Glossary of Australian railway terms

0–9

412 or Regulation 412

An inside joke in which "412" is always highlighted, no matter the context, or in the case of Regulation 412, a fictional rule in which anything can be justified

A

Annett key

A large key which locks levers or other items of signalling apparatus, thereby serving as a portable form of interlocking

Annie Oakey set

QR heritage carriages—allusions of the Wild West

B

Bandicoot (QLD)

An EMU with a distinctive grey band painted across the cab wind shields

BETY

QR pacific type BB18¼ 4-6-2 steam locomotive used on express passenger and freight trains—named after the telegraphic code

Blue babies

QR DD17 class suburban tank engine, in a blue midway between navy and sky blue

Broad gauge

5 ft 3 in (1,600 mm) as used in the states of Victoria and South Australia. Standard gauge of 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 ¹⁄₂ in) exists nationwide except for the state of Tasmania, Queensland runs some narrower 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm) lines as do the states of West Australia and South Australia. The island state of Tasmania is exclusively 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm).

Brown bomber

A QR C17 4-8-0 (2D) steam engine, typically painted brown

Bug Hut (VIC)

Victorian Railways "Workmen's Sleepers"—primarily surplus carriage stock converted to onsite work crew accommodation

C

Centralized traffic control (CTC)

A system in which signals and switches for a given area of track are controlled from a centralized location

Conductor

The person checking tickets on a tram or train

Cyclops (QLD)

An EMU with one cab modified to only have one central wind shield, which can then only be used as a guard's cab in the middle of a six-car set

D

DERM

Victorian diesel electric rail motor

Detonator (DET)

An explosive device placed on rail and triggered by wheel pressure—used to warn of hazard ahead

Dog or dogspike

A spike with a slightly altered head shape for easier extraction when the spike has become too loose in the sleeper

Doggies (VIC)

Former "dog box" type red suburban trains

E

Electric staff

System of safeworking used on single track to allow the movement of trains

Electric multiple unit (EMU) (QLD)

A specific class of suburban train

Evans set (QLD)

Brisbane wooden suburban set

F

Flying flea (archaic)

The portion of the Westlander that divides at Charleville for Quilpie

G

Gabby

A rail enthusiast or train spotter who photographs Hitachi suburban electric trains in particular

Guard

The person in charge of the train

Gunzel

A rail or tramway enthusiast

H

Harris (VIC)

Former Harris type (or Blue) electric suburban train

I

Interurban multiple unit (IMU) (QLD)

A class of electric multiple units manufactured by Walkers Limited/Downer EDI Rail, Maryborough for Queensland Rail's Citytrain division between 1996 and 2011

L

Lamp

A portable (often handheld) light source that is used to signal train crews

Light-headed guard

See Battery-operated guard.

M

Mothballed (QLD)

A railway line that is still owned by Queensland Rail, but no longer operated on. As a few lines were closed, before having to be rebuilt again like the Cleveland Line, QR no longer completely closes lines, so that the railway need only be fixed to an operable condition if reopened.

N

Number nicker or number shark

A rail fan who writes down numbers of trains they have seen

P

PawPaw

QR class 1170 diesel

Peg

Colloquial term for train staff (token)

Petrol electric rail motor (PERM)

A railmotor operated by the Victorian Railways of Australia, later called the Diesel Electric Rail Motor

R

Rail motor stopping place (RMSP)

A short platform on a country line specifically for picking up and setting down of passengers of a rail motor

Rattler (QLD)

Colloquial term for former Evans sets in Brisbane

Red rattler (VIC/NSW)

Colloquial term for the former red Tait (VIC) and Tulloch/Comeng single-deck (NSW) suburban electric trains

S

Silver (VIC)

Colloquial term for a Hitachi suburban electric trains

Six-volt guard

See Battery-operated guard.

Snapper (QLD)

Roaming staff who check tickets on trains or at stations

Spark

A suburban electric train

Standard gauge (QLD)

3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm), as opposed to the 'broad' standard gauge used in other states

Steel set

QR suburban passenger sets from 1960s, replacing the Evans sets

Stick

Colloquial term for signal

T

Tait (VIC)

Former Tait type (or Red) electric suburban train, known colloquially as red rattlers

Twix

Two trains on the same mainline

U

Uniform gauge (QLD)

Standard gauge

V

V-set (NSW)

Double deck interurban trains—targeted "V"

W

White set

A Queensland Railways long-distance train sporting their livery from the 1950s

Y

Yank

QR AC16 class steam loco. American Balwin locos imported during World War II. 221A still in service with QR.