Glossary of North American railway terms

This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Part of a series on
Rail transport
History Company types
Infrastructure
Management Rail yard Railway station list Railway track Maintenance Track gauge
Service and rolling stock
Bogie (truck) Couplings Freight Locomotives Multiple units Passenger train Commuter High-speed Inter-city Regional Rail subsidies Railroad cars Operating Trains Shuttle trains
Special systems
Tram History Light rail Interurban Rapid transit History Maglev Urban
Miscellanea
Accidents Attractions By country Companies List of high-speed trains Longest train services Modelling Museums Platform screen doors Railway speed record Suicide Terminology (AU, NA, NZ, UK)
Transport portal
v t e

This article contains a list of terms, jargon, and slang used to varying degrees by railfans and railroad employees in the United States and Canada. Although not exhaustive, many of the entries in this list appear from time to time in specialist, rail-related publications. Inclusion of a term in this list does not necessarily imply its universal adoption by all railfans and railroad employees, and there may be significant regional variation in usage.