1961 June, J. Geoffrey Todd, “Impressions of railroading in the United States”, in Trains Illustrated, page 357:

(rail transport) A device in the cab of a locomotive or train which displays the status of signals along the track.


double-head

double-head (third-person singular simple present double-heads, present participle double-heading, simple past and past participle double-headed)

double-heads (present singular third-person)
double-heading (participle present)
double-headed (participle past)
double-headed (past)

For an excursion organised by the publishers of this journal to Eastleigh and Ashford on April 5, Class T9 4-4-0 No. 30117 and E1 4-4-0 No. 31019 were provided to double-head a special from Charing Cross to Ashford via Maidstone East.

1961 June, “Motive Power Miscellany: Southern Region”, in Trains Illustrated, page 380:

(rail transport) To haul a train with two locomotives at the head end.


second man

I should imagine that the smooth riding and the quietness of the diesel or electric cab, coupled with the effect on the eyes of endless successions of sleepers disappearing from sight immediately under the driver's eyes, might in time have a soporific effect, so that the company of a second man, who can assist in signal observations when he is not at work in the engine cab, seems highly desirable in such conditions. In most countries using these forms of power, a second man is provided for on any train on which the maximum distance between stops exceeds a certain predetermined distance or time.

1961 July, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, page 401:

(rail transport) Alternative form of secondman.


USRA

(rail transport, historical) United States Railroad Administration.


wheel flat

Severe wheel flats caused by locking brakes led to the derailment of DB Cargo UK's 2152 Robeston-Theale oil train near Llangennech, in South Wales, on August 26.

2020 October 7, “Network News: Severe wheel flats caused Welsh oil train derailment”, in Rail, page 14:

(rail transport) A flat spot on a railway wheel caused when a wheel, or both wheels on the same axle, in a moving train stop rotating.


LOW

(rail transport) The station code of Lo Wu in Hong Kong.


Rollbock

From German Rolle (“roll”) + Bock (“buck”); the term originated in Switzerland in the early 1880s.

(rail transport) A bogie used to carry a railway carriage on a line of different gauge to the one it was built for, usually a narrower gauge.


bar car

(rail transport) A railroad passenger car where drinks are served, typically with seating arranged around cocktail tables.


twin-track

Crossgates to Garforth (Project E3) is the subject of fresh development work, with the DfT interested in TRU Option G. This has the potential to deliver a very different railway to the twin-track one that's there today.

2022 November 16, Philip Haigh, “Trans-Pennine... transformative”, in RAIL, number 970, page 41:

(rail transport) Synonym of double-track.


somersault signal

en-noun

somersault signal (plural somersault signals)

Realising their shortcomings, BR stripped out most of the smaller wayside stations between Peterborough and Grimsby on September 11 1961, although not those on the branches because there would have been nothing left to sustain them. Those that survived were working museums right to the end, with somersault signals and original interior fittings and signage.

2020 November 18, Howard Johnston, “The missing 'Lincs' and the sole survivor”, in Rail, pages 58–59:

(rail transport) A semaphore railway signal that is pivoted in the centre of its arm.


trackwoman

(US, rail transport) A female railway employee who inspects and maintains the permanent way of a railway installation.


CSX

(rail transport) CSX Transportation, an American Class I freight railroad that operates in the eastern United States and in the southern parts of Ontario and Québec. Its chief competitor is the Norfolk Southern Railway. This railroad formed from a merger with the Chessie System and Seaboard System railroads in the nineteen eighties.


four-tracked

The existing railway is already four-tracked and rather underused. And while separating out the two separate fast and slower tracks will be complicated, it is by no means impossible - or even that expensive.

2020 December 2, Christian Wolmar, “Wales offers us a glimpse of an integrated transport policy”, in Rail, page 57:

(rail transport) Having four running lines, usually two in each direction.

viergleisig

(rail transport) having four running lines


rail wagon

For general liquids other than those pre-heated or highly inflammable, these 1,030gal containers may be filled either on rail wagons or on the Bulkrane.

1961 November, “Talking of Trains: The "Bulkrane" project of British Railways”, in Trains Illustrated, page 656:

(UK, rail transport) Any railway goods wagon.

(UK, rail transport) A flat wagon used for carrying railway rails.


track panel

NR staff used 50 engineering trains to replace over 5km (3.1 miles) of track, install more than 300 track panels, and lay down around 26,000 tonnes of ballast stones to support the track.

2021 September 22, “Network News: Track relaying removes Temple Meads bottleneck”, in RAIL, number 940, page 20:

(rail transport) An assembled section of railway track.


slow speed control

Slow-speed control was fitted to Class 37/7s in South Wales, to permit diagramming on the coal circuits between pit and power station.

2020 December 16, David Clough, “Class 37s at 60: the great survivors”, in Rail, page 56, photo caption:

(rail transport) An electronic device fitted to locomotives which enables them to operate at a very slow speed when their train is loaded or unloaded on the move.


autoballaster

autoballasters (plural)
auto-ballaster (alternative)

DB Cargo UK 66162 [...] and 66176 propel a train of autoballasters into Toton North Yard on July 20.

2020 December 30, Rail, page 30, photo caption:

(rail transport) A type of ballast wagon, used to carry new ballast and then spread it along a section of railway track.


tri-mode

Testing of a five-car Hitachi Class 802/0 tri-mode unit will begin in 2022, and the train could be in traffic the following year. It is expected the train will save more than 20% of fuel on Great Western Railway's London Paddington-Penzance route. The plan is for the '802' to use battery power in and out of stations, and through urban areas. Of the 305-mile route, only 53 miles as far as Newbury are electrified (17%).

2020 December 30, Richard Clinnick, “Network News: Hitachi targets 2022 for testing of tri-mode trains”, in Rail, page 12:

(rail transport) Of a train or locomotive: Designed to operate on electricity on electrified lines, or diesel-electric power (from a diesel generator) or battery power on non-electrified lines.


booking hall

In 1958, it was reported that for "the fourth year in succession, staff of four South London stations have combined to decorate the booking hall at Peckham Rye station". They installed a nativity scene, models of Father Christmas, and a sleigh driven by huskies, and Christmas trees were placed around the station.

2023 December 27, David Turner, “Silent lines...”, in RAIL, number 999, page 29:

'Halls' and 'offices' are more distinct, with some stations featuring a booking hall as well as a booking office. As Bill Fawcett notes in a 2015 architectural history of British railway stations, booking halls sometimes doubled as waiting rooms and were accompanied by a booking office.

2024 March 6, Dr Joseph Brennan, “England's booking offices of distinction”, in RAIL, number 1004, page 56:

(rail transport, UK) Synonym of ticket hall.


banner repeater

banner repeater (plural banner repeaters)

Banner-Repeater signals tend to be provided in locations where drivers receive insufficient warning of the main signal, thereby effectively increasing the sighting distance for the main signal.

2020 December 30, David Allen, “Unusual signals...”, in Rail, page 64:

(rail transport, UK) A type of railway signal which shows the aspect of a signal ahead of it, normally used in a situation where the main signal is hidden from view, for instance where there is a curve in the track.


loose-coupled

It consists exclusively of loose-coupled open mineral wagons and a guard's brake van; owing to the isolation of the branch the last-named is equipped with a first aid box and a jack, to enable any emergency to be dealt with rapidly.

1940 December, Charles E. Lee, “The Wenford Mineral Line”, in Railway Magazine, page 643:

The line here rises in the up direction, for the most part on a 1 in 132 gradient, and three spring-operated catch points—Basildon West, Basildon and Vange—are provided at intervals on the up line between the two stations, to derail any runaway wagons of a loose-coupled freight train.

1961 December, “Talking of Trains: Derailment near Laindon”, in Trains Illustrated, page 717:

(rail transport, UK, historical) Of older railway wagons, having a chain coupling between them, without the buffers on each wagon touching those of the next wagon when the train was in motion.


reversing loop

Reversing loops at each terminal would obviate turning the car-carrying trains.

1961 December, “The Channel Tunnel—a realistic proposal”, in Trains Illustrated, page 724:

(rail transport) A loop provided for the purpose of turning a train or tram round to face in the opposite direction. The vehicles themselves do not have to reverse.


crossrail

A crossrail link to Aberdeen and Stonehaven is planned.

2004, Bernard Ingham, Gerry Hassan, The Political Guide to Modern Scotland: People, Places and Power, Politico's Publishing:

We need to change the name of the Manchester Hub. Crossrail for the north of England is a better term, otherwise people will view it as a Greater Manchester project and will miss out on exactly what it is actually going to do.

2010 February 15, Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee, quoting Professor Begg, Priorities for investment in the railways: third report of session 2009-10, Vol. 2: Oral and written evidence, The Stationery Office, →ISBN, page 7:

The proposal to build a second Crossrail line would create a new high-frequency, high-capacity rail line running south west to north east across London.

2013 June 27, Great Britain: H.M. Treasury, Investing in Britain's future, Stationery Office, →ISBN, page 25:

(UK, rail transport) A commuter rail line that crosses a major city through a tunnel and which continues for a significant distance into the surrounding areas, generally with relatively high speeds and widely spaced stations compared to an underground or metro.


rail brake

The locomotive is fitted with disc air brakes, and in addition magnetic rail brakes are fitted to each bogie for emergency.

1962 April, “Beyond the Channel: Western Germany: The Henschel 4,000 h.p. V320 diesel”, in Modern Railways, page 274:

(rail transport) A type of brake, often magnetic or electromagnetic, which is pressed against the rail in railway track.


railway key

It was more like a model of an antediluvian railway key than anything else.

1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC:

(rail transport) A key that allows one to lock and unlock doors to railway carriages and compartments, typically only permitted to railway employees.


NSWR

(Australia, rail transport) Abbreviation of New South Wales Government Railways.


sanding gear

The provision of sanding-gear on brake vans operating over such lines should be compulsory (this old Highland brake was not so fitted); [...].

1940 November, “Notes and News: A Highland Collision”, in Railway Magazine, page 612:

Foot pedals in the driving cabs operate electro-pneumatic sanding gear to provide sand for the leading wheels of each bogie in each direction of travel.

1962 June, “The 2,800 h.p. Brush "Falcon" diesel-electric”, in Modern Railways, page 379:

(rail transport) Equipment for applying sand onto rails, to aid adhesion in slippery conditions.


collector shoe

The collector shoes are automatically retracted when the electric handle is moved from "service off" to "lock off".

1962 June, “The design of the S.R. electro-diesels”, in Modern Railways, page 393:

(rail transport) A current collector on an electric train or locomotive which is in contact with the live rail.


multiple-aspect

The new signalling controls 40 track miles; 31 multiple-aspect signals are operated by the new control panels and a further 31 signals are automatic.

1962 October, “Talking of Trains: New signalbox at Twyford”, in Modern Railways, page 227:

(rail transport) Designating a colour-light railway signal which displays at least three aspects.


multi-aspect

A total of 155 route-settings in this area, which has been equipped with multi-aspect colour-light signalling and continuous track circuiting, is available on the new signalbox's console, which is designed for one-man operation.

1962 June, David Walters, “The new station and layout at Coventry”, in Modern Railways, page 407:

(rail transport) Synonym of multiple-aspect.


wood burner

wood burners (plural)
wood-burner (alternative)

A considerable number of engines are wood-burners, although with ample supplies of soft coal from Russia, the adherence to wood-burning may be nothing more than a form of Government subsidy to the timber trade.

1962 June, “Beyond the Channel: Finland: The V.R in their centenary year”, in Modern Railways, page 418:

(rail transport, chiefly historical) A steam locomotive fuelled with wood instead of coal or oil, mainly used in areas with a plentiful supply of wood.


brakegear

At the same time, the valves, pistons, motion and brakegear plus ancillary equipment is overhauled, putting the locomotive out of commission for about 26 to 30 days.

1962 June, “Diesel economy analysed—a postscript”, in Modern Railways, page 422:

(rail transport) The mechanical parts of the braking system on locomotives and other rolling stock.


brake tender

By the beginning of April at least seven green-liveried diesel brake tenders had been delivered to Toton depot and were being tested with B.R. Sulzer Type 4 diesels.

1962 June, “Motive Power Miscellany: London Midland Region”, in Modern Railways, page 423:

(rail transport, UK) A railway vehicle which provided extra braking on freight trains with unfitted wagons (without automatic brakes) hauled by diesel locomotives, which being generally lighter than steam locomotives had less braking power. With the phasing out of unfitted wagons the brake tenders became redundant.


local train

For all the attention on express trains, it's often local trains that tip the railway into congestion.

2021 June 30, Philip Haigh, “Regional trains squeezed as ECML congestion heads north”, in RAIL, number 934, page 53:

(rail transport) A train (either the service or the train itself) making stops at all stations along its route.

regionaltog

train or train service serving all or almost all stations along its route

各駅停車 (kakueki teisha, literally “stopping at every station”)

普通列車 (futsū ressha, literally “ordinary train”)

commuter train

esp. if primarily used by or intended for commuter

parliamentary train

especially if stops are made for legal reasons and not any actual/significant passenger demand


tracklifting

track lifting (alternative)
track-lifting (alternative)

Track-lifting began from Kirkby Stephen towards Stainmore at the beginning of May, writes A. G. S. Davies, and Class Q6 0-8-0s returned to the line to haul the demolition trains.

1962 July, “Talking of Trains: Barnard Castle trains withdrawn”, in Modern Railways, page 9:

(rail transport) The process of removal of railway track, in particular from a railway line permanently closed to traffic.


destination board

destination board (plural destination boards)

At Kingsbridge, the bilingualism of the Irish Republic was evident in the tickets, the station notices, and the neat destination boards on the 10.40 a.m. express to Cork.

1955 May, Rev. A. W. V. Mace, “An Irish Journey—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 297:

[...] why not show in the train columns and notes the four-character code numbers, which are so useful, amongst other purposes, in helping the passenger identify his train at stations, now that fewer coaches bear destination boards?

1962 July, “Talking of Trains: The new all-line timetable”, in Modern Railways, page 11:

(rail transport) A board attached to the side of a railway carriage which indicates where the train is going to. More modern variants can be a dot-matrix display panel.


loopline

looplines (plural)
loop line (alternative)

[…] with the necessary looplines to avoid the broad gauge points at the intermediate stations, with a view to the direct transit of goods traffic along the Northern Railway and its extensions.

1882, Proceedings of the Parliament of South Australia, volume 1, page 237:

In settling the 1925–26 General Strike-Boycott, the British offered a $ 10 million loan to develop Whampoa Port, conditional upon the chief engineer and accountant being British, and upon the construction of the loopline.

1995, R. Yin-Wang Kwok, The Hong Kong-Guangdong Link: Partnership in Flux:

Between Raniganj railroad and the Rajmahal loopline a number of coal mines existed.

2006, Bhagawati Sharan Singh, Aspects of Industries in Bihar During the 19th Century, page 37:

It might be hidden away but it actually covers 30 hectres in all and can be reached from Salford's network of looplines or the historical Bridgewater Canal.

2020 February 25, Emma Gill, “The best family parks and walks in Salford”, in Manchester Evening News:

(rail transport) Alternative form of loop line


car-sleeper

The Car-Sleeper is a British Railways ingenuity that has caught the Continental fancy. The convenience of the car for the short-distance journey is undeniable—but not so its comfort and relaxation for the long haul. The Car-Sleeper doesn't attempt to challenge the car's attractions for the start of the journey or its usefulness at destination; but it relieves driver and passengers of the strain of a gruelling long-distance drive, [...].

1962 July, Marcus Newman, “By Car-Sleeper to Switzerland”, in Modern Railways, page 48:

(rail transport, UK) A sleeping car train which also includes vehicles for carrying passengers' motor cars.


bakehead

(rail transport, informal) A fireman (person who keeps the fire going underneath a steam boiler on a railroad locomotive).


Gronk

(British, rail transport) A British Rail Class 09 locomotive.


signal lad

Signal lads are employed at the panel-operated boxes to record train times. A small replica of the track diagram with simplified track circuit indications and the general circuit telephone concentrators are incorporated in their desk, as here at Tonbridge.

1962 August, G. M. Kichenside, “Resignalling for the Kent Coast electrification—Phase II”, in Modern Railways, page 113, photo caption:

(rail transport, UK) A young man employed in a signalbox to record the times of trains as they pass through the area served by the signalbox.


platform loop

Sevenoaks, Tonbridge, Paddock Wood, Headcorn and Ashford stations have platform loops and there is a short four-track section between Cheriton and Folkestone Central.

1962 August, G. M. Kichenside, “Resignalling for the Kent Coast electrification—Phase II”, in Modern Railways, page 110:

(rail transport) A short stretch of railway line at a railway station which leaves a through line to serve a platform, before rejoining the through line beyond the station.


loop line

loop lines (plural)
loopline (alternative)

(rail transport) A secondary route which leaves a mainline, following a different route to the main line, before rejoining it several miles further on.


tender-first

In spite of their small size and low weight, many technical developments which have proved themselves in main-line service have been incorporated, and a novelty in the 2-6-0-type is a tender cab to improve the conditions of tender-first running.

1947 March and April, “L.M.S.R. Locomotive Developments”, in Railway Magazine, page 66:

For the first time known in over 10 years, a Stanier Pacific travelled the Windermere branch on June 23, when 46255 (12A) was seen at Aikrigg on an early afternoon local; it had to return tender-first as the Windermere turntable could not accommodate it.

1962 August, “Motive Power Miscellany: London Midland Region: Central Lines”, in Modern Railways, page 136:

(rail transport, also used adverbially) Of a steam locomotive with a tender (a tender locomotive), when it is operating in reverse, with the tender leading.


ferry wagon

One train ferry wagon, with the inscription "On hire to L.N.E.R.," was carrying British prisoners; and another odd sight was an L.N.E.R. container on a German flat wagon, offering "Door to Door Transport."

1946 March and April, “Notes and News: Train Watching in a P.O.W. Camp”, in Railway Magazine, page 117:

The first of 150 Continental-type four-wheel ferry wagons ordered by B.R. have been received for the Harwich/Zeebrugge train ferry service. Built by the Pressed Steel Co., the vans have a maximum capacity of 20½ tons in ordinary and 18 tons in express freight service.

1962 October, “New ferry wagons for B.R.”, in Modern Railways, page 225:

(rail transport, UK, dated) Any type of goods wagon built for train ferry traffic to and from continental Europe.


block section

"Permissive" working allows more than one train to be in a block section at one time but trains must be run at low speed in order to stop on sight behind the train in front. Such working is often authorised to allow freight trains to "bunch" together to await a path through a bottleneck instead of being strung out over several block sections, as would be necessary if absolute working were in force.

1962 October, “Talking of Trains: The collisions at Connington”, in Modern Railways, page 232:

(rail transport) In railway signalling, a section of track on which, in normal circumstances, only one train is allowed at one time.


steeple cab

steeple cabs (plural)
steeplecab (alternative)

All main line work is carried out by the Type 1s, whose principal design fault is offside "blindness", due to the position of the driving cab behind a long, high nose; a steeple cab would obviously be preferable.

1962 October, M.J. Wilson, “Three years of dieselisation at Devons Road depot”, in Modern Railways, page 265:

(rail transport) A centrally placed cab on some early electric locomotives.


trip working

trip working (countable and uncountable, plural trip workings)

The provision of the new yard permitted closure of four existing installations, between which there was a great deal of trip working.

1962 October, G. Freeman Allen, “The New Look in Scotland's Northern Division—II”, in Modern Railways, page 267:

(rail transport, UK, uncountable) The operation of short-distance freight trains, e.g. between goods yards.


brake fade

To help prevent a runaway caused by brake fade, heavy trucks are required to stop at the top of the downgrade to give their brakes time to cool.

mechanical engineering
mechanical engineering

(automotive, rail transport, mechanical engineering) Partial or total loss of braking force with prolonged continuous or repetitive application of a heavy vehicle's brakes, due to the effects on the brake system of the heat generated by heavy braking.


cattle dock

The depot covers an area of 57 acres and consists of a shed 480ft by 207ft to handle both forwarded and received traffic, a combined office and amenities block, weighbridge and a cattle dock.

1962 December, “Talking of Trains: Walsall sundries concentration depot”, in Modern Railways, page 367:

(rail transport, UK, dated) A pen on a platform in a railway goods yard for cattle travelling by rail.


loading bank

(rail transport, UK, dated) A platform, often with a ramp at one or both ends, provided in a railway goods yard for the purpose of loading and unloading goods wagons.


union station

The Burlington had built a union station at the junction, but the Union Pacific refused to stop its trains there until it received an interest in the townsite.

1978 May, Alice Howell, “Railroads in Buffalo County”, in Buffalo Tales [a newsletter of the Buffalo County Historical Society, Buffalo County, Nebraska], volume 1, number 5, archived from the original on 2016-06-24:

(rail transport, US, Canada) A railroad station shared by more than one railroad company, usually to spread the costs and ease the logistics of serving a particular town by rail.


regenerative braking

Dead-man's handle, automatic train stop, quick-acting compressed-air brake specially suited for high-speed working, and regenerative braking are among the features of the new locomotives.

1947 March and April, “Swiss High-Speed Electric Locomotives”, in Railway Magazine, page 94:

Regenerative braking, whereby the car's kinetic energy is fed back to the supply line, has recently been introduced on the Kei-Han-Shin Kyuko Railway's commuter services feeding Osaka, instead of resistor braking, and on 52 lightweight cars built in 1960 and 1961 advantage has been taken of this feature to install constant speed controls.

1962 December, “Constant-speed electric multiple-units in Japan”, in Modern Railways, page 404:

Regenerative braking is retained. Like rheostatic braking, this uses the traction motors to provide a braking effort, but the current developed is fed back into the overhead catenary rather than dissipated through resistance banks.

2023 July 26, David Clough, “Technology progression defines Class 93”, in RAIL, number 988, page 54:

electrical engineering
electrical engineering

(rail transport, automotive, electrical engineering) A form of braking used on some electric vehicles in conjunction with the main braking system, where kinetic energy from braking is converted into electricity and fed back into the power supply by using the traction motors as generators.


burrowing junction

burrowing junction (plural burrowing junctions)

The latter and the Basle-Gotthard freight traffic will both pass through Othmarsingen, but an additional line here and a burrowing junction will keep the Gotthard freights clear.

1962 December, “Beyond the Channel: Switzerland: Transformation at Zurich”, in Modern Railways, page 417:

(rail transport) A junction where the diverging line descends to a level where it can pass under the main line, the purpose being the avoidance of conflicting movements.


Trans-Siberian Railway

Over the Trans-Siberian Railway, although the journey from Moscow to Vladivostock or Pekin, 5,800 and 5,629 miles distant respectively, still extends into the ninth day, it has been cut by about 10hr.

1962 December, “Beyond the Channel: U.S.S.R.: Train speeds still rising”, in Modern Railways, page 418:

(rail transport) A network of Russian railway lines which stretch from Moscow in the west to Vladivostok in the Far East.


user-worked

A near-miss between a Greater Anglia Class 755 and two cars on a user-worked level crossing near Wroxham is being investigated by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).

2021 March 10, “RAIB investigates near-miss at user-worked crossing”, in RAIL, number 926, page 18:

(rail transport, UK) Of a level crossing, one where a railway crosses a right of way such as a road on private land, a footpath or a bridleway. Any gates or barriers provided often need to be operated manually, with some crossings requiring users to telephone a signaller to check that it is safe to cross.


non-bogie

A limit of 75 m.p.h., therefore, is reasonable—and will give wagon designers enough to keep them busy, he thinks, as the problems of stability for all categories of freight traffic are far from being solved at present, especially with non-bogie wagons.

1963 April, “Beyond the Channel: France: Freight stock of the future”, in Modern Railways, page 269:

(rail transport, of a vehicle) Not mounted on bogies; having wheels and axles not incorporated in bogies.


flying junction

flying junction (plural flying junctions)

At the same time, NR will remodel two tracks to form the 75mph slow lines, with a flying junction at Thornhill where the lines from Wakefield Kirkgate and Leeds meet.

2021 April 21, Philip Haigh, “NR submits detailed plans for TransPennine Upgrade”, in RAIL, number 929, page 12:

(rail transport) A junction where the diverging line crosses the main line on a bridge, the purpose being the avoidance of conflicting movements.


HKU

(rail transport) The station code of HKU in Hong Kong.


Jacobs bogie

The use of Jacobs bogies, where one bogie supports the ends of two carriages, reduces the number of axles, cutting wheel and track wear. [...] For example, lightweight construction and Jacobs bogies save weight, and a lighter train uses less power.

2021 May 19, David Clough, “Swiss precision meets UK growth”, in RAIL, number 931, pages 56, 57:

(rail transport) A design of bogie used for articulated passenger trains and trams, where the ends of two cars are mounted on the same bogie.


running powers

No wonder, then, that against a background of surging aggressive prosperity, South Wales built up during the last half of the nineteenth century a local railway system of great density and complexity, in which almost every company competed with every other in its area, and in which working agreements, running powers and strategic junctions ran riot across the railway map.

1939 September, D. S. Barrie, “The Railways of South Wales”, in Railway Magazine, page 158:

This was done, and in many cases still is done by the main-line railway groups, through the exercise of running powers, which on application to Parliament by the company using them have been granted for the express purpose of affording this access without the necessity for building independent tracks. In other cases, such running powers have been granted without recourse to Parliament, by voluntary agreement between the parties.

1940 May, “The Why and the Wherefore: Running Powers”, in Railway Magazine, page 318:

(rail transport, UK) Permission given in an agreement allowing one railway company to run trains over certain tracks belonging to another railway company.


royal train

The Royal Train which will be used for the forthcoming tour of the King and Queen and the Princesses through the Union of South Africa will consist of 14 coaches, of which eight have been built recently by the Metropolitan-Cammell Carriage & Wagon Co. Ltd.

1947 January and February, “South African Royal Train”, in Railway Magazine, page 36:

(rail transport) A set of railway carriages dedicated for the use of the monarch or other members of a royal family.


tender engine

To prevent glare from open firebox doors on locomotives being observed from the air, all tender engines have been fitted with tarpaulin screens which are carried over the space between the cab and tender during blackout hours. The one shown here is on a Southern Railway locomotive.

1939 November, Charles E. Lee, “Railways and the War — I”, in Railway Magazine, page 316, photo caption:

(rail transport) Any steam locomotive that has a tender attached, carrying its supply of fuel and water; the term is normally used to distinguish from a tank engine.


NOP

(rail transport) The station code of North Point in Hong Kong.


backshunt

Another peculiarity of this branch is that, like the Chard line, it has no direct connection with the main line, a backshunt into a siding being necessary before this can be reached.

1939 December, John D. Hewitt, “Some Notable British Main Lines: II. Salisbury and Exeter, S.R.”, in Railway Magazine, page 412:

(rail transport, UK) A section of railway track which gives access to a siding (or another section of railway line) only by reversing direction; also a train movement which uses such track.


end-on

Beyond the station an end-on junction was made with the L.N.W.R., which worked most of the M. & C. trains on to Workington and Whitehaven.

1939 December, “Notes on the Maryport & Carlisle Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 417:

(rail transport) Of a link between the tracks of two railway companies that meet end on, forming a through line, at a point called an end-on junction.


rerailment

(rail transport) The action of rerailing; restoring a derailed locomotive or train to its rails.


CCB

(rail transport) Abbreviation of computer controlled brake.


locoshed

locosheds (plural)
loco shed (alternative)

Grosmont is the locomotive headquarters of the Railway with the main locoshed and shops of 1973 vintage.

1979 August, Michael Harris, “A line for all reasons: the North Yorkshire Moors Railway”, in Railway World, page 412:

(rail transport) Short for locomotive shed.


autocoach

It is hoped to feature the historic vehicles to be found on the line in a future article, so that full justice may be done to the painstaking work of renovation on many of them, such as the North Eastern Railway Coach Group's NER autocoach No 3453.

1979 August, Michael Harris, “A line for all reasons: the North Yorkshire Moors Railway”, in Railway World, page 415:

(rail transport) An unpowered railway coach with a driving cab at one end, used in a push-pull train in conjunction with a locomotive or other powered vehicle.


runpast

The Znin Wask (600mm) narrow-gauge line. 0-4-0 tender/tank No T49 114 stages a photographic runpast for the WRS party.

1979 August, P.R.G Kennard, “Polish steam panorama”, in Railway World, page 419, photo caption:

(rail transport, photography) A staged event, usually on a railfans' excursion, where a train runs past a group of photographers, who photograph the scene.


A1A-A1A (countable and uncountable, plural A1A-A1As)

(rail transport, uncountable) A wheel arrangement for diesel and electric locomotives with two three-axle bogies / trucks, the two outer axles of each bogie are powered and the centre axle is unpowered.


mixed gauge

mixed gauge (countable and uncountable, plural mixed gauges)

An ingenious method was used in the early days of mixed gauges on the Great Western Railway, by which narrow gauge and broad gauge trains could be sent on diverging paths without the use of ordinary switches controlled from a signalbox.

1940 May, “Pertinent Paragraphs: Old Time Permanent Way Devices”, in Railway Magazine, page 305:

(rail transport) A description of a railway track with (usually) three rails, which enables trains of two different track gauges to run over it.


bogie bolster wagon

bogie bolster wagon (plural bogie bolster wagons)

(rail transport, UK) A long flat wagon mounted on two four-wheel bogies, with transverse baulks of timber (bolsters) placed at intervals on the wagon's bed to carry the load.


refreshment car

refreshment car (plural refreshment cars)

Five trains only in each direction between Euston and Wolverhampton now incorporate refreshment cars in their formations, as compared with no fewer than thirteen over the shorter distance between Liverpool Street and Norwich.

1959 March, “Talking of Trains: Fewer meals on wheels?”, in Trains Illustrated, page 121:

(rail transport) A vehicle included in a train, in which refreshments (food and drink) are provided to passengers.


track-circuiting

[...] full track-circuiting throughout the area is to be carried over the Royal Albert Bridge so that the employment of single-line tokens over this single-line section can be abandoned.

1959 March, “Talking of Trains: Modernisation at Plymouth”, in Trains Illustrated, page 122:

(rail transport) The provision of track circuits.


fully-fitted

They will be called upon to deal with freight trains of up to 900 tons over gradients considerably steeper than those of the Central Section—for example, the frequent stretches of 1 in 100 between Victoria and the Medway towns—and their running to fast schedules will include the haulage of the "Night Ferry", which may load up to as much as 700 tons, and fully-fitted trains of 30 or more heavy Continental train ferry wagons.

1959 March, “The 2,500 h.p. electric locomotives for the Kent Coast electrification”, in Trains Illustrated, page 123:

(rail transport) Usually of a freight train, having all brakes connected to the brake pipe running throughout the train, thus being under the control of the train driver.


reporting mark

(rail transport, US, Canada) A code of up to four letters allocated to and used by railroads and other owners of rolling stock for identification purposes, shown on each rail vehicle in combination with an individual number for the vehicle.


retaining valve

retaining valve (plural retaining valves)

(rail transport, mechanical engineering) A device that retains some air pressure in a train's air brake cylinders even when the automatic brake valve is set to the fully-released position, used on steep downgrades to allow a degree of continuous braking effort to be maintained without depleting the pressure in the train's brakepipe (which would result in the loss of nearly all braking ability, causing a runaway).


railwayist

The importance of the British railways in the prosecution of the war makes it necessary to restrict the broad tolerance and even encouragement with which the railway companies in the past have viewed the enthusiasm of the railwayist.

1940 July, “Notes and News: The Appearance of Evil—A Warning to Railway Enthusiasts”, in Railway Magazine, page 418:

(rail transport, UK, dated) A railway enthusiast or railfan.


ambulance train

ambulance train (plural ambulance trains)

For example, in the case of ambulance train movements, the War Office makes the request and indicates the time the train will be required, and it is for the Operating Office to arrange for the throughout working in conjunction with the railway companies concerned.

1940 July, “Notes and News: The Work of the R.E.C.”, in Railway Magazine, page 420:

(rail transport, dated) In wartime, a special train provided for the conveyance of wounded servicemen.


brakepipe

brakepipes (plural)
brake pipe (alternative)

(rail transport, mechanical engineering) A continuous pipe or hose filled with high-pressure air and running the length of a train, used to recharge the train's brake reservoirs with compressed air and to control the train's air brakes through changes in its internal air pressure.


triple-headed

Some further pictures of his are reproduced at the head of this article and on page 557. One shows an example of a triple-headed train attacking the gradient, and results from one of the latest 2-10-4 "Selkirk" type locomotives, which can handle 1,000-ton trains up the grade, having been diverted to another duty ; as a heavy eastbound train (the Dominion) has had to leave Field with a Calgary Pacific as train engine, the assistance of a 2-10-2 has been insufficient, and a 2-8-2 has been added, making three engines in all.

1940 October, “Field Hill on the C.P.R.”, in Railway Magazine, page 530:

(rail transport) Of a train, hauled by three locomotives.


logging railroad

logging railroad (plural logging railroads)

(rail transport, forestry, US) A railroad built for the purpose of transporting logs out of a forest.


drawhook

[...] as to wrought iron drawhooks, the failure of one of which, in a coarsely crystalline condition, was the principal cause of the accident, it was laid down in March 1934, that all new wagon drawbars must be of steel to British Standard Specification No. 80, [...].

1940 November, “Notes and News: A Highland Collision”, in Railway Magazine, page 612:


tender cab

But the 0-8-0 tender engines often run tender first, and No. 8932 has been fitted with a tender cab to give better protection to the enginemen when reverse running takes place.

1940 November, “Notes and News: Locomotive Working at Abergavenny”, in Railway Magazine, page 616:

In spite of their small size and low weight, many technical developments which have proved themselves in main-line service have been incorporated, and a novelty in the 2-6-0-type is a tender cab to improve the conditions of tender-first running.

1947 March and April, “L.M.S.R. Locomotive Developments”, in Railway Magazine, page 66:

(rail transport) A section of cab added to the front of a steam locomotive tender, to provide protection for the engine crew in inclement weather when running tender-first.


hammer blow

hammer blows (plural)
hammerblow (alternative)

The balancing of the engine is unusual, with the rotating masses fully balanced and 40 per cent of the reciprocating masses statically balanced by lead weights in the coupled wheels; the reciprocrating balance weights are in the same phase on both sides of the engine. This system saves balance weight and reduces the wheel hammer-blow.

1959 September, P. Ransome-Wallis, “The British Railways Class "9" 2-10-0s”, in Trains Illustrated, page 419:

(rail transport) A pounding of the rails by the driving wheels of a steam locomotive caused by the inertia of unbalanced parts.


train pipe

train pipes (plural)
trainpipe (alternative)

(rail transport) A brake pipe on a rail vehicle through which compressed air or vacuum is passed to operate the brakes throughout a train.


trackage rights

trackage rights pl (normally plural, singular trackage right)

In addition, the combined system has trackage rights into Memphis, Tennessee, and Birmingham, Alabama.

1941 January, “Notes and News: An Important American Amalgamation”, in Railway Magazine, page 34:

(rail transport, US) Synonym of running powers.


recovery time

Actually, the point-to-point times in general were not varied; the additions were all in the form of blocks of recovery time over certain selected stretches of line.

1959 October, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Trains Illustrated, page 475:

(rail transport) Additional time built into a train timetable to allow the train to recover from any delays en route, without arriving at its destination late according to the published arrival time.


electric locomotive

electric locomotive (plural electric locomotives)

(rail transport) A locomotive with its motors powered by electricity from overhead lines or (less commonly) from a third rail or on-board energy storage such as a battery or a supercapacitor.


single-wheeler

It links the time when single-wheelers were still being used on crack expresses to our modern streamline age, when up to the outbreak of war developments both at home and overseas were following thick and fast upon each other.

1941 February, O. S. Nock, “The Locomotives of Sir Nigel Gresley: Part 1—G.N.R. 1911-1914”, in Railway Magazine, page 77:

(rail transport) A steam locomotive with a single driving axle.


banking engine

Speaking of locomotive surefootedness, I was immensely impressed, on a recent journey with the down "Ulsterman" from Euston, when "Royal Scot" 4-6-0 No. 46168, The Girl Guide, cleanly lifted a well-filled 15-coach train of 471 tons tare and 500 tons gross out of the terminus without the service of any banking engine.

1953 November, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 760:

When the widening is complete, the majority of the trains from Tees-side and the North which have hitherto had to be routed via the Leeds Northern line (Ripon, Harrogate and Wetherby) will be diverted over the main line via York. This avoids the necessity to provide banking engines on the Leeds Northern route and will result in speedier transit times and the more efficient and economical use of engines and train crews.

1959 November, “Talking of Trains: Widening north of York”, in Trains Illustrated, page 518:

(rail transport, British) Synonym of banker (“type of railway locomotive”)


lifting shop

The new depot, on which work started in May, 1956, has three reception roads leading to 13 sidings capable of taking 25 trains, a 450 ft.-long car examination shed with nine roads, a lifting shop with two roads and three permanent way sidings.

1959 November, “L.T. and E.R. developments in East London”, in Trains Illustrated, page 527:

(rail transport) A workshop where vehicles are lifted off their bogies for maintenance work to be carried out.


flat crossing

(rail transport, UK) A crossing where two railway lines cross each other on the same level.


trap car

(rail transport) A railroad car used for much smaller shipments usually within terminal or city limits.


goods shed

And it wasn't just station buildings - workers' cottages, stationmasters' houses, signal boxes and goods sheds largely survived at a time when main line intermediate stations were being demolished.

2021 October 20, Mark Rand, “S&C: a line fit for tourists... and everyone?”, in RAIL, number 942, page 42:

(rail transport) A building in a railway goods yard for the storage of goods before or after transport by train, typically with a track running through it to allow goods wagons to be unloaded under cover, although sometimes they were built alongside a track with possibly just a canopy over the door.


locking room

Within these boxes, interlocking between points and signals was the most crucial safety aspect, with the signalman's pulling of levers further safeguarded through the equipment in the locking room (often beneath the signalman's station), which prevented conflicting movements.

2021 October 20, Dr Joseph Brennan, “A key part of our diverse railway heritage”, in RAIL, number 942, page 53:

The [Arboath North Signal Box] locking room's collection of chains, pulleys and wires resembles the inside of a piano, stretching to the 72-levered frame above. Lovers of steampunk will find it especially pleasing.

2021 November 3, Dr Joseph Brennan, “Boxes with functions across the centuries”, in RAIL, number 943, page 57:

(rail transport) A room in a signal box, usually at ground level beneath the operating room, containing the interlocking mechanism for signals and points (track switches) below the lever frame in the operating room.


scissors crossing

scissors crossing (plural scissors crossings)

Meantime, alterations at King William Street had become imperative, and by December 22, 1895, the station had been remodelled, as at Stockwell, to provide an island platform with lines each side, and a scissors crossing.

1941 May, “Jubilee of the City Tube”, in Railway Magazine, page 224:

At Newton Abbot, in addition to the four platform roads, there are two outside through roads. Halfway along the platforms there are scissors crossings between each through road and the adjacent platform road.

1953 February, Norman Crump, “Aller Junction Signalbox”, in Railway Magazine, page 83:

scissors crossover
scissors crossover#English

(rail transport) Synonym of scissors crossover.


TEE

Rendezvous on Champs-Elysees / Leave Paris in the morning with T-E-E

1977, “Trans-Europe Express”, in Trans-Europe Express, performed by Kraftwerk:

Trans Europ Express
w:Trans Europ Express

(rail transport, historical) Initialism of Trans Europ Express.


nonrailroader

Instead, the approach would be to discredit the value of paradigm learning from experience, and embrace new ideas from nonrailroaders. The idea was that these new folks' thinking wouldn't be “polluted” by railroad experiences.

2011, Charles F. Mori, In Between the Rails, page 118:

(rail transport) One who is not a railroader.


perway

(rail transport, Australia) Synonym of permanent way


wheelslide

wheelslide (countable and uncountable, plural wheelslides)

wheelslides (plural)
wheel slide (alternative)
wheel-slide (alternative)

Andrew Hall, deputy chief inspector at the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, said: "The evidence suggests the most likely cause of this was wheelslide, almost certainly as a result of low adhesion between the wheels and the track."

2021 November 17, Paul Clifton, “Network News: "Slippery rails" cause train collision at Salisbury”, in RAIL, number 944, page 7:

(rail transport) A condition caused when railway vehicle wheels lose adhesion when the brakes are applied, due to slippery rails, and the train slides along the track instead of slowing down.


trailer car

Of the trailer cars, one is a 64-seater open second, with two lavatories; the other is the buffet car, with three first class compartments and a first class lavatory of larger dimensions than the others throughout the train.

1960 September, “Inter-city diesel units for the Hull-Liverpool service of the N.E.R.”, in Trains Illustrated, page 560:

diesel multiple unit
diesel multiple unit

electric multiple unit
electric multiple unit

(rail transport) An unpowered car / coach / carriage included in the formation of a diesel multiple unit or an electric multiple unit.


overtrack

Relics of the old GWR broad gauge are rare on the national network. This overtrack canopy was one such, so the decision by the C&WR to retrieve it after electrification necessitated its demolition was a brave one, because its condition by then was parlous.

2021 December 15, Robin Leleux, “Awards honour the best restoration projects: The Chairman's Special Award: Cholsey & Wallingford Railway”, in RAIL, number 946, page 54:

(rail transport) Over and above a railway track.


centercab

centercabs (plural)
center cab (alternative)
centrecab (alternative)
centre cab (alternative)

(rail transport) A diesel or electric locomotive designed with its driving cab in the middle, between its two ends.


helper grade

On February 5-6, 1960, this westbound train made its run in 25 hr. 40 min. despite falling temperatures, fog, rain, sleet and snow; a 1 in 54 helper grade to the summit of the Alleghenies; and a load of 55 cars carrying 100 trailers for a gross tonnage of 3,856 tons.

1960 November, David Morgan, “"Piggyback"—U.S. success story”, in Trains Illustrated, page 684:

(rail transport, US) A railroad gradient where helper locomotives are required to assist the train locomotives.


carbuilder

carbuilders (plural)
car builder (alternative)
car-builder (alternative)

At least three companies (including two carbuilders) lease the latest piggyback cars to individual railroads, which enables the carriers to escape a capital investment or obligation for debt service.

1960 November, David Morgan, “"Piggyback"—U.S. success story”, in Trains Illustrated, page 687:

(rail transport, US) A manufacturer of railroad cars.


fog signal

The layman does not realise the dreadful nightmare of running in fog, especially at night, when the safety of everyone depends on the driver hearing the fog signal detonate.

1943 November and December, T. Lovatt Williams, “Some Reminiscences of the Footplate—III”, in Railway Magazine, page 344:

The last train—a three-coach A.E.C. unit—from Belfast to Crumlin and back, was bade farewell with fog signals as it carried a capacity crowd of last-trip travellers.

1960 November, L. Hyland, “The Irish Scene”, in Trains Illustrated, page 691:

(rail transport, UK) A small explosive charge (detonator) which can be placed on a railway line in fog, to be detonated by a train passing over it as a warning signal to the driver.


platelaying

(rail transport) The work of a platelayer, inspecting and maintaining the permanent way.


track magnet

Train positions and speeds were established by a track magnet at each milepost, which produced a suitable mark on the punched recording tape whenever a train passed.

1960 December, “Talking of Trains: Recording electric operation”, in Trains Illustrated, page 707:

(rail transport) A magnet incorporated in railway track for various purposes.


steam age

The Stage I electrified area has been resignalled throughout with colour-lights, which in due course will be associated with B.R. standard A.W.S., and 27 signalboxes now do the work of the steam age's 56.

1960 December, “The Glasgow Suburban Electrification is opened”, in Trains Illustrated, page 713:

(rail transport) The time when trains were powered by steam locomotives.


hourly rating

The year 1926 saw the putting in service of the first of the magnificent 1-Co-Co-1 locomotives of Type Ae 6/8, which at the time of their construction, with their hourly rating of 4,500 h.p., were the most powerful single electric locomotive units in the world.

1960 December, Cecil J. Allen, “Operating a mountain main line: the Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon: Part One”, in Trains Illustrated, page 743:

(electrical engineering, rail transport) A measure of the maximum output, usually expressed in horsepower, that can be obtained from the motors of an electric locomotive for a period of one hour without the motors overheating.


coaling plant

Crewe North Motive Power Depot is to be modernised completely. This includes the provision of a new coaling plant, ash handling plant, and two new locomotive sheds of the latest roundhouse type, each with 32 roads radiating from a 70-ft. dia. turntable.

1948 November and December, “Crewe M.P.D. to be Modernised”, in Railway Magazine, page 372:

The final stages will be the demolition next year of the remaining part of of the steam Jubilee Shed and the removal of the great, unroofed coaling plant nearby (said to be the oldest in the country); the turntable is also to disappear.

1960 December, “New G.E. Line diesel loco maintenance depot at Stratford”, in Trains Illustrated, page 767:

(rail transport, dated) A tall structure provided at a locomotive depot to supply coal to steam locomotives.


(UK, rail transport) Initialism of High Speed 2, a branched high-speed railway under construction between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Wigan.


non-gangwayed

[...] and the introduction of standard train formations with the elimination of all trains made up of unrostered or non-gangwayed stock.

1961 January, “The North-East London electrification of the Great Eastern Line”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 17–18:

The arrival of the first Class 313 was a jaw-dropper for long-suffering commuters used to non-gangwayed Class 31 locomotive-hauled rakes of 1950s slam-door coaches, […].

2023 February 22, Howard Johnston, “Southern '313s': is the end now in sight?”, in RAIL, number 977, page 42:

(rail transport, British) Not provided with a gangway between carriages.


covered wagon

The advantages of the train ferry in combining through running (without double handling) with speed and relatively large loads are shown in the decision of the Swedish State Railways to build 100 large covered and 50 open wagons for working to Britain by the ferry services, although the route from Sweden to any destination in the U.K. via Zeebrugge/Harwich is comparatively circuitous; the first of the Swedish covered wagons has already run through to London.

1962 February, “Talking of Trains: British-owned ferry wagons”, in Modern Railways, page 83:

(rail transport, British) A covered goods wagon.


mis-shunt

Consequently, the coupler must be designed so that no undue damage is caused should a mis-shunt take place.

1962 February, G. Richard Parkes, “Automatic couplers in Britain and Europe”, in Modern Railways, page 131:

(rail transport, British) An incorrectly made shunting operation, possibly causing a mishap.


dead section

A new glass fibre insulating section will ultimately equip all neutral sections, simplifying maintenance work and greatly reducing the length of dead sections.

1962 March, “Talking of Trains: The future of B.R. a.c. traction”, in Modern Railways, page 148:

(rail transport, electrical engineering) Part of a neutral section.


ÖBB

(rail transport) Austrian Federal Railways (Österreichische Bundesbahnen).


dandy cart

Three examples of the dandy cart in which horses descended inclines at the rear of gravity-operated trains.

1942 March, “The Dandy Cart”, in Railway Magazine, page 86, image caption:

(rail transport, historical) A wagon in which a horse could rest and travel downhill on a gravity-worked railway, before hauling wagons back up the incline.


through station

through station (plural through stations)

That is according to a leading academic who has told MPs to heed the lessons from Germany where terminus stations, like those planned on the route of HS2 in Birmingham and Manchester, are currently being replaced by higher-capacity and more operationally efficient through-stations.

2022 March 23, Paul Stephen, “IRP adherence risks repeating other countries' mistakes”, in RAIL, number 953, page 20:

(rail transport) Any railway station having one or more tracks running through it, and that is not built as a terminus where trains can go no further without changing direction.


treble-heading

Treble-heading was again recorded on the Highland line on September 2 when the 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. from Inverness both passed Pitlochry with three Type 2 diesels.

1962 November, “Motive power miscellany: Scottish Region”, in Modern Railways, page 354:

(rail transport) The use of three locomotives at the front, or head, of a train.


antipooling

(US, historical, railways) Opposing or banning associations of rival railroads.


dynamic brake

The sloping topography of the site also allows regenerative braking to charge the batteries as the locomotives run downhill towards the exchange sidings. Around 80% of braking is done by the electric dynamic brake, rather than traditional tread brakes. However, all the hard work is done heading uphill with loaded flask trains.

2023 December 27, Ben Jones, “Inside Sellafield... by rail”, in RAIL, number 999, page 22:

(rail transport) A mechanism for performing dynamic braking.


raise steam

en-verb

raise steam (third-person singular simple present raises steam, present participle raising steam, simple past and past participle raised steam)

raises steam (present singular third-person)
raising steam (participle present)
raised steam (participle past)
raised steam (past)

[…] the fireman has to divide his time between getting up into the bunker to throw more turfs into the cab, and getting down on his hands and knees to get it into the firebox, and even then a reserve supply of turf must be carried on a truck behind the engine, and stops must be made on each steep ascent to raise more steam.

1945 January and February, “Notes and News: Locomotive Firing with Turf”, in Railway Magazine, page 46:

(engineering, nautical, rail transport) To build up a useful head (pressure level) of steam in a steam-engined vehicle's boiler.


TATA

Tatanagar Junction railway station
w:Tatanagar Junction railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Tatanagar Junction railway station in India.


CHG

Chinchpokli railway station
w:Chinchpokli railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Chinchpokli railway station in India.


Baby Deltic

(British, rail transport) A British Rail Class 23 locomotive.


Teddy Bear

(British, rail transport) A British Rail Class 14 locomotive.


Chopper

From chopper (“helicopter”), because of the distinctive beating noise of the engine.

(British, rail transport) A British Rail Class 20 locomotive.


Warship

(British, rail transport) A British Rail Class 41 locomotive, dating from the late 1950s.


Baby Warship

(British, rail transport) A British Rail Class 22 locomotive.


Bagpipe

In allusion to the subclass' jumper cables, which were installed on both ends to allow push-pull operation.

(British, rail transport) A British Rail Class 33/1 locomotive.


Slim Jim

In allusion to the subclass being 7 inches narrower, due to being constructed for use on the gauge-restricted Hastings line.

(British, rail transport) A British Rail Class 33/2 locomotive.


track gauge

(rail transport) The specified distance between the rails of a railway.


gauge-restricted

en-adj

gauge-restricted (not generally comparable, comparative more gauge-restricted, superlative most gauge-restricted)

more gauge-restricted (comparative)
most gauge-restricted (superlative)

a gauge-restricted line

(rail transport, UK) Having a restrictive loading gauge, limiting which rail vehicles may be used.


metre-gauge

Interlaken East station is jointly owned with the standard gauge Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon Railway from Bern and Thun and the Swiss Federal Railways metre-gauge Brünig line from Lucerne, but is managed and staffed by the Bernese Oberland group.

1960 December, 'Voyageur', “The Mountain Railways of the Bernese Oberland”, in Trains Illustrated, page 750:

(rail transport) Built as or for metre gauge.


SKM

(rail transport) The station code of Shek Kip Mei in Hong Kong.


SUN

(rail transport) The station code of Sunny Bay in Hong Kong.


EWW

Ewell West railway station
w:Ewell West railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Ewell West railway station in Ewell, England.


fan car

Coordinate term: vacuum car

(rail transport) A car used to clean tracks of light debris, to prevent trains slipping on the rails, by blowing air to blow away debris.


traincare

Chester: CAF Rail UK has taken over management of the traincare depot, ready for the entry into service of its new Class 197 DMU fleet.

2022 July 27, Howard Johnston, “Regional News: North West”, in RAIL, number 962, page 28:

(rail transport, normally used attributively) The maintenance and care of passenger rolling stock, usually multiple units.


signal post

signal posts (plural)
signalpost (alternative)

Also suffering from age is the structural integrity of signal posts, with targeted renewals planned for CP7.

2023 August 9, Mel Holley, “Network News: Scotland's £4.2bn plan to ensure network stability”, in RAIL, number 989, page 24:

(rail transport) A post on which one or more railway signals are mounted.


single track

(rail transport) A single rail line, where trains can only run in one direction at a time between passing points.


quadruple-header

(rail transport) Four locomotives at the front of a train.


bank engine

(rail transport) Synonym of banker (“type of railway locomotive”)


journal box

(rail transport, mechanical engineering) A box or housing enclosing or supporting a journal, often used in order to retain the lubricant.


box wagon

Greenbrier has completed production of the first JNA-X Box Wagon prototype in Romania. It forms part of an agreement for 50 new box wagons announced in March between the manufacturer, Porterbrook and GB Railfreight.

2022 September 7, “Network News: Box Wagon prototype ready for the UK”, in RAIL, number 965, page 22:

(rail transport, British) A large high-sided box-shaped open wagon mounted on two four-wheel bogies, similar to a North American gondola car.

The filled mail bags leave in a continuous stream to be loaded on the train of box wagons at the L.N.E.R. station at Nottingham (London Road), of which we reproduce an illustration at page 95. […] The train takes 300 bags of mail to a box wagon. Each bag weighs about 56 lb. and contains an average of 95 news packets and 9 parcels.

1945 March and April, “Army Post Office Mail Train”, in Railway Magazine, page 74:

(rail transport) Synonym of box van; a roofed goods wagon.


booking lad

This will provide a permanent automatic record of all train movements in the area of each box and eliminate the manual recording at present done by booking lads.

1964 November, “The Electrification of BR: 5 The Southern's Bournemouth scheme”, in Modern Railways, page 320:

(rail transport, dated, British) A young male employee in a signal box who records the movement of trains past the box.


buffer up

en-verb

buffer up (third-person singular simple present buffers up, present participle buffering up, simple past and past participle buffered up)

buffers up (present singular third-person)
buffering up (participle present)
buffered up (participle past)
buffered up (past)

The Type 3 will propel the unit on the return working to Bournemouth Central, where it will be buffered up to the remaining units for the journey back to Waterloo.

1964 November, “The Electrification of BR: 5 The Southern's Bournemouth scheme”, in Modern Railways, page 321:

(rail transport, transitive) To move (a rail vehicle) so that its buffers are touching the buffers of another rail vehicle.


Monon

Named after two creeks, Big Monon and Little Monon, originally Monong, a Potawatomi word.

(rail transport) A former railroad in Indiana, which had its base in the town.


uncockable

(rail transport, firearms, rare) Not able to be cocked.


cockable

(rail transport, firearms, rare) Able to be cocked.


single-heading

The primary purpose of having such high power available is enabling the single-heading of heavy trains, which results "in higher payload and lower traction costs", says Stadler.

2022 October 19, Tony Streeter, “A glimpse into UK rail's future: Europe's most powerful”, in RAIL, number 968, page 35:

(rail transport) The haulage of a train by one locomotive.


engine cleaner

Driver Langdale entered the service of the L.N.W.R. as an engine cleaner at Camden on April 25, 1898, at the age of 17, and has been stationed in the London area ever since.

1943 September and October, “Top Link Drivers”, in Railway Magazine, page 293:

(rail transport, dated, British) An employee who cleans railway locomotives, especially steam locomotives in the days of steam.


comby

en-adj

comby (comparative more comby, superlative most comby)

more comby (comparative)
most comby (superlative)

(US, railways) Of a wheel: having a defect consisting of a network of fine cracks covering a small area of the tread.


CEN

(rail transport) The station code of Central in Hong Kong.


Wild Irishman

(railways, historical, slang) The train between Euston and Holyhead, in connection with the Kingstown mailboats.


slab-track

en-verb

slab-track (third-person singular simple present slab-tracks, present participle slab-tracking, simple past and past participle slab-tracked)

slab-tracks (present singular third-person)
slab-tracking (participle present)
slab-tracked (participle past)
slab-tracked (past)

"Going to W12 gauge requires some significant work in those tunnels. The current scheme is showing that we're going to slab-track both of those tunnels.

2022 November 16, Philip Haigh, “Trans-Pennine... transformative”, in RAIL, number 970, page 40:

(rail transport) To lay slab track on a section of railway line.


four-track

[...] Mr. M. N. Rollason points out that on four-track lines on which the fast lines, in the centre, are flanked by the slow lines, and running at speed is permissible on all four, the traveller can enjoy some quite exciting experiences when trains are doing a "neck-and-neck" on adjacent lines.

1944 May and June, “Notes and News: Express Travel on Slow Lines”, in Railway Magazine, page 184:

(rail transport) Synonym of four-tracked.


engine house

Of locomotive interest was "an engine house for spare engines which was about 60 ft. × 51 ft.; on the outside of this was an immense turntable sufficient to turn the engine and tender at once."

1944 July and August, Reginald B. Fellows, “The Failure of Bricklayers Arms as a Passenger Station—I”, in Railway Magazine, page 211:

(rail transport) A building for housing one or more locomotives, an engine shed.


tram locomotive

en-noun

tram locomotive (plural tram locomotives)

L.N.E.R. class "Y6" 3 ft. 1 in. 0-4-0 steam tram locomotive No. 7133
This locomotive, constructed at the Stratford works of the former Great Eastern Railway in 1897, was one of six which were built between 1883 and 1897 especially to work the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway.

1944 July and August, Railway Magazine, page 233, photo caption:

(rail transport) A steam locomotive specially built, or modified, to run on a street, or roadside, tramway track, hauling trains of wagons or carriages.


bolster wagon

Bolster wagons are wagons fitted with heavy timber baulks which enable steel rails, long timber or similar traffic to be carried above the very low wagon sides. Single bolsters are used in groups of up to five. When five single bolsters are used in a set the load is secured to the second and fourth bolsters, but it must rest on all five wagons. In such a case the total weight of the load must not exceed two-thirds of the total carrying capacity of the five wagons. Twin bolsters are single bolsters permanently coupled, and double bolster wagons carry two bolsters apiece.

1944 September and October, T. F. Cameron, “The Distribution of Rolling Stock”, in Railway Magazine, page 269:

(rail transport) A flat or low-sided wagon, typically four-wheeled in contrast to a bogie bolster wagon with eight wheels, fitted with one or more heavy wooden baulks (bolsters), usually mounted transversely on its deck to support the load it carries. Two or more wagons can be coupled to carry a long load.


rail motor

A rail motor was introduced about 1905, and in July, 1908, there were actually some 27 runs each way daily on the branch.

1944 November and December, G. A. Knott, “Forgotten Train Services in the Birmingham District”, in Railway Magazine, page 333:

The L&YR built a small number of these trains, known as 'Rail Motors', for rural branch lines. It was only fitting that the Horwich branch should have its own.

2023 March 8, Paul Salveson, “Fond farewells to two final trains...”, in RAIL, number 978, page 54:

(rail transport) Alternative form of railmotor.


wheel lathe

It features inspection roads and pits, a wheel lathe, wash-plant, and storage and office space for training and support functions.

2022 December 14, “News in pictures: £70m Gosforth depot nears completion”, in RAIL, number 972, page 27:

(mechanical engineering, rail transport) A lathe for the manufacture and resurfacing of the wheels for rail vehicles.


single-driver

A few such examples have been preserved, as is well known, such as one of the Stirling 8-ft. singles of the late Great Northern Railway, the Great Western 4-4-0 City of Truro, ex-Caledonian single-driver No. 123, the Brighton 0-4-2 Gladstone, and others.

1945 March and April, “Preserving Historic Locomotives”, in Railway Magazine, page 64:

(rail transport, British, obsolete) A steam locomotive with a single driving axle.


lamp-iron

One or two lines (the G.N.R. and the L.D. & E.C.R., for example) had two lamp-irons, one above the other, on the chimney, and the Midland and the North Staffordshire achieved the same effect by placing the secomd iron a short way down on the smokebox door.

1945 March and April, J. T. Howard Turner, T. S. Lascelles, “Former Head-Code Complications—I”, in Railway Magazine, page 75:

(rail transport) A piece of iron projecting upwards on which a lamp can be hung.


Gibson ring

After its inventor, J. Gibson of the British Great Western Railway.

The tyres of the five pairs of coupled wheels are secured to the cast-steel centres by Gibson rings.

1954 March, “New Class "9" 2-10-0 Locomotives”, in Railway Magazine, page 166:

(rail transport) A retaining ring used to fit a steel tire/tyre to the wheel of rolling stock.


fourth class

[…] Mr. S. C. Hawtrey writes that when he knew the Moscow-Kazan Railway (then under British management) in 1913, it was a regular practice in Russia to paint the exterior of first class coaches blue, second class yellow, third class green, and fourth class, where it still survived, brown.

1946 May and June, “Notes and News: Russian Coach Colours”, in Railway Magazine, pages 184–185:

(rail transport) A class of rail travel formerly found in some countries.


MSH

Mahesana Junction railway station
w:Mahesana Junction railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Mahesana Junction railway station in India.


slam door

In the early 1970s, the Southern Region was also reporting around 1,500 incidents each year caused by passengers opening slam doors - including a dozen deaths and other injuries caused by falling from trains, either in stations or on the move.

2023 February 22, Howard Johnston, “Southern '313s': is the end now in sight?”, in RAIL, number 977, page 41:

(rail transport, British, dated) A hinged railway carriage door which opened outwards, that could be opened from the inside only by opening the window and turning the handle on the outside. They originated on carriages with compartments and no corridors, and persisted on later carriage designs with corridors on one side of the compartments, being fitted on the non-corridor side.


trainagraph

(railways, historical) An instrument for recording the pressures in a train's braking system.


stopping service

stopping service (plural stopping services)

While he is reasonably effusive about inter-city travel, he is heavily disparaging of all types of stopping service, including those on otherwise busy main lines. His analysis is not entirely unsound, and he tackles some of the questions head on.

2023 March 8, Gareth Dennis, “The Reshaping of things to come...”, in RAIL, number 978, page 47:

(rail transport) A train service operated by a stopping train.


single-tracking

Why was there not more talk about destaffing, pay trains, or simplified signalling or single-tracking?

2023 March 8, Howard Johnston, “Was Marples the real railway wrecker?”, in RAIL, number 978, page 51:

(rail transport) The reduction of a double-track rail line to a single track, when the extra capacity of a double-track line is no longer required.


runaway diesel

runaway diesels (plural)
runaway diesel engine (alternative)

diesel locomotive
diesel locomotive#English

(rail transport) A runaway train with a diesel locomotive.


MGN

(UK, railways, historical) Initialism of Midland and Great Northern.


tramplate

Its [the Penydarren Tramroad's] value diminished considerably with the opening of the Taff Vale Railway in 1841, but the line remained in use until 1875, and the tramplates were not removed until 1890. […] Views and dimensions of a 3-ft. tramplate from the Penydarren Tramroad

1948 November and December, “Notes and News: Early Tramplates”, in Railway Magazine, page 412, including photo caption:

(rail transport, historical) A type of iron rail used on a tramroad.


luggage van

"It would only be the fare," Noël answered; "and I'd go third, or even in a cattle-truck, or a luggage van.[…]"

1904, Edith Nesbit, The New Treasure Seekers, Chapter 1:


chime whistle

With a toot on her chime whistle, No. 6 set her 3 ft. 9 in. drivers [driving wheels] turning and we were off round the curve through Pennyburn works.

1949 November and December, K. Longbottom, “By Goods Train to Gweedore”, in Railway Magazine, page 353:

(especially rail transport) A steam whistle with at least two simultaneous tones.


wheeltapping

(UK, rail transport, historical) The work of a wheeltapper, tapping a train's wheels with a hammer to detect cracks.


out of gauge

During the year 1949, well over 7,500 exceptional and out-of-gauge loads were carried in the London Midland Region of British Railways. Among them were railway coaches for Egypt, locomotives for Ireland, and specially-constructed wagons and large pieces of machinery for various parts of the world.

1950 February, “Notes and News: Out-of-Gauge Loads, L.M.R.”, in Railway Magazine, page 140:

(rail transport) Of rail vehicles, or loads carried on freight vehicles: where dimensions exceed the loading gauge or structure gauge for a particular line or route.


platform edge door

platform edge door (plural platform edge doors)

HS2 Ltd has commenced its search for a supplier of platform edge doors at Old Oak Common and Interchange stations.

2023 August 9, “Network News: Search for platform edge doors supplier”, in RAIL, number 989, page 19:

platform screen door
platform screen door#English

(rail transport) Synonym of platform screen door


waybeam

Oak waybeams, 28 ft. long × 14 in. wide × 9½ in. deep, resting in the troughs, support the track, which is laid with flat-bottom bridge rails, 56 ft. long, and weighing 126 lb. per yd.

1950 March, H. A. Vallance, “On Foot Across the Forth Bridge”, in Railway Magazine, page 149:

(rail transport) A longitudinal timber supporting railway track, especially on a bridge.


BEMU

With its Networker Class 165 diesel multiple units […] now 30 years old, Chiltern issued two procurement notices in September 2022 for "between 30 and 70 existing or converted BEMUs" with a circa £200m contract value. A second notice, also for 30-70 units, called for new BEMUs with a circa £400m contract value.

2023 August 23, Mel Holley, “Network News: ... while Chiltern Railways targets low-emissions stock”, in RAIL, number 990, page 7:

battery-electric multiple unit
battery electric multiple unit#English

(rail transport) Initialism of battery-electric multiple unit.


battery electric multiple unit

battery electric multiple unit (plural battery electric multiple units)

battery electric multiple units (plural)
battery-electric multiple unit (alternative)
BEMU (alternative initialism)

"The subject of this [2023] procurement notice does not include full BEMUs. Chiltern is now seeking offers for other low-emissions solutions as a possible alternative or in addition to full battery electric multiple units."

(rail transport) An electrically driven multiple unit or railcar whose energy is derived from rechargeable batteries driving the traction motors.


continuous-braked

Some goods trains have a third class carriage at the back, and as the whole train is continuous-braked, travelling is not uncomfortable.

1950 April, Timothy H. Cobb, “The Kenya-Uganda Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 266:

(rail transport) Having a number of vehicles fitted with air or vacuum brakes, all connected by train pipes, the braking being under the control of the train driver.


non-terminus

TransPennine Express has introduced 'zoning' at all its non-terminus stations, in a bid to speed up boarding and reduce passenger stress.

2023 September 6, “Network News: TPE 'zoning' to aid boarding”, in RAIL, number 991, page 16:

(rail transport, of a station) That has through platforms, and is not a terminus, or used as a terminus.


smashboard

(Canada, US, rail transport, historical) A pivoted board that could be operated to swing into position across the track, for use as a signal.


subway-surface

(rail transport, US) Streetcar lines whose sections in the city center operate in tunnels like subway lines; typically built to speed up streetcar service by bypassing congested streets, as provision for future conversion to rapid transit, or both.

prémétro

streetcar line or network with a rapid transit-style city center tunnel


NSG

New Southgate railway station
w:New Southgate railway station

(rail transport) The station code of New Southgate railway station in England.


HWH

Haltwhistle railway station
w:Haltwhistle railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Haltwhistle railway station in England.

Howrah railway station
w:Howrah railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Howrah railway station in India.


BHP

Bolpur Shantiniketan railway station
w:Bolpur Shantiniketan railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Bolpur Shantiniketan railway station in India.


PNE

Penge East railway station
w:Penge East railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Penge East railway station in England.

Prantik railway station
w:Prantik railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Prantik railway station in India.


KPLE

Kopai railway station
w:Kopai railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Kopai railway station in India.


TWI

Twickenham railway station
w:Twickenham railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Twickenham railway station in England.

(rail transport) The station code of Tin Wing stop in Hong Kong.


EXC

Exhibition Centre
w:Exhibition Centre station (MTR)

(rail transport) The station code of Exhibition Centre in Hong Kong.


HUH

(rail transport) The station code of Hung Hom in Hong Kong.


MKK

(rail transport) The station code of Mong Kok East in Hong Kong.


KOT

(rail transport) The station code of Kowloon Tong in Hong Kong.


TAW

(rail transport) The station code of Tai Wai in Hong Kong.


SHT

(rail transport) The station code of Sha Tin in Hong Kong.


UNI

(rail transport) The station code of University in Hong Kong.


TWO

(rail transport) The station code of Tai Wo in Hong Kong.


HOM

(rail transport) The station code of Ho Man Tin in Hong Kong.


YMT

(rail transport) The station code of Yau Ma Tei in Hong Kong.


MOK

(rail transport) The station code of Mong Kok in Hong Kong.


PRE

(rail transport) The station code of Prince Edward in Hong Kong.


LOF

(rail transport) The station code of Lok Fu in Hong Kong.


DIH

(rail transport) The station code of Diamond Hill in Hong Kong.


KOB

(rail transport) The station code of Kowloon Bay in Hong Kong.


NTK

(rail transport) The station code of Ngau Tau Kok in Hong Kong.


YAT

(rail transport) The station code of Yau Tong in Hong Kong.


TIK

(rail transport) The station code of Tiu Keng Leng in Hong Kong.


MMCT

Mumbai Central railway station
w:Mumbai Central railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Mumbai Central railway station in India.


CSMT

Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
w:Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus

(rail transport) The station code of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in India.


GHY

Guwahati railway station
w:Guwahati railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Guwahati railway station in India.


SNRD

Sandhurst Road railway station
w:Sandhurst Road railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Sandhurst Road railway station in India.


INDB

Indore Junction railway station
w:Indore Junction railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Indore Junction railway station in India.


KJMG

Kanjurmarg railway station
w:Kanjurmarg railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Kanjurmarg railway station in India.


MTJ

Mathura Junction railway station
w:Mathura Junction railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Mathura Junction railway station in India.


BDB

Vrindavan railway station
w:Vrindavan railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Vrindavan railway station in India.


MLND

Mulund railway station
w:Mulund railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Mulund railway station in India.


VDG

Vadnagar railway station
w:Vadnagar railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Vadnagar railway station in India.


PUNE

Pune Junction railway station
w:Pune Junction railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Pune Junction railway station in India.


KYN

Kalyan Junction railway station
w:Kalyan Junction railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Kalyan Junction railway station in India.


CYR

Charni Road railway station
w:Charni Road railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Charni Road railway station in India.


AVD

Avadi railway station
w:Avadi railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Avadi railway station in India.


HSW

Hussainiwala railway station
w:Hussainiwala railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Hussainiwala railway station in India.


UJN

Ujjain Junction railway station
w:Ujjain Junction railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Ujjain Junction railway station in India.


PBHD

Prabhadevi railway station
w:Prabhadevi railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Prabhadevi railway station in India.


KGM

Kathgodam railway station
w:Kathgodam railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Kathgodam railway station in India.


JMNR

Jamner railway station
w:Jamner railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Jamner railway station in India.


MGLA

Islamabad railway station
w:Islamabad railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Islamabad railway station in Pakistan.


TSW

(rail transport) The station code of Tsuen Wan in Hong Kong.


TWH

(rail transport) The station code of Tai Wo Hau in Hong Kong.


KWH

(rail transport) The station code of Kwai Hing in Hong Kong.


KWF

(rail transport) The station code of Kwai Fong in Hong Kong.


LCK

(rail transport) The station code of Lai Chi Kok in Hong Kong.


CSW

Abbreviation. The SOWPODS synonym derives from "Collins Scrabble Words".

(rail transport) The station code of Cheung Sha Wan in Hong Kong.


KET

(rail transport) The station code of Kennedy Town in Hong Kong.


SHW

(rail transport) The station code of Sheung Wan in Hong Kong.


TIH

(rail transport) The station code of Tin Hau in Hong Kong.


QUB

(rail transport) The station code of Quarry Bay in Hong Kong.


TAK

(rail transport) The station code of Tai Koo in Hong Kong.


SWH

(rail transport) The station code of Sai Wan Ho in Hong Kong.


SKW

(rail transport) The station code of Shau Kei Wan in Hong Kong.


TSY

(rail transport) The station code of Tsing Yi in Hong Kong.


OLY

(rail transport) The station code of Olympic in Hong Kong.


KOW

(rail transport) The station code of Kowloon in Hong Kong.


HOK

(rail transport) The station code of Hong Kong in Hong Kong.


AWE

(rail transport) The station code of AsiaWorld–Expo in Hong Kong.


AIR

(rail transport) The station code of Airport in Hong Kong.


six-coupled

Tank engines, all six-coupled, are used on a variety of services.

1950 October, R. A. Marshall, “Kuala Lumpur, an Important Malayan Railway Centre”, in Railway Magazine, page 706:

(rail transport) Of a locomotive, having six driving wheels on three axles coupled together with rods.


car shed

They form part of the vast electrification and reconstruction schemes which have been in hand for a number of years at Liverpool Street, and in suburban Essex, and include the rearrangement of tracks, of which the Ilford flyover forms part; the modern signal boxes, now needed only at key points; the electric control or sub-stations; and a large electric car shed.

1951 January, R. A. H. Weight, “A Railway Recorder in Essex and Hertfordshire”, in Railway Magazine, page 44:

(rail transport) A large building provided for the housing and maintenance of passenger cars or carriages (or coupled trains thereof).


Consolidation

W.D. 2-8-0s have replaced Gresley Consolidations to a great extent on mineral and slow freight trains.

1951 January, R. A. H. Weight, “A Railway Recorder in Essex and Hertfordshire”, in Railway Magazine, page 45:

(rail transport) A steam locomotive of the 2-8-0 wheel arrangement, first built in the United States in 1866.


orderboard

(rail transport, historical) A movable signal indicating whether or not there are train orders to be picked up.


Norwegian coupling

Norwegian coupling (plural Norwegian couplings)

Due to it being developed in Norway c. 1870.

(rail transport) A manually operated coupling at each end of some narrow-gauge railway rolling stock, consisting of a central buffer incorporating a hook that drops into a slot in the opposing central buffer.


claw hammer coupling

claw hammer coupling (plural claw hammer couplings)

Norwegian coupling
Norwegian coupling#English

(rail transport) Synonym of Norwegian coupling


chopper coupling

chopper coupling (plural chopper couplings)


locomotiveman

The rule in question debars any member of the Society, who is also a member of any other trade organisation, catering for railway locomotivemen, from occupying any salaried position, serving as a delegate, or occupying any other position in the Society.

1921, John R. Raynes, chapter 20, in Engines and Men, page 230:

(rail transport) A driver of a locomotive.


SLW

(rail transport) Initialism of single-line working.


de-electrify

en-verb

de-electrify (third-person singular simple present de-electrifies, present participle de-electrifying, simple past and past participle de-electrified)

de-electrifies (present singular third-person)
de-electrifying (participle present)
de-electrified (participle past)
de-electrified (past)

It formed part of the LNER's electrified North Tyneside system until it was de-electrified by BR in 1963.

2023 November 29, Richard Foster, “Tyne & Wear Metro goes with the flow”, in RAIL, number 997, page 32:

(rail transport) To remove the electrification for powering electric trains from a railway.


road-railer

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-road-railer.wav

"I had to stand by for half an hour, which is a long time when you're dealing with an incident, until we could get a road-railer up to decant the passengers, get them to the nearest access point and into taxis, so we could deal with the incident.

2023 November 29, Paul Clifton, “West is best in the Highlands”, in RAIL, number 997, page 40:

(rail transport) A road vehicle that can be used on railway track by lowering retractable railway wheels on to the track at a suitable level place.


Flying Banana

From flying (“capable of speed”) + banana (in reference to its yellow colour).

com

(UK, rail transport, humorous) The New Measurement Train; the high-speed track testing train used on the British railway network.


Doctor Yellow

Calque from Japanese ドクターイエロー (Dokutā Ierō), itself a pseudo-anglicism from English doctor + yellow, in reference to its diagnostic function and bright yellow appearance.

ja-r

ドクターイエロー (Dokutā Ierō)

(rail transport, humorous) The high-speed track testing train used on the Tokaido Shinkansen and San'yō Shinkansen.


crane locomotive

en-noun

crane locomotive (plural crane locomotives)

Former North London Railway 0-4-2 saddle-tank crane locomotive, withdrawn from service in February

1951 April, Railway Magazine, number 600, page 283, photo caption:

(rail transport, obsolete) A tank locomotive fitted with a crane for lifting purposes.


mini-shinkansen

mini-shinkansen (plural mini-shinkansen or mini-shinkansens)

mini-shinkansen (plural)
mini-shinkansens (plural)

Borrowed from Japanese ミニ新幹線(しんかんせん) (mini shinkansen). By surface analysis, mini- + shinkansen.

(rail transport) A conventional Japanese rail line which has been upgraded to allow use by shinkansen; generally to allow the continuation of shinkansen services beyond the end of a purpose-built, high-speed line.


flask wagon

The main line fleet consists of 40 FNA-D flask wagons, 27 PFA two-axle container flats, six huge KXA-C eight-axle 'Flatrol' wagons designed to carry 110-tonne international flasks to and from Barrow Docks, and two 150-tonne-capacity French-built KUA wagons with distinctive silver sliding hoods for MoD traffic, also carried on four bogies to spread the weight.

2023 December 27, Ben Jones, “Inside Sellafield... by rail”, in RAIL, number 999, page 21:

(rail transport, British) A special open wagon for the transport of nuclear flasks.


ore car

(mining, rail transport) An open-top bulk material car of heavy construction for carrying dense ores, usually emptying through one or more hoppers.


livestock car

(rail transport) A railway car for carrying livestock.


yard jockey

(rail transport, trucking) A yardman who switches locomotives and rolling stock in a switchyard, or a truck driver who analogously switches tractors and semi-trailers at a truckyard or depot.


rail terminal

This is a result of a switch from High Street to online retailing, requiring consumer goods to be delivered to the door from large-scale distribution parks that have sufficient traffic to justify a rail terminal.

2024 January 10, 'Industry Insider', “Success built on liberalisation and market freedom”, in RAIL, number 1000, page 69:

(rail transport) A rail-served facility used for the transfer of freight or passengers to or from other modes of transportation.


cliff railway

A branch of rail transport that seems to been rather neglected by historians is that concerned with cliff railways, of which a fair number exist in Great Britain. This is probably because these lines are overshadowed by the more spectacular funicular railways in Switzerland and other mountainous regions; perhaps, too, because of the general habit of referring to them as "cliff lifts," which tends to associate them with the vertical indoor type.

1951 August, P. W. Gentry, “Cliff Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 514:

(transport, rail transport, UK) Synonym of cliff lift (Sense 1).


scissor crossover

scissor crossover (plural scissor crossovers)

scissors crossover
scissors crossover#English

(rail transport) Synonym of scissors crossover.


roundhouseman

(rail transport) A person who works in the roundhouse.


cowl unit

(rail transport, Canada, US) A bodystyle of diesel locomotive, one with fullwidth enclosing bodywork.


ground signal

(rail transport) A dwarf railway signal, mounted close to the ground.


crane engine

Great Western Railway 0-6-4 pannier-tank crane engine No. 18, "Steropes" built in 1903, at Swindon in September, 1927

1951 October, H. C. Casserley, “Crane Engines”, in Railway Magazine, page 660, photo caption:

crane locomotive
crane locomotive#English

(rail transport, obsolete) Synonym of crane locomotive.


carshop

(railways) A workshop for building and repairing railway carriages.


siderod

siderods (plural)
side rod (alternative)

I recall in particular the amazing speed of the siderods of our elegant little Caledonian 4-6-0 and the vivid contrast between its polished blue livery and the red-funnelled mail steamers and white-hulled yachts crowding Oban Bay; […].

1951 October, R. S. McNaught, “Lines of Approach”, in Railway Magazine, page 705:

(rail transport) A coupling rod on each side of a locomotive.


smokeplate

An unusual mishap on the Deeside line is described by Mr. C. J. Bowller. He writes that as the Class "B12" 4-6-0 No.1552 was entering Banchory Station on August 27, one of the smokeplates of the footbridge became detached, and struck the boiler of the engine, damaging the safety valves, and the roof of the cab.

1951 October, “Notes and News: Locomotive Notes: Scottish Region”, in Railway Magazine, page 715:

(rail transport, obsolete) A plate fitted to the underside of a footbridge deck to deflect the smoke from a steam locomotive passing underneath.