Motorman (rail transportation)

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Hat pin from motorman on the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee railroad Nsl motorman hat emblem.jpg
Hat pin from motorman on the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee railroad

A motorman is a person who operates a tram (streetcar), light rail, or rapid transit train. A motorman is in charge of operating their train, applying power to traction motors, in the same sense as a railroad engineer is in charge of the engine.

The term was and, where still used, is gender-neutral. Though motormen have historically been men, women in the position (first appearing in the United States during the World Wars) were usually also called motormen as a job title. Twin City Lines adopted the diminutive "motorette" for their women employees. [1] The term has been replaced by more neutral ones, as gender-specific job titles have fallen into disuse.

On systems such as the New York City Subway and London Underground, the position is now called "train operator" (T/O). After transitioning to one-person operation on the Chicago "L", use of "operator" came as a replacement term after motormen assumed additional responsibilities previously held by the conductors. [2]

The operator of an electric locomotive or electric multiple unit on a commuter or mainline railroad is typically called an engineer, operator, or driver.

The term may also refer to a person on a locomotive-hauled train when the train is being propelled by the locomotive. The driver is responsible for applying power in the locomotive, while the motorman (usually in a specially-built or converted vehicle) at the front of the train, is responsible for obeying signals, sounding the horn, and applying the brakes where necessary.

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This article contains a list of jargon used to varying degrees by railfans, trainspotters, and railway employees in the United Kingdom, including nicknames for various locomotives and multiple units. Although not exhaustive, many of the entries in this list appear from time to time in specialist, rail-related publications. There may be significant regional variation in usage.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Switchmen's Mutual Aid Association</span>

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References

  1. Diers, John W.; Isaacs, Aaron (2007). Twin Cities by Trolley: The Streetcar Era in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. p. 163. ISBN   978-0-8166-4358-5.
  2. Hilkevitch, Jon (24 June 1997). "CTA to leave train conductors at the station". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 8 October 2022.