Coaches, Carriages or Cars?

[harry42]

Well...which one do you say?!

Personally:

Coaches: For me this is what I would use to non-railway enthusiasts and others e.g. the train were going on is 6 coaches long.

Carriages: I don't use this. For me this reminds me of heritage railway operations!

Cars: In my eyes this is the technical term and when talking to fellow railway enthusiasts I would state 'it is a 2 car train.'

What do you guys think?

 

[Qwerty133]

I tend to use coaches but if in twitter I sometimes use cars as it can be the difference in fitting everything into 1 tweet.
However I don't care which one of the 3 is used, but it annoys me when staff refer to then as units or a 1 coach train.

 

[Railsigns]

'Cars' when referring to multiple units. 'Coaches' or 'carriages' (without preference) for loco-hauled.

 

[reb0118]

Car is shorthand for carriage.

 

[edwin_m]

"Car" was originally the American terminology but I believe came into the UK with the multiple unit (probably via the American buyout of various Underground lines). Hence it is more likely to be used for vehicles of multiple units.

I agree with Harry - "carriage" sounds to me old-fashioned and from Revd Awdry not from the modern railway. Ditto "truck".

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I agree with Harry - "carriage" sounds to me old-fashioned and from Revd Awdry not from the modern railway. Ditto "truck".

That's me well and truly told off for thinking of railway carriages in railway stations still exist....

Coaches...Remind me of Camping Coaches from my early days.

 

[ComUtoR]

"4-Car, 2-Car, x-Car" When referring to a unit as a whole.

"Coach" when making reference to a single ... (which coach is it in ?)

"Carriages" when using the third person ? (how many carriages does it have ?)

Personally I never use the word carriage. Is there a difference between what Drivers, Guards, Passengers, Signallers, Maintenance Staff, etc call them ?

I know the public don't use PTOSL, TOS, DMOS, etc.

 

[scotraildriver]

The 50, the 56 or the 79.

 

[John Webb]

From "The Oxford Companion to British Railway History" it seems that the use of 'carriage' was a reference by the early railways to the combination of a coach body mounted on a chassis. (It should be remembered that early railway carriages had bodies that were coach-built by those who had been building stage-coaches prior to the arrival of the railways.)

But it doesn't give any further information on the use of 'coach' or 'car'; I think the latter term was an American abbreviation for carriage which may have come to the UK when the Midland Railway introduced 'Pullman cars' from the USA.

 

[merlodlliw]

That's me well and truly told off for thinking of railway carriages in railway stations still exist....

Dont worry Paul, they all Stable when resting long may stabling continue,along with Up & Down.

 

[PHILIPE]

You could call Pacers something else - Cattle trucks for example !!!

 

[merlodlliw]

You could call Pacers something else - Cattle trucks for example !!!

Indeed the rig in the Stable.

 

[Essexman]

I generally say coaches except for underground trains where I say car.
I'd still use carriage occasionally, such as referring to the 'carriage shed', and 'railway carriage'.

 

[306024]

Ilford Car Sheds has always been called Ilford Car Sheds. Empty stock to the depot always described as 'cars to the car sheds'.

 

[matchmaker]

The term "car" was used by the LMS from the 1920's for sleeping, dining and kitchen vehicles. I think it was used for other coaching stock as well.

 

[Parallel]

I think I use 'carriages' more than either of the others. For example I'd say something like "the other carriage isn't as hot" rather than car or coach. I don't tend to use 'car' unless I'm talking about a lot of carriages (bear with me ) so I might say it's a '10 car train' but I would also say "Oh, they've put more carriages on!" I don't tend to use the word 'coach' as much as the other two.

 

[BestWestern]

...I don't care which one of the 3 is used, but it annoys me when staff refer to them as units or a 1 coach train.

Why does the term 'unit' annoy you? A unit is what it is, it's simply an abbreviation of 'multiple unit'. Not a lot else you can call one really!

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Car or Coach.

Example. A three car class 144 Pacer Unit has arrived into Leeds.

The xx.13 service is formed of three coaches.

 

[transmanche]

Why does the term 'unit' annoy you? A unit is what it is, it's simply an abbreviation of 'multiple unit'. Not a lot else you can call one really!

When making an on-board or platform announcement, etc call it a train - as that's what the public call it.

'Unit' (and multiple unit) is internal industry jargon, so (IMHO) it's shouldn't be used when speaking to the public.

 

[GatwickDepress]

I seem to use coach or carriage, but ultimately as long as everyone understands what is meant, it shouldn't matter which term is used.

On the London Underground, I've never heard "move down inside the coaches" but I have heard both "carriages" and "cars" used.

 

[Welshman]

Interestingly, Northern Rail refers to their rolling-stock as "coaches" [even bus-seat pacers!].

But the waters are muddied slightly when it refers to the 0804 Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe being formed of 2 coaches because of a shortage of carriages!

http://www.journeycheck.com/northernrail

 

[BestWestern]

Why does the term 'unit' annoy you? A unit is what it is, it's simply an abbreviation of 'multiple unit'. Not a lot else you can call one really!

When making an on-board or platform announcement, etc call it a train - as that's what the public call it.

'Unit' (and multiple unit) is internal industry jargon, so (IMHO) it's shouldn't be used when speaking to the public.

I see, we're talking about adressing the public. I agree, jargon and technical terms should always be avoided.

 

[badassunicorn]

Unit for an individual EMU, coach for an individual coach within an EMU (eg PTS coach) and cars for describing the train, eg a 12 car.
I'm guessing car came from carriage right?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The Todmorden Chord thread has a new posting makes mention that "carriages" will be made available in December 2014 to run the new service