What is a chair, a Jinty or a kip? What is a Q-Train, an XPT or a Z Stop? Even to the most experienced railway modeller some words are difficult to understand. Hornby’s Jargon Directory explains some of these words and phrases.
Alternating Current/AC
The electric current that flows alternately through each wire in a rapid sequence called ‘a cycle’. The normal mains electricity supply is powered by Alternating Current/AC.
Ampere or Amp
The current flowing in an electrical circuit.
Armature
The revolving part of an electric motor.
Back-to-Back
The measurement between the backs of the running wheels on rolling stock.
Ballast
Usually stone chippings, or similar material, which support the sleepers and hold them in place on the ground.
Baseboard
The structure on which to build a model railway layout.
Big Four
The four train operating companies formed on 1 January 1923 to run assenger and freight trains in the UK. The four companies were the LMS London, Midland & Scottish Railway), the LNER (London & North Eastern Railway), the GWR (Great Western Railway) and the SR (Southern Railway).
Bogie
An assembly which supports the wheels on a coach, freight wagon or locomotive. Each bogie usually holds two or three pairs of wheels.
Brushes
Pieces of carbon fitted into a holder on either side of the commutator on an electric motor. These are often copper or phosphor-bronze strips that touch either side of the commutator.
Buffer Beam
The traverse beam at either end of a locomotive, coach or wagon which carries the buffers. Sometimes called a headstock.
Catch Point
A single trailing point blade set into an ascending track to derail wagons that have come uncoupled and are running back down a hill. A catch point prevents runaways colliding with a following train.
CDU (Capacitor Discharge Unit)
Used to store power so that several point motors may be operated simultaneously.
Catenary
Overhead wires and their supports for carrying electricity above the railway.
Chair
Metal clips that hold the rail and are bolted or spiked to the sleepers.
Check-Rail
A rail inside the running rails seen on curves and points to keep the flanges of the wheels from riding up on the opposite rail.
Clerestory
A raised portion of a coach roof for ventilation.
Colour Light Signal
A signal that uses only coloured lights to provide an indication of how far in front of the train the line is clear.
Common Return
A wire connecting one side of the running rail which returns the current from all round the track or layout.
Commutator
The slotted copper segments at the end of the armature on an electric motor, which transfers the current from the brushes to the coils wound on the armature.
Connecting Rod
The rod on locomotives which connects the piston rod (on the crosshead) to
the driving wheel. The little end of the connecting rod is at the piston rod end and the big end is at the driving wheel end.
Controller
An instrument controlling the speed and direction of a model locomotive by means of a variable resistance, variable transformer or by an electronic circuit.
Coupling Rod
The rod connecting the large wheels of a locomotive.
Crank
The pivot point or pin where the connecting rod joins the driving wheels.
Crosshead
The two parallel pieces of metal connecting the piston rod which slide in the side bar and transmit power to the connecting rod.
Crossing
The diamond formed by two tracks where they cross one another.
Crossover
A crossing from one set of rails to another.
Cutting
A section of railway line where the surrounding countryside is at a higher level than the line and the ground has been dug away to put in the line.
Cut-Out
A safety switch which cuts out the electrical supply in the event of a short circuit or overload. Modern cut-out switches can often be reset by pressing a button.