cuyama:
While it's true that both railroad and railway is used in the US, "railroad" is still an American term. Great Britain and Canada (and probably other commonwealth countries - any Aussies or Kiwis here to chime in?) generally _only_ use railway. Not railroad.
Canadian grade crossbucks said "Railway Crossing" while almost all the model crossbucks available say "Railroad Crossing" like American usage. Which means, make your own, find a Canadian supplier that makes the "correct" ones or use model crossbucks that are wrong.
Chris van der Heide
My Algoma Central Railway Modeling Blog
cuyamawjstix In general "Railroad" is used in the U.S., "Railway" in Great Britain. Not correct. In the US today, some of the largest rail companies are "railways":Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Kansas City Southern Railway (the holding company is "Lines")Norfolk Southern Railway Historically, there have been many, many "railways" in the US, from the Pacific Electric Railway to the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway to the A.T.S.F. Railway and hundreds more. This oft-repeated "truism" is anything but, in the case of the US.
wjstix In general "Railroad" is used in the U.S., "Railway" in Great Britain.
In general "Railroad" is used in the U.S., "Railway" in Great Britain.
Not correct. In the US today, some of the largest rail companies are "railways":Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Kansas City Southern Railway (the holding company is "Lines")Norfolk Southern Railway
Historically, there have been many, many "railways" in the US, from the Pacific Electric Railway to the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway to the A.T.S.F. Railway and hundreds more.
This oft-repeated "truism" is anything but, in the case of the US.
IIRC, he question the poster asked was whether there was a difference between a railroad and a railway. Of course, they are just two terms for the same thing, like truck and lorry. I simply noted that in Britain they use the term "railway" while we use "railroad" in general usage.
Of course many US railroads were officially incorporated as "railways"; I lived next to one (the Minneapolis Northfield and Southern Railway) for 25 years. Their herald clearly showed it as a "railway" - but being an American, I and others would refer to it as 'the railroad' or grade crossing as 'railroad crossings', and it's cars as 'railroad cars'.
dehusmanwjstixWhat Phil was referring to is that sometimes "railroad" was changed to "railway" with the rest of the name remaining the same when the company re-organized, like after a bankruptcy. AB&C Ry. became AB&C RR. True, but which term is used has nothing to do with bankruptcy. Railroads will change their title at various times with or without bankruptcies. The two terms are completely interchangeable and have no difference in meaning. They are just two different ways of saying the exact same thing.
wjstixWhat Phil was referring to is that sometimes "railroad" was changed to "railway" with the rest of the name remaining the same when the company re-organized, like after a bankruptcy. AB&C Ry. became AB&C RR.
True, but which term is used has nothing to do with bankruptcy. Railroads will change their title at various times with or without bankruptcies. The two terms are completely interchangeable and have no difference in meaning. They are just two different ways of saying the exact same thing.
Precisely.
Layout Design GalleryLayout Design Special Interest Group
That's pretty much all there is to it. There is _no_ difference at all. "Railroad" is just an American variation on "Railway". (Canada also uses "Railway" and generally not "Railroad")
Silly Americans, always wanting to be different. (Railroad vs. Railway, Color vs. Colour, mm/dd/yyyyy vs. dd/mm/yyyy, ...)
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
jrbernier THE.RR analog kid 1) What is the difference between a railway and a railroad? "Railroad" is the legal name of the company that built or operated the line. For instance, the "Rock Island Railroad". (I know, the real one had a much longer legal name, but bear with me). "Railway" is the legal name of the company that takes over the bankrupt Railroad (Rock Island Railway). "Railroad" is the legal name of the company that takes over the bankrupt Railway (Rock Island Railroad). And so on. Some times the name itself does change or the popular nickname is legalized. Phil It really has nothing to do with bankruptcy. The 'Great Northern Railway' was not formed out of a bankruptcy. And what do you do about 'Rock Island Lines'. The term lines/railroad/railway/route/company can be used when the company is formed. If there is a bankruptcy, the new company many times will just modify the name as described above - a new legal entity. This very common practice with a re-organization. Jim
THE.RR analog kid 1) What is the difference between a railway and a railroad? "Railroad" is the legal name of the company that built or operated the line. For instance, the "Rock Island Railroad". (I know, the real one had a much longer legal name, but bear with me). "Railway" is the legal name of the company that takes over the bankrupt Railroad (Rock Island Railway). "Railroad" is the legal name of the company that takes over the bankrupt Railway (Rock Island Railroad). And so on. Some times the name itself does change or the popular nickname is legalized. Phil
analog kid 1) What is the difference between a railway and a railroad?
1) What is the difference between a railway and a railroad?
"Railroad" is the legal name of the company that built or operated the line. For instance, the "Rock Island Railroad". (I know, the real one had a much longer legal name, but bear with me). "Railway" is the legal name of the company that takes over the bankrupt Railroad (Rock Island Railway). "Railroad" is the legal name of the company that takes over the bankrupt Railway (Rock Island Railroad). And so on. Some times the name itself does change or the popular nickname is legalized.
Phil
It really has nothing to do with bankruptcy. The 'Great Northern Railway' was not formed out of a bankruptcy. And what do you do about 'Rock Island Lines'. The term lines/railroad/railway/route/company can be used when the company is formed. If there is a bankruptcy, the new company many times will just modify the name as described above - a new legal entity. This very common practice with a re-organization.
Jim
In the case of the Norfolk and Western, it went through several Chapter 11 episodes before emerging as the most efficient rail transportation provider in the US, each time flip-flopping from Railroad to Railway or vice versa. One more (or one less) bankruptcy would have left the Norfolk and Western Railroad to finally merge with the Southern and expand into the NS we know and love.
I model the Japan National Railway, but the Japanese word Tetsudo is written with two characters which can be directly translated as Iron road. Fun, isn't it...
Chuck (Modeling the iron roads of Central Japan in September, 1964)
jrbernier It really has nothing to do with bankruptcy. The 'Great Northern Railway' was not formed out of a bankruptcy. And what do you do about 'Rock Island Lines'. The term lines/railroad/railway/route/company can be used when the company is formed. If there is a bankruptcy, the new company many times will just modify the name as described above - a new legal entity. This very common practice with a re-organization. Jim
What Phil was referring to is that sometimes "railroad" was changed to "railway" with the rest of the name remaining the same when the company re-organized, like after a bankruptcy. AB&C Ry. became AB&C RR.
Interesting this,we never had railroads in the UK,always railways,we had tramroads and if an engine or train came off the rails you were off the road.
Why our systems were ways and your's roads,I don't know;after various reorganisations did'nt some US companies become ways instead of roads?
We never had companies go bankrupt here,the government stepped in and grouped,then nationalised them and then went and privatised them again-biggest mistake in British railway history-the bus company that won the franchise for the London-Edinboro' route can't continue,so the government has had to take it back,now available for re-franchise-any takers?
Steve
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Timber Head Eastern Railroad "THE Railroad Through the Sierras"
The spelling. There is no functional or organizational difference.
2) How wide is a railroad's right-of-way?
There is no set right of way width. It varies from 20 ft to 500 ft to a mile in some cases. Typically it runs in the 50-200 ft range.
analog kid1) What is the difference between a railway and a railroad?
analog kid2) How wide is a railroad's right-of-way?