barrow crossing

barrow crossing (plural barrow crossings)

As the ends of the up and down platforms are not opposite each other, it is not possible to provide the ordinary type of barrow crossing, and the full churns were too heavy to be man-handled up and down the stairs of the footbridge.

1951 October, “The Why and the Wherefore: Milk Platform at Beccles”, in Railway Magazine, page 717:

(rail transport, UK) A type of crossing found mainly in railway stations which allows passengers the opportunity to cross between platforms.


porous portal

The Down line portal will measure 220 metres in length, while the Up line portal will be 135 metres long. Known as 'porous portals', they will (as the name suggests) be punctuated with holes. These holes or vents slow the build-up of pressure created by trains within the tunnels. The resulting pressure wave, if left unchecked, can produce a phenomenon known as 'tunnel boom', which is created by the piston effect. Porous portals have been used on other high-speed rail networks in Japan and France, but this is the first time they are being used in the UK.

2024 March 20, Chris Howe, “High speed underneath the Chilterns...”, in RAIL, number 1005, page 33:

(rail transport) A type of extended and perforated tunnel portal on high-speed railways, designed to reduce the build-up of pressure when a train enters a tunnel at high speed.


electric train

(rail transport) A railway train driven by electric motors powered by electricity supplied via overhead lines or third rails, or sometimes from rechargeable batteries. (This entry is a translation hub.)


dual-braked

But on April 13 it 'scrambled' a rake of Mk 2s and dual-braked 'Black 5' 45212 to start its lucrative summer money-spinner two days later.

2024 May 1, “Network News: West Coast Railways runs 'Jacobite' with Mk 1 and Mk 2 combination”, in RAIL, number 1008, page 9:

(rail transport) Of locomotives and rolling stock, fitted for operation of both vacuum and air braking systems.


route mile

In June, 1950, therefore, the Railway Board prepared a tentative regrouping scheme, which contemplated the formation of six new railway systems, each serving a specific zone, and consisting of approximately 5,000 to 6,000 route-miles of line, the total mileage being 33,000.

1952 January, “Notes and News: The Indian Regrouping Scheme”, in Railway Magazine, pages 62-63:

(rail transport) A mile of track on a route between places.


permissive working

(UK, railways) A system allowing more than one train at a time to be on the same line in a block section, a signal section, or a dead-end platform line.


car attendant

A bell circuit, fed from the train lighting battery, is connected to a push in each berth and functions in conjunction with a luminous indicator mounted over the door and in association with a cancellation push, for use by the car attendant.

1952 February, “New Third Class Sleeping Cars”, in Railway Magazine, page 87:

(rail transport) An employee placed in charge of a single coach, sleeping car or lounge car on a medium-to-long-distance passenger train.


honorary steam locomotive

en-noun

honorary steam locomotive (plural honorary steam locomotives)

All of the motive power shown is steam, with the exception of three Alco PA units, which seem generally to have been elevated to the position of honorary steam locomotives.

1968 September 9, George W. Hilton, TRAINS, pages 54-55:

The refurbished motor roars to life, practically an honorary steam locomotive when it's cold.

2014 April 6, Sumpter Valley News, “720 Progress...”, in Sumpter Valley Railroad News:

(rail transport, informal) A diesel locomotive that outputs a large amount of exhaust, to the point it resembles the exhaust from a steam locomotive, particularly those produced by the American Locomotive Company.


rainbow era

From the varied, colorful appearance of multiple liveries in one consist.

Amtrak's Rainbow Era was the first few years where consists were multi-colored because many legacy carriers' former rolling stock was mixed together and not yet painted for Amtrak.

2012 February 15, Tadman, “Ocean View in Rainbow Era”, in Railroad.net:

We have come a long way since that “rainbow era” of using hand-me-down equipment.

2021, “A Brief History of Amtrak Paint Schemes and Liveries”, in Amtrak:

That was the rainbow era when much of Amtrak was still running in the original roads’ paint until 1974.

2022 May 30, markm, “Amtrak in a movie”, in AZL Forum:

(rail transport, informal, US) A period in the early 1970s when Amtrak operated a fleet of used equipment that still carried the paint schemes of their previous owners.


KAN

Khana Junction railway station
w:Khana Junction railway station

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

Kananook railway station
w:Kananook railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Kananook railway station in Australia.


JN

Alternative form: Jn

(rail transport, India) Abbreviation of junction.


RRV

The importance of track workers obeying site rules has been stressed after a man was hospitalised after being hit by a moving road-rail vehicle (RRV) and falling into the 'four foot' between the rails.

2024 June 26, “Network News: RAIB stresses importance of road-rail vehicle vehicle safety procedures”, in RAIL, number 1012, page 17:

road-rail vehicle
road-rail vehicle#English

(rail transport) Initialism of road-rail vehicle.


road-rail vehicle

road-rail vehicle (plural road-rail vehicles)

(rail transport) A vehicle that can be driven along roads to a place where retractable railway wheels can be lowered onto railway track to allow it to be used on the railway, often used for maintenance and construction purposes.


EUB

Euabalong West railway station
w:Euabalong West railway station

(rail transport) The station code of Euabalong West railway station in Australia.


signal passed at danger

(rail transport) An event on a railway where a train passes a stop signal without authority.


cow pusher

Small boys in 1963 could have traction engines with real steam coming out of the funnel, and Old Western locos had flashing lights, hooters and cow-pushers.

1971, Gwen White, Antique Toys And Their Background, page 94:


higher-speed rail

(rail transport, chiefly US) A type of railway system based on existing infrastructure upgraded to allow passenger train speeds typically between 80 and 120 miles per hour.


trainwoman

(rail transport) A woman who works on trains on a railway / railroad.


strap rail

Coordinate term: flat rail

(rail transport) A flat railroad laid containing a metal strap, and placed upon a wooden rail.


flat rail

Coordinate term: strap rail

(rail transport) A metal pole or simple flat bar that is laid horizontally on the ground.


railway signal

Coordinate term: traffic light

(rail transport) A visual or mechanical device that conveys instructions or provides a warning regarding the train driver's authority to proceed.


marker light

No sooner had a waiting locomotive backed on to its train, the vociferous 4-6-4 or 4-8-4 re-emerged from under the bridge, and the two red marker lights on the last vehicles passed, than the headlight of the electric engine hauling the following train could be seen under the bridge and the waiting queue of locomotives had moved up one.

1954 January, H. P. White, “Vignettes of the Rail”, in Railway Magazine, page 54, at Harmon station, New York:

(rail transport) A light marking the end of a train.


electric engine

electric engine (plural electric engines)

electric locomotive
electric locomotive#English:_Q625151

(rail transport) Synonym of electric locomotive.


platform door

platform screen door
platform screen door#English

(rail transport) Synonym of platform screen door


fall plate

fall plates (plural)
fallplate (alternative)

Unlike the earlier standard designs, in which the whole of the footplate was on the engine, fall plates are re-introduced and these are hinged from the front of the tender to rest on the rearward extension of the cab floor.

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

(rail transport, dated) A metal plate resting on the cab floor of a steam locomotive, between engine and tender.


smoking compartment

smoking compartment (plural smoking compartments)

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-smoking compartment.wav

(rail transport) Synonym of smoking car.


rail grinder

rail grinders (plural)
railgrinder (alternative)

(rail transport) A rail maintenance vehicle used to restore the profile and remove irregularities, such as corrugations, from worn tracks to extend their life, and to improve the ride of trains using the track.


brakie

(US, rail transport, colloquial) A brakeman.


open wagon

For the trip over the grass-covered sleepers and between the cow-parsley and briars, an open wagon was added to the usual combination of locomotive and coach, for the benefit of those who wanted to take photographs.

1954 April, A. R. G. Hawkins, “The Easingwold Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 271:

(rail transport) An uncovered vehicle used for goods that do not need protection from the weather, although tarpaulins can be used to cover the load.


track brake

(rail transport) A magnetic brake fitted to a rail vehicle, which is pressed against a rail in railway track.


pointswoman

(rail transport) A woman in charge of railroad points or switches.


pannier tank

The 0-6-0 tank engine has long been a fairly common type on British railways, but with side tanks or saddle tank. The pannier tank combines the good features of these two. It leaves both the running board and the top of the boiler clear, facilitating access to the motion, and permitting the use of standard boiler mountings. It seems to be a sound design, but while Swindon [locomotive works] uses it extensively, no one else uses it at all.

1954 October, W. A. Tuplin, “Pannier Tank Engines of the Great Western Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 677:

(rail transport) A type of tank fitted to both sides of the boiler of a tank locomotive.


ten-wheeler

The British-designed 4-6-0 was much older than that, of course. The "ten-wheeler" had originated in the U.S.A., back in 1847.

1954 November, Frank Hewitt, “The First Decade of British 4-6-0 Locomotives—1”, in Railway Magazine, page 747:

(rail transport) A steam locomotive of the 4-6-0 wheel arrangement.


fire blindness

(rail transport, historical) Temporary blindness of a fireman caused by the glare of the firebox.


motor bogie

The motor bogie is mounted on 3 ft.-4 in. dia. wheels, one lightweight motor being fitted on each motor axle, with the motor nose resting on a rubber block carried on a bracket welded to the bogie transom.

1955 June, “Two-Car Electric Units for Tyneside and Southern Region”, in Railway Magazine, page 387:

(rail transport, UK) A bogie fitted with one or more traction motors, for the purpose of propelling a diesel-electric or electric train or locomotive. Many locomotives have three-axle motor bogies.


elevated line

The last train on the Third Avenue elevated line in New York ran on May 12. This route was the sole survivor of the lines which formed the rapid transit system of the city before the advent of the underground railways early in the present century.

1955 July, “The Last Elevated Line in New York”, in Railway Magazine, page 444:

elevated railway
elevated railway#English

(rail transport) Synonym of elevated railway.