High Iron (1938)

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HIGH IRON:
A BOOK OF TRAINS
by Lucius Beebe
D. Appleton-Century Company, NY
1938

A GLOSSARY OF RAILROAD TERMS, SLANG AND USAGE
(Pages 219-225.  I'll give a sampling, checking it with the RHHDAS A-G and H-O.  Why didn't Lighter use more of this work?--ed.)

Pg. 219:
AIR MONKEY: Air-brake repairman (RHHDAS 1931--ed.)
BLACK SNAKE: Solid train of coal-cars  (RHHDAS has this entry!)
BUG TORCH: Trainman's latern (Not in RHHDAS.)
CAR KNOCKER: Inspector (RHHDAS 1916.)
CAR TOAD: Car repairer (RHHDAS 1929.)
CHARIOT: Caboose (Not in RHHDAS.)
CINDER CRUNCHER: Switch tender (RHHDAS 1936.)
CINDER SNAPPER: Passenger riding the platforms or observation seats where he collects cinders (Not in RHHDAS.)
CORN-FIELD MEET: Head-on collision between two trains using the same main track (RHHDAS 1931.)

Pg. 220:
CRUMMY: Caboose (RHHDAS 1916.)
DANCE THE CARPET, TO: To appear before an official for an investigation or for discipline.
DINGER: Yardmaster or one of his assistants (RHHDAS 1929.)
DOG-HOUSE: Caboose. (RHHDAS 1897.)
DOLLY: Switch stand (Not in RHHDAS.)
DOLLY FLAPPER: Switch tender (Not in RHHDAS.)
DONIKER: Freight brakeman (RHHDAS 1932.)
DONKEY: Section man (Not in RHHDAS.)
DRONE CAGE: Private car (Not in RHHDAS.)

Pg. 221:
GANDY DANCER: Car inspector (RHHDAS 1918.)
GARDEN: Freight yard (Not in RHHDAS.)
GET THE ROCKING CHAIR, TO: To be retired on pension
GOOSE, TO: To make an emergency stop (Not in RHHDAS.)
GRABBER: The conductor of a passenger train (RHHDAS 1931.)
GRAVEYARD: Spur tracks for obsolete or disused locomotives (Not in RHHDAS.)
GREASE MONK: Car oiler (RHHDAS 1928.)
GROUND-HOG: Brakeman (RHHDAS 1926)
GRUNT: Locomotive driver (RHHDAS 1939.)
HACK: Caboose (Not in RHHDAS.)
HAY BURNER: Inspection torch (RHHDAS 1930.)
HIGH DADDY: Flying switch (Not in RHHDAS.)
HIGH IRON: Main line or high-speed track (RHHDAS 1930.)
HIGHWHEELER: Old-fashioned type of passenger engine; also fast passenger train or limited (Not in RHHDAS.)
HIT THE DIRT, TO: To leap or fall off of a moving train, particularly when a wreck is impending (RHHDAS 1902.)
HOG: Locomotive (RHHDAS 1888.)
HOGGER, HOGHEAD: Locomotive engineer (RHHDAS 1914, 1906.)

Pg. 222:
HOPTOAD: A derail iron (RHHDAS 1930.)
HOTSHOT: Fast train of any sort (RHHDAS 1925.)
HUT: Caboose (Not in RHHDAS.)
IRON SKULL: Boiler-maker (RHHDAS 1930.)
JACK: Locomotive (RHHDAS 1919.)
JAM BUSTER: Assistant yardmaster (RHHDAS this cite!)
JANNEY, TO: To couple (Not in RHHDAS.)
JERRY: Section foreman (RHHDAS 1867.)
KEELEY: Can of water to cool overheated journals (Not in RHHDAS.)
KING SNIPE: Foreman of a track gang (RHHDAS 1916.)
LIGHTNING SLINGER: Telegrapher (Not in RHHDAS, but 1891 for "lightning jerker.")
LIZARD SCORCHER: Train cook (Not in RHHDAS.)
MAIN PIN: Executive (RHHDAS 1930 and this cite!)
MODOC: Employees' train (Not in RHHDAS.)
MONKEY: Brakeman on cars in process of classification (Not in RHHDAS)
MONKEY HOUSE: Caboose (RHHDAS 1945.)

Pg. 223:
MUD CHICKEN: Surveyor (RHHDAS 1940.)
MUDSUCKER: A non-lifting injector (RHHDAS 1939.)
MUDSHOP: Yard clerk (Not in RHHDAS.)
NIGGERHEAD: Steam exit on top of locomotive boiler from which issue pipes to injector, etc. (RHHDAS 1932.)
NUMBER GRABBER: Yard clerk (RHHDAS 1926.)
NUT BUSTER: Mechanic (RHHDAS 1944.)
OPERATOR'S FIST: The distinctive, cursive type of handwriting characteristic of telegraph operators and train dispatchers (Not in RHHDAS.)