Glossary...at the risk of looking like an idiot

[cacole]

Stock certificates I have seen (reproductions sold by Historic Rail) seem to indicate that most railroads were called railway companies by the stock exchange, and railroads by the general public. For example, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company on their stock certificates, and Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, on their timetables.

[jimrice4449]

There's also the matter of restructuring after bankrupcy as mentioned above and changing the name of the restructured RR without substanintively chnging the meaning, ALso, more history, the Great Northern Railway was built by Canadian JJ Hill and the Chicago & Northwesren Railway was financed by British capital (and runs left handed as the UP to this day).

[jimrice4449]

RWY-RR. An intresting study on the dynamics of language. US and Brit. Commonwealth speak the same language right? Well it seems that there was this divergence CA. 1776 and rhe RWY-RR didn't come along until the 1830s, hence Sleepers/ties, points/switch (or turnout), wagons/cars, etc.

[NZRMac]

Then you come to New Zealand or the UK we have Bogies instead of trucks
Points " " turnouts
Wagons " " Cars
Carriages " " Passenger cars

You should see the look on the LHS owner's face when I use American terms!!!

Ken.

[dehusman]

There is no real difference between a "railroad" and a "railway". The two terms can be used interchangeably, it just depends on which one the company used when it incorporated.

Dave

[davekelly]

Look like an idiot? No way, I think I have the lock on that! lol. In any event don't ever feel like an idiot. Those of us that have been around the hobby for a while sometimes use words or abbreviations that might not be familiar to "normal" folks [:)]

[Don Gibson]

It's an INCORPORATION THING.

Some Railroad's - when they went bankrupt - re incorporated as 'Railway - & vice versa - with a new set of stockholder's..

[tatans]

Almost all American references use Railroad(RailRoad?) Up here in Canada we use the term Railway(RailWay), and I believe the Brits use this term also, by the way there really is a big difference between both terms, and a very specific reason different words are used. Now , I used to know the difference, but senility has taken care of that. There are some Railways in the U.S.

[Don Gibson]

QUOTE: "I have seen the term RY. printed in MR a few times and have wondered what, exactly, it meant.

RW - 'Railway'.

RR - 'Railroad'
Most used "P2K" - 'Proto 2000' (A brand)
VA - 'Volt Amperes' - Up dated term for "Watts"
Transformer - Something used to power Lionel AC Trains
Power Pa(c)k - Same but for HO (DC) Trains
SOTA - "State of the art"
Turnout' - A selectablel rout diverging piece of track
Switch - A selectable electric activator - often for a turnout
* * * * - naughty words edited out to protect our tender ears
MR - Model Railroader magazine

[Anonymous]

Thanks espeefoamer! I thought that might be it, but silly me figured it would be RW if they wanted to say RailWay (First letter of each word of a compound word). I guess that's what I get for overthinking things.

As for the glossary, does it stop the definitions for everyone else?

Thanks,
Darrin

[espeefoamer]

Ry= Railway. Same as RR= Railroad.

[Anonymous]

Thanks trainluver1, I have noticed that and am guilty of it myself on occasion. Normally I can figure it out based on context. However, ry. has and is still escaping me. Perhaps I didn't make it clear in my post, but I still have no idea what it means. I've guessed Rail Yard, but that doesn't make sense in most of the contexts that I've seen this particular term.

Thanks for any info.
Darrin

[Anonymous]

Darrin,

You have to over look us here on the forum. Some times some of us get in a hurry and shorten things-not that they always make sense to the next person...
Any time you're in doubt, just ask. Most members would be more than happy to explain.

trainluver1

[Anonymous]

I have seen the term RY. printed in MR a few times and have wondered what, exactly, it meant.

Trying to find out the meaning led me to another question. When you use the glossary here on the Trains.com site, does it cut off the definitions? Or is it just me? For example, look up the word Rail. It ends with "...with bolts and" Maybe it's just me, but that seems to be a rather abrupt and improper ending to a definition.

Thanks.
Darrin