RailRoadFan.com

I have been through dozens of railroad terminology dictionaries and glossaries and am comfortable with most terms but one keeps me baffled: the term movement. It always seems to be used in reference to control points such as switches or signals and special maneuvers such as backing, coupling or sawback passing. It never seems to be used for the general motion of a train especially on a main line track. Can anyone clear up my confusion?

I'VE HEARD IT USED IN REGARDS TO ENTIRE TRAINS OR CONSISTS. HIGH/WIDE LOADS ARE USUALLY REFERRED TO AS MOVEMENTS. SAME WITH BULK COMMODITY TRAINS. USED TO HEAR CONRAIL DISPATCHERS REFER TO POWER MOVEMENTS FROM ONE TERMINAL TO ANOTHER TO GET LOCOMOTIVES TO WHERE THEY ARE MOST NEEDED. IT PROBABLY ALSO VARIES FROM RR TO RR. THEY EACH HAVE THEIR OWN CORPORATE LINGO.

The Sixth Edition of The Car and Locomotive Cyclopedia of American Practice published in 1997 does mention a "Conflicting Movement".

There are no entries related to "movement" in earlier editions of Simmons-Boardman cyclopedias.

John

Most movements on a railroad take place in the short hood...

Movement is not a term exclusive to railroads. It's a noun meaning the act of moving from one place to another.

SousaKerry wrote:Most movements on a railroad take place in the short hood...

Awe come on not even a snicker that was comedy gold right there..

For the slow learners at the back, the short hood is where the toilet is typically located in a locomotive.

You have to admit, as jokes go, that one is kind of a stinker.

SousaKerry wrote:Most movements on a railroad take place in the short hood...

Dan Cluley wrote:You have to admit, as jokes go, that one is kind of a stinker.

Just remember to keep that stuff on the second unit!

-barny