The initials used to identify railroad and railway lines have often been used for humorous, disparaging or slanderous names. In a related category, portmanteaus, such as Amtrak, have also been lampooned.
{{inc-transport|date=August 2008}}| Railroad | Locale | Common abbreviation(s) | Nickname(s) | | Amtrak | United States | AMTK | Amcrash[1][2][3][3]
Amtrash[2][3][3]
Slamtrak[4]Amthrax - as the Anthrax Virus scAmtrak Ramtrak |
| Baltimore and Ohio Railroad | Eastern and the Midwestern United States | B&O | Beefsteak and Onions[2][3] Best and Only Beets and Onions Body Odor |
| BNSF Railway | Western United States | BNSF | Buy Now, Sell Fast[2]
Bye Now, Santa Fe[3]
Big New Santa Fe[5]
Been Nothing Since Frisco[5]
Buy Norfolk Southern First[5]
Better Not Send Freight[2]
Bigger Name Same Fine Railroad[3]
Buffet's New Santa Fe
Better Not Start a FamilyBeaNSnifFer |
| Boston and Maine Railroad | Northeastern United States | B&M | Busted and Mangled[5][3]
Busted & Mined[3]
Broken & Maimed[3]
Bankrupt & Moribund[3] |
| Buffalo and South Western Railroad | Northeast United States | B&SW | Brandy and Soda Water[23] |
| Burlington Northern Railroad | Northwestern United States | BN | Big Nothing[2][5][3] |
| Canadian National Railway | Canada, Midwestern United States | CN, CNR, CNRy | Certainly No Rush[3]
Crash National[3] |
| Canadian Pacific Railway | Canada, Midwestern United States | CP | Can't Please[3]
Chinese Pacific[3]
Sleepy Rail
CP Fail |
| Chicago and North Western Railway | Midwest United States | C&NW, C&NWRR | Cheap and Nothing Wasted[2][5][3]
Cheap & No Wages[3]
Can't and Never Will[2][5][3]
Can't and Never Will Run Right[3]
Cardboard & No Wheels[3]
Carrier to No Where[3]
Chicago & No Where[3]
Chicago & Norweigians[3] |
| Chicago, Burlington, & Quincy Railroad | Midwestern United States | CBQ, CB&Q | Cheapest, Best & Quickest[3]
Crash, Bang & Quake[3]
Cuss The Boss & Quit[3]
The Q[3] |
| Chicago Great Western Railroad | Midwest United States | CGW | Great Weedy[2][5][3] |
| Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad | Midwestern United States, Northwestern United States | MILW, CMStP&P, CMSPP | The Milwaukee Road[3]
Christ, Mary, St. Paul and St. Peter[3]
C'mon Stop Praying and Push[3]
Cheapest, Meanest & Slowest to Pay[3] |
| Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad | Midwestern United States | CRI&P, RI, ROCK | The Rock |
| Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad | Ohio | CH&D | Charge High and Damn Rough Ride[6] |
| Copper River and Northwestern Railway | Alaska, United States | CR&NW | Can't Run and Never Will[5] |
| CSX Transportation | Eastern United States | CSX
CSXT | Chicken Shit eXpress[2]
Conrail's Southern Xtension[3]
Crash Spill eXplode
Chessie's Still Xperimenting[2][3]
Crash Smash eXplode[3]
Crash Smash eXpress
Chemical Spill eXperts[7]Can't Ship eXpress. |
| Delaware and Northern Railroad | Northeastern United States / New York | D&N | Damn Nuisance |
| Delaware and Hudson Railway | New York, Pennsylvania | D&H | Delay and Hesitate[2][5][3] |
| Delaware, Lackawanna and Western | Hoboken to Buffalo | DL&W | Delay, Linger and Wait[5][3] |
| Denver & Rio Grande Western | Colorado & Utah | D&RGW | Dirty Ragged Greasy and Wet
Dangerous & Rapidly Getting Worse |
| Detroit, Toledo & Ironton | Midwestern United States/Michigan and Ohio | DT&I | Damn Tired & Irritable Delayed, Tardy & Inconsistent Drunk, Tipsy & Intoxicated |
| Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway | Midwestern United States | EJ&E | Egypt, Jerusalem & Elsewhere[2][5][3]
Easy Jobs for Everyone[2][5][3] |
| Erie Lackawanna Railway | Eastern United States | EL | Erie Lack-o-Money[2] |
| Gateway Western Railway | Missouri and Illinois | GWWR | Great Wobbly Wobbly[3] |
| Green Bay and Western Railroad | Wisconsin | GB&W | Grab Bags and Walk[8] |
| Guilford Rail System | Northeastern United States | GRS | Guilford Fail System[9]
The Big G[10] |
| Halifax and Southwestern Railway | Southern Nova Scotia | H&SW | Hellish, Slow and Wobbly[11] |
| Hoosac Tunnel and Wilmington Railroad | Northeastern United States | HT&W | Hoot Toot and Whistle[12] |
| Illinois Central Railroad | Midwestern United States | IC, ICRR | I Can't Run Railroads[3] |
| Illinois Central Gulf Railroad | Midwestern United States | ICG | I Can't Go[3] |
| Kanawha & Michigan | Midwest United States/West Virginia-Ohio | K&M | Kan't Make-it Kiss Me Kicking Mules Klumsy Mistake Kiss Momma |
| Kansas City Southern Railroad | Midwestern and Southern United States | KCS | The Haywire[5][3] |
| Kingston and Pembroke Railway | Eastern Ontario | K&P | Kick and Push[13] |
| London and Port Stanley Railway | Ontario, Canada | L&PS | Liver and Pork Steak[2] |
| Louisville and Nashville Railroad | Southern United States | L&N | Long and Narrow[2][5][3]
The Old Reliable[5] |
| Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority | New England | MBTA | Mucho Bad Transit Attitude[14] |
| Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway | Midwest | M&StL | Misery and Short Life[15] |
| Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad | Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas | MKT | the Katy[16] |
| Missouri Pacific Railroad | Western United States | MP | The Mop[2][5][3]
MoPac[5] |
| Montana Rail Link | Western United States | MRL | Milwaukee Road Lives[3]
Monkeys Running Loose[5][3] |
| Norfolk Southern Railway | Eastern United States | NS | The Thoroughbred[3]
New Southern[5][3]
Nomore Steam[2][3]
No Service[3]
Nazi Southern[2]Nazi Stallion |
| New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad | Central United States | NKP | The Nickel Plate Road In Chinese the NKP is the "Nicker Prate Load" - since they pronounce the "L" as an "R" and the "R" as an "L" |
| New York, Ontario and Western Railway | New England, United States | O&W | Old and Weary[2][5][3]
the Old Woman[2][5][3] |
| New York, Susquehanna and Western Railway | Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York | NYS&W | Now You Sit and Wait[5][3]
The Susie Q[17] |
| Norfolk and Western Railway | Roanoke, Virginia, United States | N&W | British Railroad of America[5][3]
King Coal[5][3]
Precision Transportation[5][3] |
| Pacific Great Eastern Railway | British Columbia | PGE | Prince George Eventually[3]
Please Go Easy[3]
Province's Greatest Expense[3]
Past God's Endurance[3] |
| Penn Central | Eastern US | PC | Penniless Central[7]
Penn Centless[7] |
| Pennsylvania Railroad | Eastern and Midwestern US | PRR | Pennsy
Pussie Rail Road[18]
The Big Red Subway[19] |
| Pennsylvania Northeastern Railroad | Bucks and Montgomery County PA | PN | Peener |
| Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad | Midwestern United States | PFW&C | Paddy Finnigan's Wife and Children[20] |
| Pontiac Pacific Junction Railway | Quebec, Canada | PP&J | Push, Pull and Jerk[21] |
| Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac | Virginia, United States | RF&P | Rich Folks and Pedigrees[2][5][3]
Run Fast and Push[2][5][3] |
| St. Louis-San Francisco Railway | Midwestern and Southern United States | SLSF | The Frisco[5][20] |
| Seaboard System Railroad | Eastern United States | SBD | Slowly Breaking Down[5][3] |
| Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority | Eastern United States | SEPTA | Society for the Elimination of Public Transit Altogether[2][5][3]
Septic
Inepta |
| Southern Pacific Railroad | Southwest United States | SP | The Friendly Southern Pacific[22]
Espee[5][3]
Suffering Pathetic[2][5][3]
Slow Poke[3]
Soup[3] |
| Southern Pacific Santa Fe Railroad | Southwest United States (proposed) | SPSF | Shouldn't Paint So Fast[2][5][3] |
| Staten Island Rapid Transit | Eastern United States | SIRT | Shall I Run Today?[3] |
| Sumpter Valley Railway | Oregon, United States | SV | Stump Dodger[23][24] Polygamy Central[23] |
| Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway | Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada | TH&B | Tramps, Hobos & Bums[5][3]
To Hell & Back[5][3] |
| Ulster and Delaware Railroad | Northeastern United States / New York | U&D | Up and Down |
| Union Pacific Railroad | Western United States | UP | Under Powered[5][3]
Unlimited Parking[2][5][3]
Uncle Pete[2][5][3]
Union Pathetic[2][3]
Utterly Pathetic[3]
Onion Pacific[3]
Ewe Pee[7]Unbelievable Pigs
You can't spell stUPid without UP
Uncle Pete's Rabbit Ranch |
| Western Pacific Railroad | Western United States | WP | (The) Wobbly[2][5][3] |
| White Pass and Yukon Route | Alaska, Yukon and British Columbia | WP&YR | Wait Patiently, and You'll Ride[2][3] |
| Wisconsin Central | Wisconsin | WC | Whiskey Central[3]
We Could Wreck[3]
Wrecking Central[3] |
1. ^{{cite web| url=http://www.mrc.org/cyberalerts/2000/cyb20000714.asp| title=Bradley & Gore: Forget the Past; NARAL Test; Bush Scolded as Racist Lout| work=Media Research Center CyberAlert| date=2000-07-14| accessdate=2008-06-05}}
2. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 {{cite web| url=http://members.tripod.com/mopac1/Nicknames.htm| title=Other/Nicknames| accessdate=2008-06-05}}
3. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 {{cite web| url=http://www.spikesys.com/Trains/nickname.html| title=Railroad Nicknames| work=Webville & Hypertext Railroad| author=Coleman, Christopher D., compiler| date=2002-03-01| accessdate=2008-06-05}}
4. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.slamtrak.com/|title=Railroad discussion site run by Amtrak employees}}
5. ^1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 {{cite web| url=http://rlhs.org/rlhsnmnk.htm| title=Railroad Nicknames Sorted by Railroad Name| publisher=Railway & Locomotive Historical Society| accessdate=2008-06-05}}
6. ^{{cite web| url=http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=794| title=Railroads| work=Ohio History Central| year=2008| publisher=Ohio Historical Society| accessdate=2008-06-05}}
7. ^1 2 3 {{cite web|url=http://www.spikesys.com/Trains/nickname.html|title=W&H MAIN YARDS: Railroad Nicknames|publisher=spikesys.com|accessdate=2016-05-14}}
8. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.greenbayroute.com/passes.htm|title=Railroad Passes|publisher=greenbayroute.com|accessdate=2016-05-14}}
9. ^{{cite web| url=http://massroads.com/gallery.php?railroad=Guilford+Rail+System+/+Springfield+Terminal| title=Railroad Photographs of Guilford Rail System / Springfield Terminal| work=Massroads.com Transportation Images| date=2007-05-12| accessdate=2008-06-05}}
10. ^{{cite journal| journal=Railroad Explorer| title=October on Guilford's West End| volume=2| issue=3|date=Fall 2002 }}
11. ^{{cite book|title=Tracks Across the Landscape: The S&L Commemorative History|author1=Campbell, B.|author2=Johnston, A.J.B.|date=1995|publisher=University College of Cape Breton Press|isbn=9780920336649|url=https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=W1oCp8bKCJAC&pg=PA71#v=onepage|page=71|accessdate=2016-05-14}}
12. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.htandw.com/history.htm|title=history|publisher=htandw.com|accessdate=2016-05-14}}
13. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.trainweb.org/oldtimetrains/CPR_Trenton/History_KandP.htm|title=Old Time Trains|publisher=trainweb.org|accessdate=2016-05-14}}
14. ^{{cite web|url=http://badtransit.com/ |title=Mucho Bad Transit Attitude |publisher=web.archive.org |accessdate=2016-05-14 |deadurl=unfit |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20020329103720/http://badtransit.com/ |archivedate=March 29, 2002 }}
15. ^Charles W Grubb gandy dancer for the M&StL
16. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.katyrailroad.org/ |title=Katy Railroad Historical Society|publisher=katyrailroad.org|accessdate=2016-05-14}}
17. ^{{cite web|url=http://susquehanna.railfan.net/susieq_history.htm|title=Susie-Q History|publisher=susquehanna.railfan.net|accessdate=2016-05-14}}
18. ^{{cite web|url=http://kohlin.com/rr/nknmlist.htm|title=Railroad Nicknames|author=Ron Kohlin|publisher=kohlin.com|accessdate=2016-05-14}}
19. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.rlhs.org/Reference/sort_name.shtml|title=Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, Inc - Railroad Nicknames Sorted by Railroad Name|publisher=rlhs.org|accessdate=2016-05-14}}
20. ^1 2 {{cite news| url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1890/12/21/103287591.pdf| title=Nicknames on the Rail| work=New York Times| date=1890-12-21| accessdate=2008-06-05 | format=PDF}}
21. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.heritagepontiac.ca/qohistory.htm|title=qohistory|publisher=heritagepontiac.ca|accessdate=2016-05-14}}
22. ^{{cite web|url=http://www.american-rails.com/southern-pacific.html|title=The Southern Pacific|publisher=american-rails.com|accessdate=2016-05-14}}
23. ^1 {{cite book |last=Potter |first=Miles |year=1976 |title=Oregon's Golden Years |url= |location= |publisher=Caxton Press |isbn=978-0870042546 }}
24. ^{{cite book |last=Culp |first=Edwin |year=1972 |title=Stations West: The Story of The Oregon Railroads |url= |location= |publisher=Caxton Printers |isbn=978-0870042195 }}