Railroad Terms

Caboose Railroad car usually attached to the end of a train, in which railroad workers could ride and monitor track and rolling stock conditions.

Conductor Railway crew member with safety and operation duties not related to train locomotion.

CCG Crew Change Guide (train-hopper guide) is an underground document passed on from hobo to hobo with information about trains, yards, police, times, maps, etc.

Derailer A device used to prevent fouling of a rail track by unauthorized movements of trains or unattended rolling stock.

Engineer Crew member in-charge of driving the engine, controlling operation of the train, speed, and handling.

Firebox A chamber where the fuel is burned, producing heat to boil the water in the boiler.

Hammer Wedge A Train Track tool used for driving in railroad spikes during track construction or repair.

Hay Burner A hand oil lantern; inspection torch. Also a horse used in railroad or streetcar service.

Hobo A Freight/Train hopper. In the USA, train hopping became a common means of transportation following the American Civil War as the railroads began pushing westward.

Hoghead A slang term for a railroad Engineer.

Hopper Car A railroad freight car used to transport loose bulk commodities such as coal, ore, grain, and track ballast.

Locomotive/Engine Rail transport vehicle that provides the motive power for a train.

Railyard Series of railroad tracks used for storing, loading & unloading railroad cars.

Slack Action The amount of free movement of one car before it transmits its motion to an adjoining coupled car.

Tinderbox A chamber in which a fire would produce sufficient heat to create steam once the hot gases from the firebox were carried into the adjacent boiler via tubes or flues.

Train-Hopper/Freight Hopper Is surreptitiously boarding and riding a railroad freight car.

Trestle Bridge A bridge composed of a number of short spans supported by such frames. This bridge is sometimes called a “trestle” for short.

Wig Wag Old Crossing Signal consisting of a swinging disc facing road traffic with a red light in the center. The disc normally hangs straight down, but an approaching train will set it swinging from side to side, the red light will flash, and a bell will ring.