Why were railroad workers called gandy dancers?

Why were railroad workers called gandy dancers? The term “gandy dancer” is allegedly a combination of the name of Chicago-based Gandy Manufacturing Company, a maker of track-lining tools, and the description of the railway workers' dancelike movements.

What does benching the train mean?

The term 'Benching' was coined in New York in the 1970's by graffiti writers. The bench is a place graffiti writers gather to watch trains.

What is the last car on a train called?

A caboose is a train car that is usually at the end. If you are pulling up the rear, you could call yourself the caboose. The engine is the first car on a freight train, and the last car is usually the caboose. Besides being last, the other feature of a caboose is its use by the crew.

What race were railroad workers?

Altogether, the Central Pacific Railroad hired an estimated 12,000 Chinese workers, some as young as 12. The Chinese workers, at that time the largest industrial workforce in American history, made up 90 percent of the Central Pacific's total labor force.

What replaced the caboose on a train?

The caboose was largely replaced by technology. Today, railroads utilize End of Train Devices (EOTs), sometimes referred to as a flashing rear end device (FRED), in place of the caboose. The EOT attaches into the air hose on the trailing car in the train.

Who was the most famous railroad worker?

The challenge was on, “man against machine.” John Henry was known as the strongest, the fastest, and the most powerful man working on the railroad.

What nationality were most railroad workers?

Chinese workers made up most of the workforce between roughly 700 miles of train tracks between Sacramento, California, and Promontory, Utah. During the 19th century, more than 2.5 million Chinese citizens left their country and were hired in 1864 after a labor shortage threatened the railroad's completion.

What is a railroad Dinky?

Dinky line (or simply Dinky) is a nickname sometimes used to describe a short railroad line, usually operated with short trains. The term may come from dinkey, which is a small locomotive for hauling cars, shunting, etc.

What do you call someone who works on the railroad?

A train driver, engine driver, engineman or locomotive driver, commonly known as an engineer or railroad engineer in the United States and Canada, and also as a locomotive handler, locomotive engineer, locomotive operator, train operator, or motorman, is a person who operates a train, railcar, or other rail transport ...