In a message dated 1/28/04 5:12:13 AM, gamlenz@ihug.co.nz writes:
>Is there any history behind the
>
>"dog catches" terminology?
Greetings list:
I get the following definition from "A Dictionary of Railroad Terms," W. E.
(Bill) Wood, 1990, no publisher listed, possibly self-published in the ATSF
terminal town of Belen, New Mexico:
DOG...A long, slow, heavy train, discriminated against when meeting or being
passed by other trains.
>From there, it follows that the relief crew replacing the dog crew dead on
the hog law would be the dog catch. Some menagerie, no? Also note "dog house"
to describe the brakeman's cubicle atop some steam tenders and as one of
innumerable slang terms for caboose/waycar. Wood lists other animal-related
definitions including:
Ash cat..fireman
Brake dog..swivel latch holding ratchet of hand brake
Bull..railroad policeman
Bull bar..bar used to operate grate shaker on steam engine
Bull prick..punch for driving out stuck track bolts
Car toad..freight car inspector/repairman
Coon a car..climb a car ladder as a raccoon climbs a tree
Eagle flies today..payday
Goat..switch engine or small road engine
Hedge hog..front end loader converted to unload ties from a gondola
Hog/hoghead..engine/engineer
King snipe..section foreman
Mule..switch engine
Possum belly..toolbox under caboose (OK, waycar, the author is ATSF)
Rattler..freight train
Snake..switchman (from the serpentine S on switchmens' union badge)
Snipe..track worker
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