is a form of Technical Terminology . The difference between the American term "'''railroad'''" and the British term "'''railway'''" (also used by other English-speaking countries outside the U.S.) is the most obvious trans-Atlantic difference in rail terminology (see Usage Of The Terms Railroad And Railway for more information). There are also several others, caused by the parallel development of rail transport systems on both sides of the Atlantic. Various terms are here presented alphabetically; where a term has multiple names this is indicated. The note "U.S." indicates a term originating on the North American continent, while "UK" refers to terms originating in the British Isles / Europe .
For terminology specific to the types of lines used for Passenger Trains , see Passenger Rail Terminology .
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- : American Locomotive Company - the second largest builder of steam locomoties in the U.S..
- : railroad brakes which operate using air compression
- : locomotive with a 4-4-0 Wheel Arrangement
- : a steam locomotive with one or more engine units that can move relative to the main frame
- : locomotive with a 4-4-2 Wheel Arrangement
- '''s.
-
-
- ''' in the United Kingdom to help train drivers observe and obey warning signals.
- : A gauge recording the application and pressure of an automatic braking system; usually repeated in the guard's van in historic rolling stock.
- ''' service first operated by Auto Train Corporation and then by Amtrak between Lorton, Virginia and Sanford, Florida that carries the passengers' Automobile s aboard the same train in Autorack s.
- : a , Motor train.
- (U.S.): a specialized freight car for transporting automobiles. '''Car transporter wagon''' / '''Car transporter van''' (UK).
331, a GP60B .]]
- '''.
- (UK): Slang term for a Cut Off controlled by a wheel operating through a worm and nut, rather than the more usual quadrant lever. The device was slow to operate, but very precise, and therefore only fitted to long-distance locomotives where frequent changes of cut-off were not required.
- : American locomotive manufacturer.
- ''' or cinders forming the track-bed on which sleepers (ties) and Track are laid to ensure stability and proper Drainage .
- : a particularly steep section of line that requires additional bank (or banking) engines (U.S.: booster engines) to help trains climb.
- : ( tree is a very large tropical tree.
- (UK), Saddle (rail) (U.S.): an iron or steel plate used to spread the weight of rail over a larger area of sleeper and facilitate a secure, low maintenance, fastening with bolts or clips.
- '''/track arrangement where the train pulls into a siding, or dead-end, when serving the platform.
- ''' in 1970.
- : A steam pipe leading into the smokebox, causing necessary draft in the stack when the engine is '''not''' running. However, UK practice is to turn on the blower also when entering tunnels, etc, to avoid dangerous blow-back into the cab. The UK Loading Gauge is much smaller than that in the U.S. and the tunnel roof would otherwise spoil the normal draft created from the exhaust.
- : (archaic, U.S.): a slang word for a small Caboose with just four wheels, all rigidly mounted to the frame. This design was common in the 1800s . Bobber refers to the bouncing or bobbing motion made by such a caboose when in motion.
- (Europe): a locomotive with a 4 wheel per truck configuration as opposed to a 6-wheel "Co Co" configuration.
around the ends of the axles.]]
- (UK and Australia), Truck (U.S.): The undercarriage assembly incorporating the wheels, suspension, brakes and, in powered units, the traction motors.
- : a cylindrical container adjacent to the firebox in which steam is produced to drive a steam locomotive.
- : Short wires used to bridge gaps in electrical circuits, usually at track circuit joints or between rails.
- B Unit '''
- (U.S.): a type of rolling stock with a flat-bottomed rail car enclosed on all sides and above, which is loaded and unloaded from sliding doors on each side. Same as van (UK).
- (U.S.) and its synonyms.
- : a train crewmember who performs railcar and track management; often a single job description along with switchman ("brakeman/switchman"). Originally a brakeman performed manual activation of brakes on railroad cars before the advent of the air brake.
- : a secondary railway line that branches off a main line.
- '''). Many early railroads were broad gauge, for example the Great Western Railway in the UK which adopted 7 ft 1/4 in (2141 mm) gauge until it was converted to standard gauge in the 1860s - 1890s . Russia still has over 80,000 km of broad gauge (1520 mm or 5 ft) railroads. Broad gauge is also normal in Spain, Portugal, and India (1680 mm or 5ft 6ins), as well as Ireland (1600 mm or 5ft 3ins). It is still to be found in Australia (1600 mm).
- : A DMU consisting of a single coach (UK)
- : A particular form of coupler which will lock automatically when the two parts are pushed together.
- (UK): the barrier installed at the end of a dead-end track to prevent rail vehicles from proceeding further. '''Bumper''' (U.S.).
- (slang, U.S.): a Caboose on the Boston And Maine Railroad .
- (UK): A steel rail section commonly used in 60ft lengths on almost all railway lines throughout Britain until c1950, which on account of its shape needs to be supported in cast iron chairs that are screwed to the sleepers. It is still found on secondary and preserved lines and in the yards.
s in Ohio .]]
- '''.
- (UK). Largely obsolete, the vehicle in question having been replaced by the electronic End of Train (EOT) device, or Flashing Rear End Device (FRED).
- : angle. Can be used in the context of the cant of the rail track (the relative level one rail with another); and the cant of a rail, being the angle of that single rail relative to the perpendicular.
- '''s and B Unit s.
- ''' or Multiple Unit .
- (UK): a narrow strip of land (usually with cables and often with a walkway) between the edge of the outermost track and the start of non-railway land.
- : a system in which signals and switches for a given area of track are controlled from a centralized location. May or may not be computerized.
- (UK): A cast iron bracket screwed to the sleeper and used to support bull head rail that is held in place by a wooden key (wedge) or spring steel clip. Still to be found on preserved railways and in yards.
- (U.S.): Chessie System 's kitten logo.
- (UK): smokestack or stack (U.S.), or funnel.
- ''' Copper : Chopper Enthusiasts nickname for BR Class 20 locos.
- (Europe): a heavier duty locomotive with 6 wheels per truck configuration as opposed to a 4-wheel "Bo Bo" configuration. The correct classification is Co'Co', but Co Co is used more often.
- (UK): Signals the aspects of which are conveyed by lights alone; they may have 2, 3, 4 or more aspects.
on British Railways in 1948.]]
- : a steam locomotive passing the output steam through two sets of cylinders. One set uses high-pressure steam and passes the "low-pressure" steam on to the second.
- : A special joint bar used to join rail ends of two different cross-sections while holding the top running surface and inside gauge surface even.
- ('''CP''') (U.S.): an interlocking, or the location of a track signal or other marker with which Dispatcher s can specify in the control of trains.
- : abbreviation for "Container On Flat Car".
- (U.S.), Guard (UK): the person "in charge" of a train and its crew. On passenger trains, a conductor is also responsible for tasks such as assisting passengers and collecting tickets.
- (U.S.), formation (UK): a noun to describe the group of rail vehicles which make up a train.
.]]
-
- : Rods between crank pins on the wheels, transferring power from a driving axle to a driven axle
- (U.S.), Coupling (UK): Railroad cars in a train are connected by couplers located at the ends of the cars.
- (U.S.): a locomotive whose sides and roof are non-structural, and cover the full width of the locomotive. Structural strength comes from the underframe.
- a pin protruding from a wheel into a main or coupling rod
- the pivot between the piston rod and the main rod on a steam locomotive.
- (slang, U.S.): a word used for a Caboose in deplorable condition.
- '''.
- : A safety mechanism on a train controller which automatically applies the brake if a lever is released. It is intended to stop a train if the driver is incapacitated.
- : Small charges placed on the running rail which explode when run over; used to warn drivers in following trains of an incident ahead. Also called '''torpedoes''' (U.S.).
, Florida .]]
- : Trackage which allows a rail line to cross another at grade.
in Poland .]]
- or DMU: a set of diesel-powered self-propelling passenger rail vehicles able to operate in multiple with other such sets. Such units, especially those consisting of a single vehicle, are sometimes termed '''railcars'''.
- : Driver-only operation
- : Gasoline-electric self-powered passenger car used for small capacity rural commuter service.
- (UK, etc.): a direction (usually away from London, other capital city, or the headquarters of the railway concerned) or side (on left-running railways, the left side when facing in the down direction). The opposite of '''up'''. The down direction is usually associated with odd-numbered trains and signals.
- (UK), Engineer (U.S.)
- ''' Driving Wheel , particularly in "single driver" (one driven axle) engines.
- or DVT: an end carriage from which the train can be driven when the locomotive is at the rear of the train, Push-pull operation.
- ''' system. Steam passing through a cone sucks air from the Train Pipe to create the vacuum. Usually fitted in pairs: a small ejector running continuously to overcome leaks and to restore the vacuum after light braking and a large ejector operated when needed to release the brakes quickly after a heavy application or to create the initial vacuum ("making a brake" – UK) after coupling up.
- or EMU: a set of electrically powered self-propelling passenger rail vehicles able to operate in multiple with other such sets.
locomotives coupled "elephant style".]]
- (U.S.) - Railfan jargon to describe how multiple Locomotive s are coupled together in a train; the front of the second locomotive is coupled to the rear of the first locomotive, the front of the third locomotive is coupled to the rear of the second locomotive, and so on down the line. The term is reminiscent of a parade of circus elephants where the elephant behind the front elephant would hold the leading elephant's tail in its trunk.
- : one typically built on supports over city streets, also just "the el"
- : Electro-Motive Diesels, Inc, the world's largest builder of railroad locomotives.
- (U.S.): driver, engine driver, train driver (UK)
- (U.S.): End of train device; same as FRED (see below).
- (UK): Electro-pneumatic brake gauge; recording the application and pressure of the service brake, usually repeated in the guard's van in historical rolling stock.
- - a device that continuously captures analog and digital train systems information and stores that data for a minimum of 48 hours. This data is used to evaluate incidents and accidents. Typical stored data includes speed, brake pressure, dynamic brake, horn activation, track signal, etc. In the U.S., event recorders are mandated by the Federal Railroad Adminitration (FRA) for freight, passenger and commuter rail. Regulations for railroad outside the U.S. vary by country. Transit operations are not generally mandated to have event recorders but have begun to add them anyway.
- (U.S.): An ex- Conrail locomotive (jargon).
- : a train that runs through selected stations without stopping.
- '''.
- ''', typically (but not exclusively) with two Boiler s and connected Firebox es in a central cab.
- (U.S.): a railroad which is no longer in business, having either merged or discontinued operations.
- : (U.S.) the Federal Raiload Administration. This agency overseas all rail operational regulations and safety requirements for U.S. freight, passenger and communter rail operations.
- '''; improves efficiency.
- , '''fettling''': making repairs to Rail Track , especially concerned with maintaining the drainage of the ballast, and the proper cant of the rail track and rails.
- : used in model railways to provide more realistic operation in limited space.
- : in steam railroading, a firebox was a chamber in which a fire would produce sufficient heat to create steam once the hot gases from the firebox were carried into the adjacent boiler via tubes or flues.
- : a worker whose primary job is to shovel coal into the firebox and ensure that the boiler maintains sufficient steam pressure; a driver's assistant.
- (UK), Joint bar (U.S.): joins the ends of rails in jointed track. Also the steel plate between rails and ties
s.]]
- (U.S.): a type of rolling stock, which can be a flat-bottomed car with no sides on which freight (including intramodal shipping containers) can be stacked. A bulkhead is a flatcar with walls on the front and back. A center-beam bulkhead is a bulkhead flatcar with an additional wall dividing one side of the flatcar from the other, but still without any sides. '''Flat wagon''' (UK).
- : a railway junction that has a track configuration in which merging or crossing railroad lines provide track connections with each other without requiring trains to cross over in front of opposing traffic.
- (U.S.): colloquial term for a Railfan , specifically one whose enthusiasm is unreasonably excessive, "foaming at the mouth".
- : the part of the line between a pair of running rails. An abbreviation for '''four foot, eight-and-a-half-inches.''' See also ''six-foot'' and ''ten-foot.''
- : (U.S.) Flashing Rear-end Device
- (U.S.): goods (UK)
- : (U.S.) casting with "X" shaped grooves used in '' Switch es'' and ''crossovers''.
- : type of modular layout in model railroading
- : a Thomas The Tank Engine Misnomer for a Chimney (UK) or smokestack (U.S.), although it is also used in Australia (Victoria at least).
uses a fusee to demonstrate a hand signal indicating "stop".]]
- : A pyrotechnic device similar to an automotive flare that is used for signalling.
- '''
- : an alternate (U.S.) spelling of "Gauge" as in "track or rail gage".
- (slang, U.S.): A track maintenance worker.
- : the width between the rails.
- : A slang term for any of the GP ("general-purpose") series of Electro-Motive four-axle diesel locomotives; originally applied only to EMD GP7 , GP9 , and GP18 models.
- : a type of rolling stock with a flat bottom and relatively low sides, used to haul material such as ore or scrap, and loaded and unloaded from the top. May be covered or uncovered. Open wagon (UK).
- (UK): freight (U.S.): both terms are used in Australian English
- : handle on the side of a car to allow switching personnel to hold on Safely
- : a colour associated with go or proceed.
- ''' (U.S.) In Australia, the latter is used for tram conductors, guard is more common on trains.
- (U.S.) Check rail (UK and Australia): A double rail section of track, sometimes found in train yards and on bridges to prevent derailments, by having rail on both sides of the wheel flange. Also found on curves with a tight radius and switches and crossings
- (AUS) Railway enthusianst, in Melbourne , Victoria often refers to tramway enthusiast.
- (slang, U.S.): a Caboose , since it carried the crew around like a taxicab.
- (slang, U.S.): the practice of running a Diesel locomotive with its long hood forward. This has been done for a variety of reasons, such as crew safety in case of a collision. On short runs, operating the locomotive "backwards" is more economical than using a wye or turntable or operating a second locomotive. Some locomotives may have a second control stand to facilitate operation in the "reverse" direction.
- , a small, hand-powered railroad car used for track inspection.
- or HEP: a scheme whereby the locomotive engine (rather than a separate generator) provides power to carriages.
- (U.S.): a city-based transit rail system that runs on its own dedicated track and often underground. Subways are considered heavy rail.
- : the upper rail in a curve or superelevation which typically experiences the higher lateral loads and greater wear.
- (slang, U.S.): a Locomotive Engineer .
400, an ALCO RS-11 , a type of Hood Unit .]]
- (U.S.): a locomotive whose sides and roof are non-structural and do not extend the full width of the locomotive. Structural strength comes from the underframe.
- (slang, U.S.): a small commuter passenger train or trolley.
- : Enthusiasts nickname for BR Class 50 locos.
- ''' in the journal bearing.
- : A device attached to the track which monitors passing trains for hot axles, and typically then reports the results via a radio transmission (U.S.) or a circuit to the signal box (UK). (see Defect Detector ).
- (U.S.): that power used to provide for the comfort of passengers aboard a train en-route. See "HEP" above.
- (U.S.): a fast, long-distance train given priority on the track over other trains.
- : a raised section in a rail storage yard that allows operators to use gravity to move freight railcars into the proper storage position within the yard (i.e., humping the cars).
- : device to force water into a steam locomotive's boiler by steam pressure.
- , '''IBJ''': Insulated rail joint/insulated block joint. Rail joints incorporating insulation to isolate individual track circuits.
tower and tracks at Des Plaines, Illinois , in 1993.]]
- Interlocking''' is also the term for the actual mechanical or electrical apparatus that prevents switch/points and signals from being operated in ways that would allow for conflicting train movements.
- : moving goods or people by more than one type of vehicle. Intermodal freight can be transported using shipping containers which can easily be transferred among railroad flatcars, ships, airplanes, and tractor-trailer trucks.
- ''' that has tracks along the full lengths of both sides.
- : track in which the rails are laid in lengths of around 20 m and bolted to each other end-to-end by means of fishplates (UK) / joint bars (U.S.).
- , '''fishplate''' (UK): joins the ends of rails in jointed track.
- : A point at which two lines or separate routes diverge from each other.
- (UK): Timber or sprung steel block used to secure Bull Head rail into the chairs.
- ; this lantern burned Kerosene to produce light.]] (U.S.): A portable (often handheld) light source that is used to signal train crews. '''Lamp''' (UK).
- ''' and routings must therefore be controlled by Signal s and an Interlocking plant.
- : a locomotive travelling without cars attached except perhaps a Brake Van .
- '''s.
- : A train that stops at most, if not all, stations along its route. See also: ''Stoptrein''.
- (UK): A trackside cabinet used to house signalling equipment such as relays or transformers.
- (UK), Siding (U.S.): used on single-track railway lines, a loop is a second parallel set of tracks (running for a short distance), allowing two trains to pass by one another.
- (U.S.): The drive rod connecting the crosshead to a driving-wheel or axle in a steam locomotive. '''Connecting rod''' (UK).
- (U.S.): A track that is used for through trains or is the principal artery of the system from which branches, yards, and spurs are connected. Mainline tracks are typically at higher speeds than branch lines and are usually maintained and built to a higher standard than yards and branch lines.
- (U.S.): The maintenance of railroad rights of way, including track.
- (pronounced "mallay"): type of Articulated Locomotive designed by Anatole Mallet. See ''"Compound Engine"'' above.
- (U.S.): Penn Central logo (jargon/slang).
- : A signal the aspect of which is conveyed by moving an arm in addition to a light.
- : Montreal Locomotive Works , bought by Bombardier and closed.
- : locomotive with a 2-6-0 Wheel Arrangement
- (UK): See Auto train (UK) above.
- : A system of colour-light signalling in which signals may show 3 or 4 aspects.
- ''' (DMU), Diesel-Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) and Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) are more common terms. These may also be termed Railcar s.
- ''' or (colloquially) "lash-up" and is said to be "MUed together".
- (UK and Australia): see Multiple unit (above).
(blue) and one common Narrow Gauge (red) rail spacing.]]
- : railroad track where the rails are spaced less than apart. There are many common gauges narrower than standard, amongst them 3 ft 6 in (1097 mm) widely in Africa and Asia; 3 ft (914 mm), which was the most common narrow gauge in the U.S.; and 2 ft (600 mm), which saw widespread use in the UK. Meter gauge (1000 mm) has also been used. Narrow-gauge lines are often found in mountainous terrain where the cost savings of building a smaller railroad can be considerable.
- (UK), Gondola (U.S.).
- (UK): A distance (normally 200 yards) beyond each signal which must be clear before the preceding signal can display a proceed aspect; allows a margin in case a train overshoots a signal before stopping.
- ''' with the water tanks mounted on the boiler like panniers.
- '''
- : fee paid by a railroad to the owner of a car for the time it spends on the railroad's property. Pronounced by U.S. railroaders ''per die-um,'' not ''per dee-um.''
- : the moving part in a Steam Engine cylinder that translates the steam pressure into motion
- ''' (U.S.). Also "turnout".
- (UK and Australia): A motor or device which operates points.
- : a two-wheel truck (U.S.) or bogie (UK) at the front of a locomotive
- : locomotive with a 2-6-2 Wheel Arrangement
- ''' for train with locomotives at both front and back.
- ''' the size of a bus, sometimes made using bus components.
- ''' - DMU
- : a hobbyist or enthusiast of trains
- the specific shape of the rail. There are many different rail profiles which are often specific to individual railroads. Rails need to be periodically scanned electronically, the data inspected and analyszed, then re-profiled with rail grinding machines to maintain the safe and proper "rail profile". Rails that cannot be brought back to the proper rail profile are condemned and replaced entirely.
- : a railroad vehicle that is not a locomotive.
- : artifacts of currently or formerly operating railways around the world.
- ''' (U.S.)
- : a colour generally associated with stop, when shown by signals or flags.
- (slang, U.S.): A (usually old) locomotive owned by a leasing company.
- ''', that is applied to equipment operating on North American railroads to uniquely identify the owner of the equipment.
- ''', above.
- : A failure in a signalling system which leaves the system in a safe condition
- : a railroad vehicle that is not a locomotive; synonymous with railroad car.
- : a plate which is bolted to sleepers, holding the rails in place.
- ''' with the water tank mounted on top of the boiler like a saddle.
- : the system of rules and equipment designed to ensure the safe operation of trains.
, Poland .]]
- '''s, grab bars, and automatic Coupler s
- ''' for extra heavy and oversized loads; the car is loaded in such a way that the load forms part of the car superstructure.
- : a signal with a single light source usually capable of displaying three different colors. Complex internal mechanisms govern which color is actually displayed.
- : the division of the track for security (occupation).
- : a type of signal that has a mechanical moving arm; any signalling using Semaphore s.
- : A type of geared steam locomotive built to the patents of Ephraim Shay.
- : A temporary stretch of track that takes trains around construction or an accident scene.
- (UK): to move trains or vehicles from one track to another.
- (U.S.): to bond the rails/power feeds between sections on trolley/light rail systems, so as to temporarily bridge past dead areas.
- ''' (U.S.) or Shifter ( PRR only): a small locomotive used for assembling trains and moving railroad cars around. Also, a person involved in such work.
- ''' terminus.
- ''' with water tanks mounted each side of the boiler.
- .
- : a device that indicates to the driver of a train information about the line ahead.
- : The colour shown on a signal, or the position of the arm on a semaphore signal, ncluding the track status. In the UK, multiple aspect signals are:
- ---green = clear
- ---red = stop
- ---double yellow = preliminary caution (The next signal but one is likely to be red)
- ---single yellow = caution (The next signal is likely to be red)
- or '''SPAD''' (UK): where a train disobeys a stop signal.
- : the narrow corridor between a pair of closely-spaced tracks, measuring six feet, and the most dangerous place to stand. The boundary between the ''six-foot'', where one may be hit by a train, and the wider designation/width of the ''ten-foot'', where one is usually safe, is hard to judge. See also ''four-foot'' and ''ten-foot''.
- (UK), to support the rails. Generally of wood, concrete or steel, with various contraptions to affix the rails to the sleeper. Usually Spikes , nails or bolts are used.
- ''' (normally the front). Supports the stack/chimney; steam pipes to and from the cylinders pass through here; contains the Blastpipe /exhaust nozzle where the exhaust steam is used to provide draft for the fire. In Superheated locomotives, also contains the superheater header and (optionally) a front-end throttle. A smokebox door allows access for cleaning.
- ''' (UK)
- es.]] : a bolt, pin or nail used to hold rails, or plates connected to the rails (known as saddles), to sleepers.
- (UK): Signal Passed At Danger, where a train disobeys a stop signal.
- (UK): Signal-post telephone - a direct no-dial telephone link to the relevant signal box, positioned on or near a signal.
- (India): an acronym for Self Propelled Ultrasonic Rail Testing, a self-propelled rail defect detector car.
- : a method of safeworking involving a token.
- : railroad track where the rails are spaced apart. This is by far the most common gauge of railway worldwide.
- (U.S.): an electric locomotive with a central cab and sloping "noses" on each end.
- (Netherlands): a train that stops at every station along its route. See ''Local train''.
- ''' worked by a steam piston controlled from the cab.
- (U.S.): a railroad that runs underground, generally in a large city. Subways are also considered "heavy rail" because they operate on their own dedicated track.
- (UK): a tunnel passing underneath the railway tracks to allow passengers to cross from one platform to another.
- (UK): synonymous with '''cant''': the banking of railroad track on curves. Specifically, the practice on high speed lines (where the cant needs to be higher) of gently introducing the elevation of the outer rail before the bend starts, in order to avoid sudden lurches.
- ''' to increase power.
- ''' (UK and Australia). Also "turnout".
- (U.S.), Shunter (UK): a small locomotive used for assembling trains and moving railroad cars around.
- : a railroad worker responsible for assembling trains and switching railroad cars in a yard; these days often used together with brakeman as a single job description ("brakeman/switchman").
- ''', the fuel usually in a bunker behind the cab and the water in tanks on either side of, above, or below the boiler (respectively: side tanks, saddle tank, well tank).
- : an area, usually at least ten feet wide, between a pair of widely-spaced tracks, wide enough to form a place of safety in which railwaymen can stand while a train goes past. See also ''four-foot'' and ''six-foot.''
ten-wheeler.]]
- (U.S.): locomotive with a 4-6-0 Wheel Arrangement
- (esp. U.S.), '''terminus''' (esp. UK): a station sited where a railway line ends or terminates.
- ''', giving power to trains. Used mostly in Subways and rapid transit systems.
- ''' (UK)
- : the standard Platform and track arrangement at a station. The train pulls alongside the platform, arriving from one end of the station, and may pass out the other end of the station by continuing along the same track.
- : combining two or more physically separate railways onto a common length of track. This is often done to eliminate redundant trackage and/or improve service.
- : an abbreviation for "Trailer-On-Flat-Car."
- : a physical object given to a locomotive driver to authorize him to use a particular stretch of single track.
- (UK): a train with locomotives at both ends, for ease of changing direction.
- : a small explosive device strapped to the top of the rail to alert an approaching train of immediate danger ahead. A torpedo creates a loud noise upon contact with a locomotive wheel, signaling the engineer to reduce speed to 20 mph or less; the train cannot resume its original speed until it has traveled at least a mile beyond where it encountered the device. Traditionally used in pairs to ensure that the sound registered with train crews, torpedoes today are essentially obsolete as modern locomotive cabs' soundproof construction renders the devices useless. ('''UK''':Detonator)
- ''' PT Boat s) were integral to the design of the EMD SD24 , and retrofitted (both at the factory and on an aftermarket basis) to other locomotives such as the GP7 , GP9 , and CF7 (typically when the units were placed into passenger train service and larger fuel and water storage tanks were required).
- : an electrical device for detecting the presence of trains on sections of tracks, and used to put signals automatically to green or red as required.
]]
- : generally, a locomotive used in track maintenance and equipped with track lifting facilities, and paddles enabling ballast to be pushed beneath a rail track so as to assure its level and cant.
- : safeworking for single lines.
- : an employee assigned to train service, such as a Conductor, Brakeman or Switchman.
- : The supply for the driving motors of electric trains.
- '''.
- (UK): A book or loose-leaf sheets kept in a signal box and used to record the passage of trains, messages passed, and other prescribed events.
- : a group of Rolling Stock that is permanently or semipermanently coupled together to form a unified set of equipment. Trainsets are most often used in Passenger Train configurations.
- ''' which can be detection over a length of up to several kilometres.
- , '''Wye''' (U.S.): a way of turning engines or trains.
- see Bogie
- ''' (U.S.).
- (U.S.): the legal right of one railroad company to use the tracks of another, as agreed to by the companies concerned or their predecessors; may also be ordered by government regulators, e.g. as a condition of a merger. '''Running powers''' (UK).
- : a section of track that can rotate, allowing rolling stock to be reversed, and also allow a large number of engine maintenance sidings to be accessed in a small area.
.]]
- ''' and facilities are shared by two or more Railway Companies .
- (UK, etc.): a direction (usually towards London, other capital city, or the headquarters of the railway concerned) or side (on left-running railways, the left side when facing in the up direction). The opposite of '''down'''. The up direction is usually associated with even-numbered trains and signals.
- '''(goods) .
- ''' from the locomotive but the application is actually by Atmospheric Pressure when the vacuum is released. Now largely superseded by the Air Brake .
- : a device showing the amount of water in the boiler
- : term used by the Chicago, Burlington And Quincy Railroad , Chicago And North Western Railway and Atchison, Topeka And Santa Fe Railway instead of Caboose
- : Trackside. The term presumably has it's origin from the term Right-of-way .
- '''. The water tank is mounted between the frame plates, beneath the cab and boiler.
- : a flat wagon that is extra low in the middle and used for carrying extra tall loads.
- : the rolling component typically pressed onto an axle and mounted on a rail car or locomotive truck or bogie. Wheels are cast or forged (wrought) and are heat treated to have a specific hardness. New wheels are trued to a specific profile before being pressed onto an axle. All wheel profiles need to be periodically monitored to insure proper wheel to rail interface. Improperly trued wheels increase rolling resistance, reduce energy efficiency and may create unsafe operation.
- : the process of a wheel climbing up and often off the inside or gauge side of the rail and is a major source of derailments. Wheel climb is more likely to occur in curves with wheels whose flanges are worn or have improperly trued angles.
- : the inner section of a wheel that rides between the two rails. The angle between the wheel tread and flange is often specific to the rail to prevent wheel climb and possible derailments.
- : historical railway occupation; people employed to tap train wheels with hammers, with a view to listening to the sound made so as to determine the integrity of the wheel; cracked wheels, like cracked bells, do not sound the same as their intact counterparts. The job was associated with the steam age, and is an early form of acoustic investigation. Contemporary planned maintenance procedures have obviated need for the wheel-tapper.
- : the flat angular section (often with a 1 in 20 slope) of a railroad wheel that is the major contact point with the rail.
- ''' for a description of the whistle code used to communicate.
- : system of describing steam locomotive wheel arrangements, eg 4-6-4, 2-10-2. The first number indicates the "pilot" wheels that help lead the engine into turns. The second in the number of coupled wheels ("drivers"). Third are the trailing idler wheels, usually to provide support to larger fireboxes.
- : A failure in a signalling system that leaves the system in a dangerous condition
where one approach to the interchange has been abandoned.]]
- , '''triangle''' (UK): three railroad tracks in a triangular form with switches at all three corners. With sufficient lengths of track leading away in all three directions, a wye can turn a train of any length.
- : a location where rolling stock is switched to and from trains, freight is loaded or unloaded, and consist made up.
- : a colour assocated with warning or slow down when used by flags or signals; the exact meaning varies from railway system to railway.
- , '''switchback''' (U.S.): a way of climbing hills, where the train reverses direction for a while, and then reverses again to resume the forward motion. Some Zig Zags :
- --- Lapstone or Little Zig Zag, New South Wales, Australia (c1860-1890);
- --- Lithgow or Great Zig Zag, New South Wales, Australia (c1870-1910) (now a museum railway).
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