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JoanieBlon

JoanieBlon

Service Attendant
Joined
Apr 10, 2009
Messages
117
Location
Lafayette Louisiana
To all the train savy folks who post on this forum.... :help:

My husband and I LOVE train travel and are in the process of booking trips one by one on all the routes that Amtrak offers. Our next trip in the USA is New Orleans-Los Angeles-Portland-Seattle in August 2011. Prior to that, we'll be traveling from Montreal to Vancouver on Canada's VIA Rail ~ with a 2 night stop-over in Jasper. :)

I'm VERY interested in all the various informative topics that are addressed in this forum. However ~ all the abbreviations for stations ~ PDX,PVD, MAC, QCY, FEC, ONA, CBS, etc. make me go ???? :wacko: I'm just too lazy to go look these up when I'm trying to wade through the posts here. I'm pretty sure that PDX is Portland ~ but the others?? :blink: I can guess that BOS is probably Boston, and CHI is Chicago, but some pretty obscure ones (at least in MY experience) get posted here frequently.

Worse yet for non-rail fanatics/devotees reading your posts are the other abbreviations that don't deal with cities. Some recent ones posted include MARC, CL, RFP and QC. :help: <_< I am CLUELESS! :eek:hboy:

I know it takes a little longer to type out the full words and I KNOW it's "hipper" to use railroad jargon when chatting, but it would be helpful to those of us trying to learn more about the rail routes and systems to have posts in plain language now and then....

That being said, THANK YOU for your very helpful discussions! :) :hi:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
JoanieBlon said:
However ~ all the abbreviations for stations ~ PDX,PVD, MAC, QCY, FEC, ONA, CBS, etc. make me go ???? Some recent ones posted include MARC, CL, RFP and QC.
Click to expand...
Well, here's a small attempt to help.

PDX = Portland, OR

PVD = Providence

MAC = Macomb, IL

QCY = Quincy, IL

FEC = Florida East Coast railroad, a (currently) freight-only railroad running between Jacksonville and Miami

ONA = Ontario, CA

CBS = Columbus, WI

MARC = MARC, a commuter rail system in the Washington-Baltimore area

CL = Capitol Limited

RFP = ? Perhaps, Request For Proposals, but not sure of the context in which you read it

QC = Quiet Car
 
One thing I always liked about Airliners.net was how they had an automatic routine that would add hover tips to common abbreviations for newbies. I believe there is a thread with a master list somewhere. Maybe it could be prominently linked in the standard template to show up in each thread? On the other hand why not look them up or join the conversation and ask in the thread from which they came?
 
You can find all the station codes in the front of the national TT (timetable) or on the Amtrak website under the "find a station" link. Many of the trains names are just abbreviations:

  • CL = Capital Limited
  • SL = Sunset Limited
  • CS = Coast Starlight
  • EB = Empire Builder
  • CONO = City of New Orleans
  • etc...

As are many railroads:

  • UP = Union Pacific
  • SP = Southern Pacific
  • SF = Sante Fe
  • BN = Burlington Northern
  • CN = Canadian National
  • CP = Canadian Pacific
  • BNSF = Burlington Northern / Sante Fe
  • etc...

And many positions or equipment:

  • CA = Car Attendant or Coach Attendant
  • SCA = Sleeping Car Attendant
  • SA = Service Attendant
  • LSA = Lead Service Attendent
  • OBS = On Board Service (staff)
  • QT = Quik-Trak (machine)
  • TA = Ticket Agent
  • AFI = Amfleet I (car)
  • AFII = Amfleet II (car)
  • PPC = Pacific Parlour Car
  • CCC = Cross Country Cafe
  • SSL = SightSeer Lounge
  • etc...

If you don't know one, just ask!
 
We need an AU Glossary of Abbreviations (AGA) that is easily available on the website. It should be a clickable, drip down file.
 
daxomni said:
Shanghai said:
We need an AU Glossary of Abbreviations (AGA) that is easily available on the website. It should be a clickable, drip down file.
Click to expand...
Speaking of confusion, what's a "drip-down file?" And while I'm at it why do you put everything you write in bold?
Click to expand...
Drop down, it's clear he meant drop down.

And because hes allowed to, you got a problem with bold text Dax?
 
JoanieBlon said:
ALC_Rail_Writer said:
Don't we do this thread every few weeks?
Click to expand...
Maybe "we" do, but I became frustated trying to read the posts. Apparently nobody pays any attention to the pleas of those of us who don't understand?? :(
Click to expand...
If somebody wants a definition of an acronym, then they can ask. Were all very helpful, if not one of the regular posters the mods will do a quick definiton post.
 
Sorry, I meant a Drop Down File!!

 

If you don't like to see my posts in Bold Type, just close one of your eyes.
 
ALC_Rail_Writer said:
Drop down, it's clear he meant drop down. And because hes allowed to, you got a problem with bold text Dax?
Click to expand...
An I'm allowed to ask why. You got a problem with me asking ALC? Personally I like the sound of "drip down file." It reminds me of the more carefree days of "floppy disks" and I think it makes about as much sense as the term we actually use, so no harm intended.
 
What I do is go to Amtrak.com & where you put in the station Departing or Arriving, there is a option to "Find a Station". Click & go from there. Has helped me many times.( Except- where is WIP???
laugh.gif
)

Have Fun
 
daxomni said:
Shanghai said:
Sorry, I meant a Drop Down File!! If you don't like to see my posts in Bold Type, just close one of your eyes.
Click to expand...
Well I can see you've really thought it through. I also like the double-exclamation points just in case the boldness wasn't enough to get our attention.
Click to expand...
You could always just focus on what the text says as opposed to how it looks.

Joan if you come across a couple of acronyms that you don't know in a thread just ask in the thread. There are always those one that come up you won't know regardless of how much time you spend reading things here.
 
Everone can check station codes, but why should the 100 or so people who read your posting have to? Waste of bandwidth. Just write out the station name at the start of the message so everone know what your talking about. I sure some are just trolling for newbies but I just want to read the posting and not spend all day try to figure out what been said.

I have been called out on an post or two, and the person who qutoed me use abbreviations. If I am going to reply to there message I allways try to spell out the abbreviation, and when possible add an little more info about the subject. Just so the reader does not have spend all day on google. Just seem the right thing to do.

My two cents. Just-Thinking......
 
Because to those who speak the jargon it's easier to type. Many of us actually speak it, for instance ALC is station code for Alliance, OH, but I know many on the forum who will actually say A-L-C in person when referencing the station. Not to be confused, of course, with the now defunct ACL or Atlantic Coast Line.

Now everybody here is fair and generally of good temper, but demanding that somebody change the way they talk is stretching the realm of rationality. Everybody is more than happy to educate and provide definitions for clarity.
 
Eric S said:
RFP = ? Perhaps, Request For Proposals, but not sure of the context in which you read it
Click to expand...
Probably Richmond, Fredricksburg, and Potomac, a predecessor to the CSX. Sorry it's just CSX. CS is Chessie System, itself a successor to the B&O and C&O, which along with the L&N, SAL, ACL, NC&SL, and parts of Conrail successor to the Pennsylvania and NYC, plus who knows what constitutes the CSX.

Anyway thanks for mentioning my favorite Amtrak station: QCY,

To the OP (original poster?), you will pick it up. Like any hobby, the lingo is half the fun. :rolleyes:
 
Aloha

Please lets all understand the original poster's needs as many can not follow acronyms. And also show some Aloha for those who may not agree with your opinion. Also when quoting don not isolate so few words to change the meaning of the original statement

Mahalo

Eric
 
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