Welcome to Golf Manor Hobbies Train Terminology Page Mehano parts

"A" UNIT: The diesel power unit that contains an engineers control cab.
"B" UNIT: Normally the dummy unit (on models) but sometimes it is powered. It does not have a control cab.
BOLSTER: The cross member of a car or locomotive floor frame. The term "Bolster" without qualification refers to the raised cross member at the point where the trucks pivot.
CROSSING: This is the preferred word for the track area that allows another track or highway to cross at the same level.
CROSSOVER: The connecting area of track connecting two parallel tracks with turnouts.
DCC Digital Command Control
DRAFT GEAR: The mounting box at then end of a car containing the coupler.
FLANGE: The part of the wheel which runs below the level of the rail to guide the car or engine.
FROG: The part of a turnout or crossing where rails cross
GAP: An electrical term meaning a break in a conductor (usually the rails) to prevent electricity from flowing beyond a point. This may be a joiner-less opening in the rail. (See also "Insulated Rail Joiner").
GAUGE: The distance between the insides of the track rail heads. Standard gauge on American railroads is 4' 8 1/2" between rails.
GRADE: In the railroad sense, a track rising to another level or coming down is called a "grade". Usually a rise (or slope) of up to 1 inch per 100 linear inches (expressed as a 1% grade). A rise if 1/2 inch per foot (4.17% grade) is allowable if your trains are fairly short.
HO: Pronounced like the letters "Aitch-O" The letters stand for half-O, meaning half as big as O scale. Actually, HO scale 1/87 is a bit smaller than half.
HO n: This is the narrow gauge designation for the HO scale railroad. HOn3 would be 3 foot gauge. HOn30 or HOn2.5 would be 30 inch gauge.
INSULATED RAIL JOINER: A rail joiner is a metal splicing clip used to join rail ends together providing a physical and an electrical connection between rails. An insulated rail joiner is a plastic splicing clip used to hold the rail end inline but stop the electric current flow to the rail to create a gap in the circuit.
JOURNAL: The stub part of the wheel that fits into the journal bearing box and bears the weight of the car.
LAYOUT: In scale model railroading, "Layout" properly refers to the arrangement of the track and scenery but sometimes it is used to mean the whole railroad – cars, locomotives, scenery and all. It is generally considered improper to call a well arranged railroad supported on tables a "Set", even though it may have begun with a set operated on a rug or tabletop.
LARGE FINE SCALE:
M
N: This is the designation of the "N" scale. This scale is 1/160 foot per foot of the prototype.
O: This is the designation of the "O" scale. This scale is 1/4 inch per foot of the prototype.
On: Like the HO n scale, this is the narrow gauge designation for the "O" scale railroad. On3 is 3 foot gauge.
PROTOTYPE: The term "Prototype" usually refers to the actual railroad object a model is built to represent.
Q
RAIL JOINER: The metal splicing clip found on one rail at each end of each piece of track used to join rail ends together and conduct the electricity to the next rail. Extra joiners can be purchased by the pack. Also see Insulated Rail Joiner
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Scale Model Trains
S SCALE This is the designation of the "S" scale. This scale is 1/64 foot per foot of the prototype.
Sn SCALE Like the HO n scale, this is the narrow gauge designation for the "S" scale railroad. Sn3 is 3 foot gauge.
SWITCH: This word can mean either a track switch or some kind of electrical control switch. For this reason we frequently prefer to call the track switch a "turnout" and the electrical switch a "Toggle", "lever," or "Controller."
SWITCH MACHINE: An electrical coil or motor driven device that can be added to a turnout or animation device so that it can be operated electrically from any distance.
TALGO TRUCK: A truck with the coupler mounted on it rather than on the car or engine body.
TURNOUT: The preferred word for a track switch or junction.
TRUCK: An assembly of four (sometimes six) wheels in a swivel frame, at each end of a car and most locos.
TWO-RAIL: The scheme used in scale railroading whereby electric current gets to the locomotive via one of the track rails and returns to the power supply via the other rail. Some older model railroads use a third rail.
Z SCALE: This is the designation of the "Z" scale. This scale is 1/220 foot per foot of the prototype.
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Model Train Terminology