Orgin of All Aboard

[Anonymous]

Everybody recogiizes this phrase, shouted out by almost evrery conductor in America, but I have three questions: how did this phrase, orgignate, why don't I hear it any more, and if it is still said, does it really have any practical meaning? Thanks, Kyle L. Godfrey

[dknelson]

I would not be surprised to learn that it is a hold over from the stagecoach era, or maybe it is a cousin of "last call!" at British pubs. It certainly has been part of the railroad lexicon for years. I hear Amtrak conductors and train crews say it from time to time. It usually sounds more like "Bort!"
Dave Nelson

[Anonymous]

I heard somewhere that this phrase originally started with ships. Unfortunately, that's all I know.

[Anonymous]

I stll use it- so it's not "out" yet.

[Anonymous]

I have a book (at home at present) about the developent of the railway passenger car, and it contains a great deal of writings from passengers on the American railways, early 1840's through the early 1900's.

It would appear from the Brits who wrote about early American rail travel, that the call "All Aboard" and "All Out" were unique to the U.S. "All Out" would be called to get passengers out of the coaches and into the rail dining halls for the brief food stops on long journeys. "All Aboard" would indicate that the 15 or 20 minute stop was concluded, as no train crew paid much attention to whether or not everyone was back on the train.

Interestingly, some remarked that occaisionally the train would "sneak off", without a call for passengers, nor a ringing of the bell or a blow of the whistle!