Arizona weekly citizen., 1884-02-16
RAILROAD SLANG.
The fatois of a Fraternity That Deals
 with inc Travelling Public.


 Test rday the CITIZEN reporter met a man who mad been rsIlroadiug for ff- teen years. He believes that to be off duty for one day is to be out of the world for the same length of time. He knows every inch Of the track from Yuma [ to DemiDg, is acquainted with every em- ploye, and can tell you just twenty-four hours ahead if a COW will be struck by a locomotive at any cs rtain point. To near him converse for a half minute. you would know he was caterer to the travelling pubhc-that is when they are actually travelling. In fact he used the patOis If the road to perfection.
 Greeting him In the afternoon with a plain How ye do?" rhe reporter was told by the raiiroader that he was making fast time over a clear track" Nothing could have been plainer and the remark
 was duly appreciated.
 By the way, you must have your par ticular appela1on for the various en-
 ploye on the road,-please repeat soule?' said the reporter
 Well you take me so all of s sudden, like collision on mountain curve
 that must consult the timetable before
 pu ting on a grain of steam. I see 1 am few minutes aheal of time, and will give them to you. First we shoot red light man down the track with danger signal, to prev Tt any bull train taking me n the rear"
 w uat is a red light mang" he rear bTeakman, and you will always find him cheerful, easy going ! fellow"
 Any other name fo, breakmen? ?''
 asked the writer.
 "Oh, yes, they are the wheel polish. l CTS and 'gsfters"
 And the engineeIs?"
 They are only plug puilers.' We have 1 too much respect for these men to call | them anything else. Now. speaking of ! respect there Is only one set of men on | the road who are passed unnoticed by i regular raIlroader-. l mean Pullman car conductors. We have nothing to do with them. They are known as the Pullman chamber maids" "HOA about the general conductorsY Brass collar men and 'ficket punch ers.' You must see the application of those names of course?" The luterrOgetor gave no sign of as- sent as tue names were beginning to l puzzle him, but his ignorance must not be suspected. He only remarked that hls friend was not referring to the train managers according to the prominence ! Of their position, on their salary. Then we will go right back to super inteudent But then everybody knows he is the Head Screw or Main Guy You don't understand? Why, when he turns ur moves We all have to turn or l move too. You beti The fremen? 1 Oh. yes, are tn, 'Tallow Pots We eau | only afford to give the locomotive men one rume each. Then there is the bag gage master. Every body calls him a 'Smasher,' but 1 tell you he Is a regular '-ky-rockel man. Don't you sec, punch ] jug the news gather iG the ribs, "a sky rocket is thrown high and comes down | hard-Iust the same with a trunk when m h;s hands"
 "Ihere Is one appendage to the ex- press train which yOu have InadyoTtent- ] ly missed; q necessary evil although he | IS in many respects, he still soon be- | comes 30 human directory for the Use 0f | every passenger. With a fund oi good nature, and yankee-tied pcGsi-tauce, he | s ail-uays ou hand, and plea>es both | the pa ates and ears of the travelling | public"
 q See you mean the Peanut Butcher.
 Yes. we III endure him, aud ste e-l his ap- l pies and oranges. That i- why We also
 call him the Red Apple Boy and Or i aug- conductor
 | "Aien't telegraph operators included
 your special iIctIouary?'
 "WGy, certainly; they a'e Brass 1 Founders and 'Ligs nlnE Slngers.' The reIZut men are Freight RustleTs.' and l he se.tlo. boss !s aiwtys known as the | Low Ju:at Nan '
 Inc reporter at once saw the appiic2- | bilicy oi the latter nicknams, aS along tbis -n.d, where reiishable eating sia- | Iols are fev and far between, freight | train men are often required to take ! her meals at the houses of these "sec ton bosses and personal experirnce i conveys the idea that no joint Tn the | -Uuntry can produce a more execrsble ! repast.
 The above facts having been asserted, 1 the conversation ventured upOn meals 1 in general, and the informant said that
 HOW nearly all regular railroaders pos | scs ed a "victuals card" at some of the designated eating stations, and would ! rather wal. some hours and finally ob
 tain a big bill of fare, than to test tho merits of the wayside inn of a section boss.
 "We always Take a punch for meals at every good hotel. What do 1 mean 1 Why, that we always purchase & meal | tlczet at the cnief hostelries along the road"
 After referring briefly to the Wind | Jam," the Westinshouse brake, and | the .sFireman's Friend" a locomotive without brass mountings, the genial aud energetic epitome of railroad slang hur- ried of to catch a train.