Improve my English about trains

[Catcher Trains]

Hi, everyone, who likes trains like me.
I have some questions about English and trains.
In Russia we call locomotives (1 or more) "head", coaches (wagons) doesn't matter 1 or 100 - "tail". How they called in England?
Sorry if the wrong topic.

 

[FQ]

I call locomotives 'locos' and coaches are either coaches or wagons.

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Locomotives are often called "Engines" but if 2 are pulling together it can be called a "Double Header".
Coaches can also be called "Carriages" and very rarely "Cars".
I have heard the term "Trailling Coaches" if that's like Tail.

 

[Catcher Trains]

fishquinn and GrimsbyPacer thank you very much!
In English have a special word for the distance between nearest two railway stations?
If pulling more than 2 engines, for example 3 it can be called "Triple Header" etc.?

 

[Yew]

fishquinn and GrimsbyPacer thank you very much!
In English have a special word for the distance between any two railway stations?
If pulling more than 2 engines, for example 3 it can be called "Triple Header" etc.?

Yes, although its pretty rare over here.


A locomotive running by its self (no coaches or freight wagons), Is called a 'light engine'

 

[telstarbox]

The distance along a line is known as 'mileage' as it's measured in miles and chains.

1 chain = 20.1 metres; 1 mile = 80 chains = 1,609 metres.

For example, the image below is at 35 miles and 67 chains (35m 67ch) from the start of the line at London Victoria.

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1161401

 

[TheNewNo2]

Most passenger trains now are "multiple units", essentially self-powered coaches, rather than having a locomotive. The use of carriage/coach/car varies, but for the London Underground it is always "car".

 

[PeterY]

I call locomotives 'locos' and coaches are either coaches or wagons.

I've been thinking about this question today, whilst working. Railway/Train language can be very interesting and no doubt varies around the country. I prefer coaches has opposed to carriages. I've only just learnt what a shack is but I still prefer to use railway station, not train station.


Singular = loco
Plural = double headed.

 

[Muzer]

A shack is presumably just a term for a little railway station with minimal buildings/staffing/facilities, primarily in the expression "all shacks"? Or am I missing something here?



Something nobody has yet mentioned is that when you have one locomotive on each end of a train, it's called "top and tail". So there's your "tail" expression, though not in the same place as "head" oddly enough!



Distance between two stations, as well as the "absolute" distances from a fixed point, are both usually referred to as mileage. Chainage is also sometimes used (80 chains in a mile, 22 yards in a chain), especially if the distance is likely to be on the order of magnitude of chains. Kilometreage I've occasionally heard, though this tends to be less common, for things like the London Underground and other metro systems that use metric. I'd probably just say "mileage" even though it's inaccurate.

I've also heard the term standage but I believe this is primarily used for shorter distances — things like the lengths of sidings/platforms, etc. I've not heard it be used for anything that would be measured in miles.

 

[PeterY]

Distance between two stations, as well as the "absolute" distances from a fixed point, are both usually referred to as mileage. Chainage is also sometimes used (80 chains in a mile, 22 yards in a chain), especially if the distance is likely to be on the order of magnitude of chains. Kilometreage I've occasionally heard, though this tends to be less common, for things like the London Underground and other metro systems that use metric. I'd probably just say "mileage" even though it's inaccurate.

I know London Underground use Km to do their measurements between stations but the thought just occurred to me, are LUL train speeds measured in Kilometres per hour (KPH) or Miles per hour (MPH)?

 

[GrimsbyPacer]

Tyne and Wear Metro has KMPH signs on the lineside.

 

[Domh245]

I know London Underground use Km to do their measurements between stations but the thought just occurred to me, are LUL train speeds measured in Kilometres per hour (KPH) or Miles per hour (MPH)?

On conventionally signalled lines (SSL, Bakerloo, Piccadilly) it is MPH.
On ATC/ATO signalled lines (Victoria, Central, Northern, Jubilee - although not 100% sure about the last 2) - KPH

 

[Mojo]

On conventionally signalled lines (SSL, Bakerloo, Piccadilly) it is MPH.
On ATC/ATO signalled lines (Victoria, Central, Northern, Jubilee - although not 100% sure about the last 2) - KPH

The Northern line is mph.

Also the Waterloo & City line which is conventionally signalled, is in kph.

 

[TheNewNo2]

I know London Underground use Km to do their measurements between stations but the thought just occurred to me, are LUL train speeds measured in Kilometres per hour (KPH) or Miles per hour (MPH)?

In terms of speed restrictions, we report both. People understand mph better, but the cost is calculated using kph.

 

[Catcher Trains]

Yes, although its pretty rare over here.

Interest train - very shot, but very heavy (mining equipmentб i think). Five engines, but working at this moment only 4, 5th (yellow) doesn't work (not pulling). Have special words in this situation for this engines?

[youtube]6ovfLGWgf7s[/youtube]
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Again many thanks to all who responded, but I forgot to ask about the important points: have a special word for man who control train (or it's simply "driver")?

 

[MarlowDonkey]

but I forgot to ask about the important points: have a special word for man who control train (or it's simply "driver")?

These days it would be simply "driver". The term motorman was used in the past in the context of the driver of an Electric Multiple Unit on the London Underground or the electrified Southern Railway/Region. The distinction being that it was a different type of job from being the driver of a steam engine.

You might say "train driver" if you wanted to distinguish from "bus driver" or "tram driver".

Another obsolete term would be "locomotive engineer". It lives on in the name of the drivers' Trade Union ASLEF, being the LE part of the name. I think the F is for Firemen.

 

[theblackwatch]

Interest train - very shot, but very heavy (mining equipmentб i think). Five engines, but working at this moment only 4, 5th (yellow) doesn't work (not pulling). Have special words in this situation for this engines?

[youtube]6ovfLGWgf7s[/youtube]

If a loco isn't working, it is referred to as being 'dead' or 'dead in tow'.

Again many thanks to all who responded, but I forgot to ask about the important points: have a special word for man who control train (or it's simply "driver")?

Yes, it's just the 'driver' - no complex name!

 

[Muzer]

These days it would be simply "driver". The term motorman was used in the past in the context of the driver of an Electric Multiple Unit on the London Underground or the electrified Southern Railway/Region. The distinction being that it was a different type of job from being the driver of a steam engine.

You might say "train driver" if you wanted to distinguish from "bus driver" or "tram driver".

Another obsolete term would be "locomotive engineer". It lives on in the name of the drivers' Trade Union ASLEF, being the LE part of the name. I think the F is for Firemen.

Another obsolete term being "engine driver".

In America, the term is "engineer", but you'll get no more than funny looks if you use just that term to mean "driver" here in Britain...

When a locomotive in a train is not supplying traction, it is called "dead in train". So for your example, you would say "the yellow locomotive is dead in train". In Britain, commonly used when trains on the East Coast Main Line (with electric locomotives) are diverted onto a non-electrified section, they attach a diesel loco, and the electric locomotive stays coupled but runs dead in train.

 

[Catcher Trains]

MarlowDonkey, theblackwatch, Muzer - really thanks

 

[deltic1989]

In the UK also we have some rather interesting and in some cases amusing nicknames, for locomotives and rolling stock.
for example:

Class 47: Spoon or Duff.
Class 66: Shed or Ying
Class 37: Tractor
Class 20: Chopper (I have been told that this is owing to the engine sound, but if you look at one from above one has to wonder )
Class 153: Skateboard, Dogbox or Super Bubble

These names seem to be primarily assigned to locomotives or stock due to some feature, which may be the overall look, or the sound, or a smaller feature. In the case of Class 153's Dogbox refers to fact that they have a small cab at one end that has the claustrophobic feeling of one of those boxes you take your dog to the vet in.

There will be a more exhaustive list somewhere on the interwebs I'm sure.
I imagine that this is something that happens in Russia too?

 

[Strathclyder]

I imagine that this is something that happens in Russia too?

If I'm not mistaken, I believe you are referring to the NATO naming system, which applies to Russia & China (formerly also applied to the Soviet Union and other nations of the Warsaw Pact):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_reporting_name

 

[ainsworth74]

I don't think NATO was responsible for nicknaming Class 47s as Duffs or Spoons

 

[DasLunatic]

Here's some more for you:
Class 321 - Dusty Bins
Class 350/360/380/444/450 (sometimes 185) - Dessies
Class 442 - Plastic Pigs/Piggies
Class 142/143/144 - Pacers, (expletive)boxes, Nodding Donkeys

 

[Whistler40145]

deltic1989.

Some other nicknames for locomotives

Class 20: Chopper or whistling wardrobes because of the bodyside doors.

Class 37: Tractors or Syphons

Class 47/7: Shove Duffs from their time on Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street push-pull services

Class 50: Hoovers or Logs

 

[TheNewNo2]

Again many thanks to all who responded, but I forgot to ask about the important points: have a special word for man who control train (or it's simply "driver")?

Again, London Underground does things differently. While "driver" would be acceptable, the preferred term is "Train Operator" (T/Op for short).

 

[Strat-tastic]

In the UK also we have some rather interesting and in some cases amusing nicknames, for locomotives and rolling stock.
for example:

Class 47: Spoon or Duff.

I never understood the term spoon. There's a thread here on this subject where someone says it's because of the sound it makes. I can't quite figure that one out, or am I missing something? Spoon - diesel locomotive - spoon - diesel locomotive :? No.... Nothing at all like one another :?

There will be a more exhaustive list somewhere on the interwebs I'm sure.

Yep, here (as mentioned above )

 

[deltic1989]

I never understood the term spoon. There's a thread here on this subject where someone says it's because of the sound it makes. I can't quite figure that one out, or am I missing something? Spoon - diesel locomotive - spoon - diesel locomotive :? No.... Nothing at all like one another :?

As I understand it spoon as a term to refer to a 47, comes from the sound of the horn. According to some it sounds like the locomotive is shouting SPOOOOOON.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvk6kahVE-o