Railroad Terms, Slang and Abbreviations

U.S. Railroad Retirement Board
Fun Facts No. 3

Railroad Terminology
Terms, Slang and Abbreviations
from an obsolete 1973 guide for unemployment claims examiners

Air Monkey	Air brake repairman
B&B	Bridge and Building department
Bad Order	When a defective car is found by a car inspector, he tacks a small card labeled "bad order" in bold lettering on or near the door of the car. That car may not be moved from the terminal where the inspection occurred until the necessary repairs are made.
Ballast	Gravel, slag or other heavy material used as a road bed to support cross ties and rails.
Belt Line	A railroad with trackage within and/or around a city, operating as a pickup, delivery and transfer facility for truck lines and industrial plants.
Bleeder	The valve by which air is bled from the auxiliary air tank reservoir on a car.
Book of Rules	Set of rules which govern the standard procedure by which employees are required to perform their assigned duties.
Block System	A system of railroad tracks divided into short sections or blocks, usually three or four miles in length, which will permit trains to be run by signal apparatus so that no train can enter a block until the preceding train has left it.
Bowl	The tracks in the Classification Yard where all of the cars are switched to after being humped.
Blue Goose	A high-rail car used by management to get out of the office and look important.
Branch Line	A line serving one or more stations beyond the point of junction with the main or another branch line.
Brownie	A demerit for violation of rules. (See Book of Rules.)
Bull	A special agent, patrolman or railroad policeman.
Bump	To displace a junior employee by the exercise of seniority rights.
Caboose	A car attached to the rear end of a freight train for use by the train crew.
Canned	Discharged or dismissed from service.
Car Knocker	A car inspector.
Chain Gang	When a number of extra trains (not regularly scheduled freight runs) are put into service, regular crews may be assigned to take such trains in turn. When this occurs, train crews are said to be operating in chain gang service.
Classification Tracks	A system of tracks designed to facilitate classification switching by providing for the arrangement of freight cars according to their kinds, contents and destinations.
Consist	The make-up of a freight train by types of cars and their contents.
Crows Nest	The cupola or box-like structure raised above the roof of a caboose from which a trainman may see along the train while it is in motion.
Dead Heading	Traveling from one point to another by an employee who has received orders for such travel from his supervisor. The employee performs no service in such travel status, and he/she is paid for his/her time while in travel at an hourly "dead head" rate.
Demurrage	Tariff charges assessed against consigned for detaining freight cars beyond their specified time limit.
Diesel	Internal combustion engine or locomotive.
Division	A geographical unit of operation in charge of a superintendent under whose direction the three essential functions coming under "operations" are carried out. These functions are the maintenance of way and structures, maintenance of equipment, and transportation of freight and passengers.
Double Track	Two main tracks, one of which the trains run in one direction and the other in the opposite direction.
Dozer	Bulldozer operator.
Extra Board	A list of employees who may be assigned to train crews (1) when extra trains are run, (2) when regular crews have not had sufficient rest time before they can legally be required to return to duty, or (3) when relief men are required on regular crews.
Extra Gang	The crew of track laborers assigned to maintenance work at various points on a railroad right-of-way. These employees may live in camp (bunk) cars where they are provided lodging and meals at a nominal cost.
Flagman	Usually, the brakeman assigned to duties at the rear end of the train.
Flares (Fuses)	Combustible torches which burn (red, yellow or green) for ten to fifteen minutes as warning signals to other trains when touched off and placed or thrown on the ground by train service employees.
Frog	The "X" shaped plate of a cross-over rail; also an implement to rerail car wheels.
Gandy Dancer	A track laborer assigned to work on an extra-gang.
Gauntlet	A third set of rails placed in between two other sets of rails to carry wide loads through tunnels.
Grease Monkey	An employee who is responsible for greasing frogs, switches and interlocking track equipment. Also a car oiler.
Gumshoe	A railroad detective.
Gun	A torpedo placed on a rail which will act as a signal warning when it is detonated by a train crossing over it.
Ham	A student telegrapher.
Head Man	The freight train brakeman who rides in the locomotive cab.
Highball	Signal given by conductor to the engineer when the train is ready to proceed to the next designated stop.
High-Rail	A motor car with small rail wheels used to carry maintenance workers.
Hogger, Hog Head	Locomotive engineer.
Hole	Side track on a single track line which permits another train to pass.
Hopper	Car with hinged trap doors and inclined floors which permits speedy unloading of certain types of ballast or other material.
Hot Box	Overheated wheel journal or wheel bearing which usually causes journal packing to burn and smoke.
Hump Yard	A switching yard on an incline where, after movements by the engine, the cars are shunted by gravitational pull to their destination in a yard.
Interchange	A track on which various cars are delivered or received from one railroad to another.
Ivory Tower	The main control room where the TMD (Train Movement Directors) are based.
King Pin	Another name for a conductor.
L.C.L.	Less than carload lot (freight).
Main Line	That part of a railroad exclusive of switch tracks, branches, yards and terminals.
Manifest	Fast freight usually made up of merchandise, perishables or livestock.
ME	Maintenance of Equipment Department
MW	Maintenance of Way Department
MP	Motive Power Department
Motor Car	A motor-driven railway inspection or work car which rides on the rails and is operated by maintenance of way employees to minimize time spent traveling while on duty.
Mud Hop	A yard clerk; a car checker who maintains a listing of freight cars on arriving and departing trains.
Mud Hen	A surveyor.
No Bill	A worker who refuses to join the union, particularly train or enginemen.
Ran a Red Block	Enter a circuit without clearance from the control tower.
Red Ball	A fast freight train.
Put it on the ground	Derail
Pusher	Team leader responsible for seeing that work gets done on schedule OR a locomotive built to help trains up steep grades by pushing from behind.
Reefer	A refrigerator car, sometimes known as a freezer.
Retarder Yard	A switching yard in which the movement of cars, after they are released from a locomotive, are controlled by an employee in a control tower.
Rip Track	Minor car repair siding.
Road Bed	The foundation on which the rails and ties of a railroad are placed.
Roundhouse	A building in which locomotives and other railroad equipment are inspected, cleaned, repaired and serviced.
Rule G	Railroad work rule against the use of intoxicants.
Run-Around	If an employee is not called for work in turn, he/she may claim pay for the run which he/she missed. In such cases, it is said he has been given a "run-around."
Siding	An auxiliary track along the main line which is used to permit other trains to pass. (See Hole.)
Snake	A railroad switchman.
Snipe	Track laborer (section laborer).
Sperry Car	Railroad car used by Sperry Rail Service to detect weakened or cracked rails.
Spotting Cars	Switching freight cars to a specified location for loading and unloading.
Superintendent	A chief executive officer, who supervises and directs operations over an entire division. He is responsible for the supply and maintenance of rolling stock, equipment, the right of way, and for the prompt handling of traffic.
Swing	A brakeman who has responsibility for breaking up the train by setting out cars or sections of cars in the center position of a freight train.
Tariff	A published schedule showing rates, fares, charges, classification of freight, rules, and regulations applying to various kinds of transportation and incidental services.
Throw it in the hole	Apply emergency brakes.
Trainmaster	An executive officer who supervises train service operations on one or more divisions or on part of a division. He also supervises the operation of trains at terminals and in yard service.
Terminal	Facilities provided by a railroad at a terminus or at any intermediate point on its line for the handling of passengers or freight, and for the breaking up, making up, forwarding and servicing trains, and interchanging with other carriers.
Trick	A work shift or hours of duty.
Turn-Around	A train run from a terminal to an intermediate station and return to that terminal in one work shift.
Turntable	A track table operating on a pivot for diverting locomotives or cars into a specific track. Turntables may be located inside or outside of a roundhouse or other shop facility.
Waybill	A document for handling and accounting for a shipment of freight.
Way Car	A box car from which LCL shipments are loaded and unloaded at various towns.
Weedburner	Flame thrower vehicle which rides on the tracks and is used to kill weeds along the track right-of way.
Whiskers	Age or seniority.
Work Train	A train engaged in company service for which no revenue is received.
Wye	A track in the form of a "Y" which leads from a main line and is used in lieu of a turntable for turning engines, cars and trains around.
Yard	A system of tracks within defined area limits for the making up of trains, storing of cars, and for other purposes.

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