Deggesty Bucyrus Railroad language has a tradition of being terse. Yes, especially when communicating by Morse code, even when using a bug.
Bucyrus Railroad language has a tradition of being terse.
Railroad language has a tradition of being terse.
"Bug" is also used by hams for the Vibroplex keys.
Paul, at times it was advisable to locate a block signal at a point which had at least one non-signaled track between the signal and the track which was signaled. To show that the signal was not for the track(s) immediately beside the signal, a short mast for each such un-signaled track was attached to the right side to the signal mast; such a mastmay have had a blue light (no connection at all with the blue flag that says "do not touch these cars") at its top. Some railroads called it a "bracket."
The first doll mast I remember seeing was in Charlotte, N.C., in December, 1953, by the nb signal which was on the north side of Trade street. I asked a Southern employee what it meant, and he (not knowing himself) answered that it meant a train was coming. I have a vague memory of seeing another somewhere else. Carl Shaver commented, on another thread, that he saw one in the Eastern Terirtory a few years ago.
I thought someone would ask about quartering main drivers, but apparently all who have followed this thread know what and why the process is.
Johnny
I'm sure the song refers to railroad passengers and really doesn't go beyond that.
But doesn't "railroad vernacular" include things that passengers would say too if they are talking about riding a train? When I say "I used to catch the 6:35 Clocker at Princeton Junction" am I using railroad vernacular or not?
Deggesty Another one: doll mast.
Another one: doll mast.
Doll mast???
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"A stranger's just a friend you ain't met yet." --- Dave Gardner
John WR "See those rich folks sittin' in that fancy dinin' car They're prob'ly drinkin' whiskey and smokin' big cigars...."
"See those rich folks sittin' in that fancy dinin' car
They're prob'ly drinkin' whiskey and smokin' big cigars...."
But are they employees on duty, or even railroad management personnel on duty? I doubt it.
Remember this is railroaders' vernacular we're talking about, not passenger vernacular (like using 'George' for the porter... ;-} )
'Think before you strike', as Smokey used to say)
Overmod Better not make ANYTHING with whiskey on railroad property, however. This is railroad vernacular, not bartending vernacular.
Folsom Prison Blues by Johnny Cash
zardoz Paul of Covington Highball is a verb. Unless you make it with whiskey.
Paul of Covington Highball is a verb.
Highball is a verb.
Unless you make it with whiskey.
Paul of Covington Interlocking is a noun. Highball is a verb. One thing that kinda tickles me is the use of "...account..." instead of "...on account of..." I guess it was shortened for convenience when filling out forms.
Interlocking is a noun.
One thing that kinda tickles me is the use of "...account..." instead of "...on account of..." I guess it was shortened for convenience when filling out forms.
Overmod While we're at it: we might as well remember that 'hot-rod' is from a railroad source. A 'hotrod runner' was an engineer who went so fast or so hard ... or stopped his train so seldom for oiling maintenance ... that the rods would heat up. Logical to extrapolate this to non-conformists interested in running at high speed in other contexts...
While we're at it: we might as well remember that 'hot-rod' is from a railroad source.
A 'hotrod runner' was an engineer who went so fast or so hard ... or stopped his train so seldom for oiling maintenance ... that the rods would heat up. Logical to extrapolate this to non-conformists interested in running at high speed in other contexts...
That is very interesting. I had not thought about it lately, but I know that I have at times wondered what "hot rod" actually referred to as applied to cars.
Blue Jay. Back in the days when Jay Gould was active in railroading he would give employees notes written on his distinctive imprinted blue stationary. These notes were known as "blue Jays."
ValleyXHad it to the roof - Term used on some roads to say the engineer had the steam engine doing all it could do
While we're there, let's not forget the other half of the operation, 'had it in the company notch'
In the ditch - derailment
Had it to the roof - Term used on some roads to say the engineer had the steam engine doing all it could do
Join the birds - Jumping in the event of a cornfield meet
Shoot the bill - Placed the train in emergency
Dumped it - Same thing
Marked off - Taking days off on own account
Bumped or rolled - Displaced off a job by a senior person.
The Big O - Old time term for conductors, came from the Organization of Railroad Conductors
That's just a few that come to mind.
Railroad pie. A one dish meal made of ground meat, onion, a little salt and other things* cooked together in a skillet and topped with corn bread batter and baked until the corn bread is done. There are many recipes but you can add whatever you want to the beef and onions. Pour off the excess grease if there is too much.
Traditionally this is made in a black iron skillet but it can also be made in a casserole dish. It can be made in a Dutch oven with a depressed lid to hold hot coals and baked on a camp fire.
*for example corn, beans, peppers (sweet or hot as you prefer), cut up cooked potato and anything else you have handy.
FRED for Flashing Rear End Device.
Pinch bar
Ice gang
Sleepy R--- C.P.R.
Flanger
Goat
Time to test the modac:
Big-hole the Westinghouse
Bad joint
Lazy cock
Broken injector
Blown head
Humping (with the original location being Honeypot)
Oh, yes, but not done often today: quartering the main drivers.
Light engine; engine running light
Early quit
Screw the pooch
Tie up
Grab iron
Anglecock
Bad order
Big hole
Buckle the rubbers
Cornfield meet
Drop
Dutch drop
Flimsy
Flying switch
Saw-by
Shoo-fly
armstrong - manually powered; bad order; - beans; - big hook; - brownie; - drag; - drill; - drop; -Johnson bar; - kick; - leg (one half of wye); - meet; - cnfield meet; - cruimmy; dead head;; - gandy dancer; - highball; - in the hole; - on the ground; - outlawed; - sand house; - shoo fly; - varnish; - flimsy
Thats all for now
May you never be anywhere close to LORAM/SPENO when the stones learn to fly.
zugmann Let's list some of the railroadey terms for basic things. #1 has to be grinding stones for grinding wheels. Jitney = van fusee = flare tricks = shifts Go ahead.. add some more. We can even regional-ize or localize the railroadey terms if you want to.
Let's list some of the railroadey terms for basic things.
#1 has to be grinding stones for grinding wheels.
Jitney = van
fusee = flare
tricks = shifts
Go ahead.. add some more. We can even regional-ize or localize the railroadey terms if you want to.
The term "Grinding stone" is not specific to the Railroad industry, it is used for other types of grinding/polishing equipment but nowadays it may be somewhat archaic. If you Google search the term you will get a lot of hits for suppliers of industrial tools/supples, but when you go to the linked websites they are more commonly called wheels..
"I Often Dream of Trains"-From the Album of the Same Name by Robyn Hitchcock
Yard Goat
Beanery
Mudchicken
Yellow Thingie
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
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