Wagon and track part names

[gbbub321]

Does anyone know why so many rail wagon and track components are named after fish

 

[30907]

Wagons - specifically applied/applies to Engineering wagons and was introduced by the GWR.
Not familiar with fishy track - apart from fishplates, presumably because long and thin, and fishbellied rail (shape again, and long gone!).

 

[edwin_m]

Wagons - specifically applied/applies to Engineering wagons and was introduced by the GWR.

GWR had names for most or all of its wagons, words that they weren't in common use that could be used over the telegraph as a shorthand for a particular wagon type. Think "Surfeit of milk churns stop. Send Syphons Soonest stop.". Someone decided to name all the engineers' wagons after different kinds of fish, and while the other names dropped away for some reason this one survived right through the BR era.

 

[DarloRich]

it is a state secret

What track parts are named after fish?

 

[big all]

track more like household than fish??
fishplates
check[rail]
stock [rail
[track]bed
keys
chair
sleeper
[track circuit ]spider
[juice rail]pot
hook'switch'pole [local juice rail isolation pole]
fork [in the track]
[points ]blade
nuts[on bolts]
bridge[card game]
diamond[crossing]
chain [old track measurement ]
[railway]bank
length [dont go there]
[trackside] case
[signal ]box
blanket??
and sure many many more ??

 

[edwin_m]

A frog (in a point) isn't a fish but is at least aquatic. Although in the UK we call it a crossing.