List of Railway Abbreviations

This listing has been compiled by Daniel McIntyre from various books and magazines showing listings of locomotives. Shown below are the most common abbreviations relating to wheel notation, type of traction, condition and type of locomotives or rail vehicles.

Types of locomotive or vehicle:-

+ - Engerth type. This type has the appearance of a tender locomotive, but the tender frames continued forward and pivoted beneath the cab with an articulated joint.

0-6-0 - Locomotive with axles coupled by side rods.
3RE or RE - Third rail powered electric locomotive.
4w - Locomotive with axles coupled by chains or cardon shafts.

BE - Battery powered electric locomotive.
BH - Battery powered locomotive with hydraulic transmission.

CA - Compressed air locomotive.
CE - Conduit powered electric locomotive. Power supplied through a trailing cable.
CT - Crane Tank locomotive - A tank locomotive (fitted with side tanks or similar) fitted with load lifting apparatus.

D - Diesel locomotive of unknown transmission.
DC - Diesel locomotive with compressed air transmission.
DE - Diesel locomotive with electrical transmission.
DH - Diesel locomotive with hydraulic transmission.
DM - Diesel locomotive with mechanical transmission.
DRC - Diesel railcar.

F - Fireless steam locomotive or flameproof locomotive when added to wheel arrangement.
FE - Flywheel electric locomotive.

G - Geared (steam locomotive). Geared transmission between cylinders and wheels.
GTE - Gas turbine electric locomotive.

IST - Inverted saddle tank locomotive.

P - Petrol or paraffin locomotive of unknown transmission.
PE - Petrol or paraffin locomotive with electrical transmission.
PH - Petrol or paraffin locomotive with hydraulic transmission.
PM - Petrol or paraffin locomotive with mechanical transmission.
PT - Pannier tank locomotive. Side tanks not fastened to the frame.

R - Railcar, a vehicle primarily designed to carry passengers.
R/A - Rack and adhesion.
RE or 3RE - Third rail powered electric locomotive.
Rk - Rack locomotive.
R/R - Road/Rail locomotive - fitted with wheels for use on both rail and road.

ST - Saddle tank locomotive.
STT - Saddle tank locomotive with tender.

T - Side tank or similar tank locomotive. A locomotive with a tank positioned externally and fastened to the frame.
Tm - Steam tram locomotive.
TT - Tank locomotive with tender.

VB - Vertical boilered locomotive.

WE - Overhead wire powered electric locomotive.
WT - Well tank locomotive. A locomotive fitted with a tank located between the frames under the boiler.

Types of cylinder position on a steam locomotive:-

IC - Inside cylinders.
OC - Outside cylinders.
VC - Vertical cylinders.
G - Geared transmission - coupled to cylinder types (IC, OC and VC) shown above.

Other abbreviations:-

c. - Circa, about the time of the date quoted.
(D) - Locomotive dealer.
der. - derelict.
Dsm or dism. - Dismantled. A locomotive out of use and incomplete.
DsmT - Used for Wickham motorised trollies which have been converted to engineless trailers.
f. - Formerly.
n.g. - Narrow gauge.
New - Locomotive delivered new to a location.
OOU - Out of use, locomotive noted to be permanently out of use.
orig. - Originally.
Private - Privately owned, or private railway enthusiast.
Pvd - Preserved, denotes an item which has been preserved on site.
P.Way - Permanent way, relating to railway track.
Reb. - Rebuilt.
(RSW) - Regular steam working, steam locomotives are believed to be still in regular service at a location.
Scr - Scrapped.
s/o - Steam outline. Petrol or diesel locomotives with a steam locomotive appearence added.
s/s - Locomotive believed to be scrapped or sold.
Wdn. - Withdrawn.

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