Index by Arguments (Category)
Table of Contents
A.
Acrylics: 1. Strengthening and lengthening of a person’s nails. 2. Water based polymer paint for modeling and artistic endeavors.
Absolute Permissive Block (APB): A designated section of track or tracks within which the movement of trains will be governed by block signals, whose indications supersede the superiority of trains. The block signals may be controlled manually or automatically at the discretion of the dispatcher.
Adhesives: 1. Any of a number of products found in hobby shops, art supply stores, and on the internet to bind modeling materials together. Care must be used to find appropriate materials to use with the chosen adhesive. Poor choices result in the destruction of the model materials, adhesion to the work surface, and other calamities. 2. The binding of the modeler’s fingers or other body parts to the work surface, model materials, and to other body parts.
Arborist: 1. Tree professional 2. A modeler that prides himself in the construction of trees.
Around-The-Room Railroad: Arrangement of a modern railroad which, without warning, transfigures itself into a Where’s-The-Door Railroad.
Aspen Gold: 1. A paint color name assigned to the gold/orange paint on the Denver & Rio Grande Western rolling stock and engines. 2. What happens to aspen trees in the fall of the year.
AT&SF Depot: A mission style structure designed by in-house architects to evoke California Mission Architecture. This style was prevalent throughout the Santa Fe railroad system. Many examples have been preserved.
Automatic Train Stop System: 1. A system actuated by wayside inductors arranged, so its operation will automatically result in the application of brakes until the train is brought to a complete stop. 2. In model railroads, reaching out and grasping a train on its way to
- Another train
- Track which is not built yet
- The floor
Thereby averting a disaster or an unintentional kit-bash.
B.
Backdrop: 1. A photo, painting, or relief painting on a wall or partition continuing the background scene to, or above, the horizon line. 2. Clumsy maneuver where a train is driven off the rear of the pike, resulting in the construction of a barrier to prevent the backdrop.
Bad Order: A piece of rolling stock that needs repair. The item will display the bad order characteristics at the less opportune moment. Say during a critical operating session or showing off the layout to non-modelers.
Ballast: 1. Heavy material used to stabilize ships. 2. Heavy material used to hold railroad track down. 3. Heavy meals used to hold modeler down.
Blue Spruce: 1. A species of spruce tree found naturally in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. It is a coniferous tree marked by blue-green colored needles. 2. A common business name in mountainous regions of the west, Blue Spruce Lanes, Blue Spruce Café, and others. 3. State tree of Colorado.
Broncos in the Canyon: 1. Motor vehicles, equipped with Hy-Rail equipment operating in the Feather River Canyon during periods of rain or snow. They are looking for slides, washouts, and unsafe track conditions. 2. Wild horses in a canyon throughout the west.
Brushes: 1. A hairy stick used to smear paint or other colorants on objects or persons. 2. Specialized brushes are available to add colors to objects in differing fashions. The artist is free to add or subtract life to the medium.
C.
Cab: 1. Facilities for the locomotive engineer to control the speed and direction over the entire or a restricted portion of the layout. 2. The ride home for a carpooling nitpicker. 3. California Architects Board.
Car Hire Allowance: 1. The charge by the rail car owner for use of the car. 2. The taxi, Uber, or Lyft charge for delivering passengers to the destination.
Car Spotter: 1. Person that is responsible for recording the observations of railroad rolling stock. 2. An accurate bird. 3. A person interested in locating and photographing exotic automobiles.
Cardstock: 1. Heavy paperboard material carved into architectural shapes used to model structures with bowed or warped walls. 2. Material that is commonly transported by rail in large rolls before miniaturizing to model size.
Circuit Breaker: 1. An electrical safety device designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overcurrent. Its basic function is to interrupt current flow to protect equipment and to prevent the risk of
fire. Unlike a fuse, which operates once and must be replaced, a circuit breaker can be reset (either manually or automatically) to resume normal operation. 2. A model railroad electronic board that functions as a circuit breaker, most times in an inopportune fashion, as it trips too soon or too slowly. This allows damage to the model trains or track, or results in destruction of the breaker circuit itself. (See also Fuses)
Cistern: A tank for storing water, usually buried or partially buried to protect the contents from freezing. This is opposite if the bros’tern a useless blockage of a water line.
Clearance Point: 1. The location on a turnout at which the carriers’ specified clearance is provided between tracks to keep the loads apart. 2. The price point at which the modeler finds the object of his desire acceptable in the hobby shop or online.
Consist: 1. (Historic) Train paperwork showing information on the cars to be transported. 2. (Modern) The act under DCC control whereby several model locomotives can respond as one to the DCC commands.
Crossover: 1. Track device to resolve most dispatching errors. (See also Double Slip-Up Switch). 2. Device used to solve difficult track planning junctions.
Cross-Kit Model: 1. A term used to denote a model built from major parts from two or more kits too complicated to be built individually. 2. A model built from parts of abandoned modeling projects. 3. A model that causes the modeler to become angry or cross to all within earshot.
Culverts: 1. Pipe of any shape under track above the benchwork gaps. 2. A beaver attraction causing the flooding of the rail line or road (Seldom Modeled).
D.
Deadhead: 1. A railroad employee traveling on a pass. 2. Movement of the crew from one point to another to a train by vehicle transportation. 3. Fan and/or follower of the rock group, the Grateful Dead.
Decapod: 1. An Apple iPod loaded with songs from the artists signed to Decca records. 2. A steam locomotive with a 2-10-0 wheel arrangement. The large number of drive wheels resulted in a long frame not suited for curved alignments. The lack of trailing wheels resulted in a small firebox leading to a generally underpowered locomotive. It was rough riding and restricted to 50 mph maximum.
Decoder: 1. The DCC device that interprets the instructions for a locomotive or other DCC controlled device. 2. Computer language interpreter to make the code more intelligible.
Directions: 1. Entertaining reading after you’ve done it wrong. Chinese directions stated: “To transport locomotive forward, push button of wishing speed then relax to enjoy driving until stop needed by braking motion to lower button. Please to place operator console not in light from sun or dirty wind for much enjoyment.” 2. Push, pull or smash until it runs or can’t run any more.
Dispatcher: 1. Railroad official over a stretch of track. 2. They are responsible for ensuring trains and crews move safely and efficiently across a railroad’s network and for making sure no train is delayed unnecessarily.
Donor Kit: 1. A term applied to model kits where some of the parts are used for a kit bash project. Remaining parts are added to the part index for future use.
Double Slip-Up Switch: 1. A flexible crossover where choices can be made to route trains to either of the two legs beyond the switch, or as an alternate to route the train to the ground. 2. Slip-up the operations at and near the indefinite switch.
Douglas Fir: 1. The Oregon State Tree was designated in 1939. 2. Most common tree in Oregon. 3. A major timber framing species along with Western Larch.
Duck Under: A place under the benchwork where it is possible to pass from one operating space to another while ripping out the back of your shirt. See Hernia.
E.
Eastern White Pine: State tree of Michigan, commonly called the Eastern White Pine, Northern White Pine, White Pine, Weymouth Pine, and Soft Pine is a large pine native to Eastern America. The tree formed the basis of the Michigan timber industry.
Exact Scale: A model constructed to a precise scale reduction of all exterior surfaces including wheels, usually following a very specific prototype. Very seldom occurs in life or an extreme occurrence.
F.
Fast Clock: 1. A speeded-up clock used in model railroad operation which does away with the need for coffee breaks or conversation. 2. A Chronometer which converts real time into segments in which there is too little time to get things done. 3. A time warp that is variable around the railroad and influencing jobs about the pike. 4. A speeded-up clock used in model railroad operation which does away with the need for coffee breaks or conversation. (See Scale Time).
Flatcar: A railcar that consists of a flat, horizontal floor or deck that is mounted on a pair of trucks. Decks may include areas for stakes or tie-down points for securing loads. Flatcars are open to the elements — they do not have sides or a roof like other rail cars.
Floor: Ingenious device for breaking the fall of airborne locomotives, rail cars, and passenger equipment. The best models will fall first.
Fun: 1. What model railroading is supposed to be. 2. An American pop rock band based in New York City. 3. Florida United Numismatists. Another fun group.
Fusees: 1. Pyrotechnic cylinders which ignite to provide safety signal illumination to oncoming trains. 2. Small LEDs added to a model railroad to simulate fusees in roads and along tracks.
Fuse: 1. Small pyrotechnic cylinders which ignite to provide momentary illumination to model railroad electricians. 2. Small piece in an electric circuit which is protected from excess current by sacrificing the remaining components of the circuit. (See also Circuit Breaker)
G.
Grand Intentions: 1. Any number of self-help books to better align expectations to reality. 2. The state of most model railroaders. The intentions are grand but the space, time, budget, etc. are too limited to make the vision a reality.
Granger: 1. The nickname of farmer, homesteader in the American West. 2. A member of a grange, one of the lodges of a national fraternal association originally made up of farmers.
Ground Foam: Processed colored foam rubber material used to cover up any scenery mistakes. Can be in many colors and sizes. (See also Lichen)
H.
Hell on Wheels: 1. Mobile red light district of railroad construction camp followers during the transcontinental railroad construction. 2. Nickname of the 2nd Armored Division of the U.S. Army during World War 2.
Helper: 1. Aspiring assist. 2. Helper locomotives are an essential part of railroading. It is an additional locomotive (or locomotives) added to a train in order to provide sufficient horsepower when the train is working through steep grades, or must keep up a specific speed. 3. Name of a Utah town where helper locomotives were needed to push freight over Soldier Summit.
Highball: 1. A railroad signal given to proceed at maximum permissible speed. 2. A bar drink traditionally made with 1.5 to 2 ounces of spirits, like whiskey, gin, vodka or a liqueur. It is topped with a carbonated beverage, like ginger beer, seltzer or other soda, served in a full glass of ice.
Historical Society: 1. A valuable resource to obtain documents, knowledge, and history of the given railroad. 2. A somewhat bothersome group of “experts” that seem to think your model should look like something, which at a given point in time, ever existed anywhere in nature.
Hopper: 1. Large rolling container for hauling railroad commodities. 2. Large rolling container for ill-modeled railroad oddities.
Hospital Train: 1. Reporter Frank Daniel wrote, “The … train moved on to Fort Bragg, mechanized mercy in a world of mechanized war.” 2. Another example of the military’s logistical prowess.
Hot Shot: 1. Train with very high priority compared with other trains. Currently a high priority intermodal train. 2. Trucking of small time- sensitive loads. High value loads to time sensitive locations. 3. Sports Shot Muscle Cramp Relief needed by model railroaders after a strenuous maintenance session.
I.
Index Kit: 1. The base model kit to cut up and reassemble into the desired shape for the kit bashed model item. This is the kit that the modeler uses most for the parts. 2. The remaining parts from the model kit saved in an indexed file for future use.
Indiana Agriculture: Products are primarily corn and soybeans with significant contributions in pork, poultry/eggs, and dairy sectors. Look out Iowa here they come.
J.
Jigs: Positioning device used by the modeler to ensure each piece in a repetitive series of assemblies contains precisely the same dimensional error. The Device does provide faster results and can be used to correct above error.
Jumper: 1. A wire used to connect two electrical terminals to nearby rails. 2. A modeler who connects two electrical terminals to nearby rails. 3. An article of women’s clothing.
K.
Kit bashing: 1. Dangerous and messy form of tiddlywinks played on a workbench with multiple unrelated model kits, hobby knives, and a hammer or soft mallet. 2. The unintended meet of carefully constructed models on the model railroad. This is usually accompanied by one or more strings of colorful language and hand signals.
L.
Lichen: 1. Organic moss used by Mother Nature to make ordinary rocks look like model railroads. 2. Natural moss used to model vegetation on model railroads. Material can be colored to mimic shades of green, yellow, or orange. Can be re-sized to a variety of shrubs and trees. (See also Ground Foam)
Logging Railroad: A railroad constructed and located to assist in moving the trees from the stumps to the mills. Generally, a lightly constructed usually narrow-gauge railway with light rail and minimal ballast. Grades were not important as the logging power was geared locomotives which would operate on 9-10% grades.
Lumber Camps: Logger accommodations located on the logging railroad. The camps were timber framed shacks on skids for ease of relocation. Generally, sleeping quarters, camp kitchen, small warehouse, and shops for equipment maintenance.
Lumber Mills: 1. Near railroad facilities for cutting down logs into timbers for buildings and other uses. The output from these facilities was generally rough-cut materials. 2. Same name applied to larger more sophisticated facilities for converting the logs or the rough-cut material into higher uses.
M.
Mallet: 1. The ultimate fine adjustment tool for modeling pursuits, comes before the re-construction phase. 2. A type of compound articulated steam locomotive. In the U.S., a 2-10-10-2 wheel arrangement with the front drive wheels were articulated on a bogie with the rear drivers mounted to the locomotive frame. The rear drivers were powered by the high-pressure steam and the front drivers powered by the lower pressure steam.
Manifest: 1. Train of mixed freight in varied rail car types. 2. A document listing the cargo, passengers, and crew of a ship, aircraft, or vehicle, for the use of customs and other officials.
Microfiche: A 4 x 6 plastic card which can contain 208 reduced pages of information. Microfiche is read with a special machine. This is yesterday’s mass storage device.
Model Railroading: 1. Something like railroading in real life except that railroading is actually doing it. 2. A pleasant pastime that incorporates research, design, construction, electrical work, artistic scenic expression, and operating the model in a realistic manner.
Mud Hen: 1. A common term for the Coot. A species of dabbling ducks. 2. The team’s name for the Toledo AAA baseball team – 37 wins / 37 losses for an 50.0 percent. (Better than the Colorado Rockies at 59 wins/ 103 losses at an 36.4 percent.) 3. The Denver & Rio Grande Western narrow gauge steam locomotives known as K-27, the Mudhens. The class of locomotives that were prone to derailments and roll overs. 2-8-2 wheel arrangement with an outside frame and counterweights. Two examples survive.
N.
Narrow Gauge: 1. Any standard track width smaller than the one you are modeling. 2. Track work constructed to less than 4’-8½”. Advantages are the use of tighter curves, lighter structures, and lighter rails. Disadvantages are lack of interchange with surrounding railroads, smaller capacity rolling stock, and slower speeds.
N-Scale: 1. The second most popular modeling scale, 1:160. 2. Quality judgement as to the verity of a model as in: “It’s N scale.” As opposed to Out of Scale.
O.
Oils: 1. As in essential oils for assistance in calming anxiety, cleaning, and aiding one in living. An important therapy prior to or during hobby shop visits. 2. Paints based on oils for artist work. These have a longer drying time and mix with the most consistency. 3. Any of the numerous dino juices coaxed to the surface by a variety of methods to be refined into modern products, such as, model railroad engine shells, freight cars of all kinds, flex track, and other model railroad necessities.
Operating Rulebook: 1. The collective opinion of a committee set in ink to prohibit creativity. 2. A seldom read pamphlet on how to operate on this model railroad.
P.
Photo Backdrop: 1. Any of a number of aids to add back grounds to photo shoots. These may be paper, or cloth mounted to a stand or rigid board. 2. Photographic prints used to form the background of a model railroad. They are available commercially in long strips or can be made up by the modeler or artist from photo elements rendered to the proper scale and printed in a continuous strip.
Photo Line: Part of a railfan train trip requiring the utmost in restraint and manners. The train lets off its Photographer-Passengers (P-Ps) and backs up along the track. The P-Ps form a line such that no P-Ps are in any other P-Ps viewfinder. To assure a quality experience for everyone, some note on etiquette is in order: 1. An individual should always be tapped lightly on the shoulder before being struck on the nose or chin. 2. Any P-P who fails to respond to a slow 10-count is presumed to have given up his position on the photo line. 3. Under no circumstances should P-Ps who have given up their positions be left on or between the rails during the run by. 4. All P-Ps should be collected back on the train at the conclusion of the run by.
Pickup: 1. Any wheel, truck, shoe, wiper, trolley or other device on a locomotive or car which is used to collect current for the motor or lamps. 2. Plaster, wires, ground foam and coupler parts collected in the tread of the modeler’s shoes. 3. Uncovered transportation device used to transport model train modules to a show while, at the same time, removing model trees, structures and scenery. 4. A moving attractant, as in “Are you free this weekend?”
Picnic: An outing that involves taking a packed meal to be eaten outdoors.
Pinon Pine: The state tree of New Mexico. The Pinus edulis, the Colorado pinyon, two-needle piñon, pinyon pine, or simply piñon, is a pine in the pinyon pine group whose ancestor was a member of the Madro-Tertiary Geoflora and is native to the United States. The seeds of the tree are collected as “Pine Nuts”. The wood of the tree when burned gives off a pleasant incense smell. The pollen from the tree forms a uniform yellow coating on any outside article or vehicle.
Pinyon or Pinon Pine: A coniferous tree found in southwestern North America, especially in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah. The trees yield edible nuts, which are a staple food of Native Americans, and widely eaten as a snack and as an ingredient in New Mexican cuisine. The tree is drought tolerant and can grow in unusual shapes.
Plaster: 1. noun: White creamy modeling material which upon application to a model railroad cures to form scenic details, or an adhesive strip of material for covering cuts and wounds. 2. verb: Method for application of white creamy modeling material. 3. The act of drinking oneself senseless.
Polar Express: 1. A book, a movie and an annual event at 39 locations in the U.S. and Canada. 2. A Christmas story of a boy riding a mysterious train from his hometown to the North Pole. 3. The interruption of normally scheduled activities coincident with the production of the Polar Express at any number of railroad museums.
Prairie: 1. A large open area of grassland as the Mississippi River valley. 2. A steam locomotive with a 2-6-2 wheel arrangement. The Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy put the design into use in the early 1900’s. They were to use this locomotive on the granger lines in the fields and farms of the prairie, thence the name “Prairie”.
Prize Locomotive: 1. A locomotive of notable condition or rarity. Typically, the last of the type in unusually good condition. 2. Any locomotive in an individual’s collection that cost more than the collector’s automobile or home.
Prototype Railroading: 1. The real deal at 1:1 scale. 2. A mythical railroad which shares the twin benefits of justifying a model building project while not being easily accessible for detailed comparison.
Pullman: 1. The supplier of sleeping cars and other passenger equipment. 2. Worldwide hotel chain. 3. Train of sleeping cars. 4. Suitcase made to fit into storage spaces on the Pullman cars.
Q.
R.
Rail Weight: 1. Number of pounds per yard that rail weighs. Currently rails are being rolled at 112 to 145 pounds per yard. 2. Hanging weight (or rail weight) is the weight of meat you would see hanging in the butcher’s cooler. It is after the hide, organs etc. have been removed. Most butchers sell by hanging weight since it is a firm number to measure the product for commercial sale. 3. The weight of the loaded railcar and the commodity.
Realistic Operation: Mimicking the totality of railroad operation by having individuals observe authentic rules, timetables, train orders, car movements, strikes, lockouts, injunctions, riots, murders, stock swindles, and wrecks in any order.
Red Flag Warnings: 1. Weather alerts issued by contract weather service to advise of situations affecting operations and requiring actions. 2. Weather conditions contributing to high fire danger or imminent fire occurrence.
Red Light District: 1. Area of a town where train men would leave their red lanterns outside the working girl’s door, so they could be found for their next assignment. 2. Area of town containing many brothels, strip clubs, and other sex related businesses. 3. The gaudy Christmas display area, such as 16th street in Denver during the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.
Respect: 1. Due regard for the feelings, wishes, rights, or traditions of others. 2. “Respect” by Aretha Franklin on the 1967 album. 3. Book by Carole Boston Weatherford. 4. Cornerstone of the NMRA Code of Conduct.
Ribbon Rail: 1. Welded rail delivered in ¼ mile lengths to be welded into a continuous rail after laying. 2. A firm which sells model track products for cleaning and work cradles. 3. A brand of rye whiskey.
S.
Scale Time: The compressed time registered by a fast clock. (See Fast Clock).
Shaper Sheet: 1. Aluminum foil backed with non-woven fabric. 2. A sheet of material which is smashed to give an ill-defined surface used by modelers to mimic mountains.
Skeleton Car: 1. Freight car essentially consists of a central longitudinal girder, in the case of a logging car usually a large timber, fastened to the trucks, sometimes supplemented by one or more pairs of cross cantilevers: used for carrying logs or containers. 2. Freight car that has seen better days and is now a shadow of its former self.
Snoqualmie: English pronunciation of “sah-KOH-koh” or “Sdobdwahibbluh,” a Salish word meaning moon. This is one possible explanation.
Solder: 1. Solder is a fusible metal alloy used to create a permanent bond between metal workpieces. 2. Heat-sensitive molten metal glue that doesn’t stick because:
- The base metal is too hot/cold.
- The solder is too hot/cold.
- The soldering iron is too hot/cold or
- The flux is not applied properly or in sufficient quantity.
Standard Gauge: 1. The most widely used railroad gauge in the world at 4’-8½”. It is used on approximately 55% of the railway miles. 2. The width of the Roman cartwheel ruts on Roman highways, largely in Great Britain. Scholars debunk this theory. 3. The width of two side by side work horse’s asses. While very unlikely, this is still more plausible that the wheel ruts.
Standpipe: A vertical pipe system used for filling steam engine tenders with water for continuing operations. The upper spigot was moveable to extend over the track and tender and moved off to the side when not in use.
Streamlined: 1. Having a form that offers the least resistance to air or water. 2. A term added to railroad passenger cars designed to be lighter in weight and with a smooth or longitudinally corrugated skin. Used to showcase the railroad’s commitment to speedy passenger service.
Styrene: 1. Inexpensive type of plastic material favored in cheaply produced model kits to represent warped shapes with less expensive material, sold at inflated prices. 2. Expensive shapes and flats made of plastic material to correct the warped shapes and surfaces of less expensive model kits.
Subscription: 1. The right to receive a periodical for a sum paid, usually for an agreed number of issues. (As in an annual subscription.) 2. You won’t find this publication at any news stand; it is only available by subscription.
Swap Meet: 1. Gathering at which merchandise is exchanged by modelers. 2. Maneuver following inadvertent encounter with irritated exchange partner. 3. The leveling of the modeling resources in the community.
Switchback: A Z-shaped track arrangement, the end of which can only be accessed by pulling through a turnout onto a stub-ended track and then reversing through the other leg of the turnout. Generally, steep grades interrupted by the lower grade stub track. The arrangement makes for low speed operations with short trains.
T.
Ten-Wheeler: 1. 4-6-0 steam locomotive common in the United States displacing the 4-4-0 for most rail lines. A very common type of locomotive with many preserved and a number operational. 2. A common style of dump truck generally rated to 12.5 tons.
Terrain: 1. A common business name for a variety of business types. Most having very little to do with terrain. 2. A geographical area. In modeling terms, the locale of the modeled railroad. For example: flat, hilly, mountainous, coastal, urban or suburban.
Three-Dimensional Printing: 3D printing is a process of making three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The resulting shape may then be made recognizable by filing, shaping, sanding, and filling. With careful application of paint, the flaws may be made acceptable.
Tools: A wide variety of hand and power tools is available on the market, modeling can be more enjoyable with the help of a few special modeler’s tools such as the Loco Cast Spinning Reel with 4 lb. magnet for retrieving those distant derails, the NoMorStarz Layout Helmet® for duck-under safety, the Scene-O-Matic Blender® for making realistic-appearing shrubs out of cat hair, floor sweepings and bread mold, or the Pike Grenade® for modelers thinking of changing scales.
Track Plan: 1. Handy schematic representation of a particular model railroad’s detailed grades, dimensions, wiring, elevations, structures, and scenic effects, all drawn on the back of an envelope or bar napkin. 2. A
model railroad plan developed to construct the model railroad, subject to revisions and modifications as construction actually happens.
Trains Walking: 1. When a track defect, such as a broken rail, has been determined by the company engineering department to be passable at “walking speed.” 2. Pedestrians within the railroad right-of- way on tracks or trails.
Tulip Tree: The state tree of Indiana, the Liriodendron tulipifera is the magnificent relative of the magnolia rapidly growing tall and full, making it highly desirable as a landscape specimen tree. Its flowering habit gives it the name tulip tree. Many frontiersmen used the wood for canoe construction.
U.
V.
Vertical-Lift Bridge: A type of movable bridge in which a span rises vertically while remaining parallel with the adjacent fixed deck(s).
W.
Where’s-The-Door Railroad: The model railroad where the door is obscured when in operation.
Whistle Signals: A special code of sounds to acknowledge various situations. Most times “Look OUT, Idiot” train coming through.
X.
Y.
Yawn: 1. A hole made by a bore. 2. Railroader’s trick to make a long story short. 3. In animals, a yawn can be a display of dominance or a warning signal.