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railroader

railroader

1 4.8
A person who works for a railroad, for example on trains or helping run it
  • noun
  • /ˈreɪlˌroʊdər/
  • US
translation icon : ferroviario
  • As a seasoned railroader, she has extensive knowledge of train operations and safety protocols.
  • model railroader
  • old railroader
  • Railroader magazine

Examples

  • Years ago, its proximity to the train yards would have made it attractive to hobos, but today's homeless weren't railroaders, and they stayed closer to downtown.

    Fiction book (1991)
  • The poor retiring railroader.

    Blog text (31)
  • Family served in the war; Dad was a railroader and was turned down for the war because the railroads were a critical industry, so he worked 12 to 16 hours a day instead.

    Blog text (34)
  • Miners, railroaders, and especially ranchers had seized many key springs and creek valleys.

    Academic text (1998)
  • Ironically, despite the heroic efforts of the Iraqi railroaders to keep it working, insurgents eventually destroyed the tracks and the trains.

    Academic text (2005)
  • Following his stint as a retired railroader in a hardware store, my father, as a volunteer, took the train into Philadelphia twice a week and served as an organist and choir director for an inner-city church.

    Blog text (31)
  • A black man in bib overalls and the sort of mattress-ticking, loaf-shaped cap railroaders use stands quartered beside the hopper, circling his left hand.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • Many railroaders work long hours to ensure that trains run on time.

  • The conference gathered railroaders from across the country to discuss the future of transportation.

Synonyms

engineer
vsrailroader
  • US
37 2.7

A person who drives a train

is the general company employee who may not handle driving tasks
conductor
vsrailroader
28 3.1

A person who collects fares and helps passengers on buses or trains

is the wider company employee who may have other duties
railroad man
vsrailroader
  • US
3 4.2

A man who works on trains or train tracks

serves as the general company employee or manager rather than one role
signalman
vsrailroader
  • Specialized
2 8.1

A person who operates signals and switches for trains

is the general company worker who may not handle signalling
stationmaster
vsrailroader
  • UK
2 5.8

A person in charge of a train station

is the general company employee not limited to a station role
brakeman
vsrailroader
  • Archaic
1 7.9

A person who operates the brakes on a train

is the broader company worker who may have other operational roles
trainman
vsrailroader
  • Archaic
1 6.2

A male worker on a train who helps passengers and the conductor

is the larger company employee or manager not limited to train duty
yardmaster
vsrailroader
  • Specialized
1 9.5

A person who manages trains and cargo in a rail yard

is the general company employee rather than a yard manager
railroad engineer
vsrailroader
  • US
1 3.4

A person who drives a train and controls its engine

is the wider company worker who may not operate trains
Pullman porter
vsrailroader
  • Archaic
1 8.6

A person who works on a train and helps passengers in sleeping cars

is the general company employee not limited to sleeper service
station agent
vsrailroader
  • US
1 4.2

A person who runs a train station and helps passengers

is the broader company employee beyond station leadership duties
engine driver
vsrailroader
  • UK
1 3.3

A person who controls a train's engine

is the broader company worker who may work off the train
switchman
vsrailroader
  • US
1 7.9

A person who sets which railway track a train uses

is the broader company employee who may not handle switches
flagman
vsrailroader
  • US
1 5.0

A person who signals with a flag to direct traffic or trains

is the wider company worker who may use other signalling methods
railway man
vsrailroader
  • UK
3.0

A man who works for a company that runs trains

is the general company employee or manager across various roles
railwayman
vsrailroader
  • Archaic
4.1

A man who works for the railway, often on trains or tracks

is the broader company employee or manager across many roles
locomotive engineer
vsrailroader
  • US
4.6

A person who drives a train or locomotive

is the general company employee beyond driving duties
hogger
vsrailroader
  • Archaic
9.9

A person who drives a train engine

is the formal company employee rather than informal crew slang
trainwoman
vsrailroader
  • US
7.9

A woman who works on a train helping passengers and keeping them safe

is the broad company employee or manager regardless of gender
train dispatcher
vsrailroader
5.0

A person who directs trains and controls their movement on railway tracks

is the general company employee without network control responsibilities
trainmaster
vsrailroader
  • US
8.8

A person who manages and supervises work in a train yard

is the broader company worker who may not supervise staff
yardman
vsrailroader
  • US
8.1

A person who works in a railway yard arranging trains and freight

is the broader company employee beyond yard-specific work
yard worker
vsrailroader
  • US
5.7

A person who works in a railway yard assembling or taking apart trains

is the wider company worker who may work offsite or in offices
tracklayer
vsrailroader
  • US
7.7

A worker who builds and fixes rails that trains run on

is the general company employee not limited to track work
trackman
vsrailroader
  • US
8.1

A person who maintains and inspects railway tracks for safety

is the broader company worker who may not do track maintenance
platelayer
vsrailroader
  • Archaic
9.9

A railway worker who lays and repairs train tracks

is the general company employee beyond this specialist task
brake worker
vsrailroader
7.5

A train worker who operates and looks after the system that stops a train

is the general company employee not focused solely on brakes
brakewoman
vsrailroader
  • Archaic
9.2

A woman who operates a train's brakes

is the wider company employee regardless of gender or brake duties
signal worker
vsrailroader
  • Jargon
5.6

A railway yard worker who controls and fixes signals and track switches

is the broader company employee not specialized in signals
signalwoman
vsrailroader
  • Specialized
8.8

A woman who tells trains when to stop or go and moves track switches in a rail yard

is the general company worker who may have different duties
railroad woman
vsrailroader
  • US
4.4

A woman who works for a train company

is the general company employee regardless of gender
railway woman
vsrailroader
  • Archaic
3.1

A woman who works on trains or at stations

is the company employee title used without gender
railwaywoman
vsrailroader
  • Archaic
7.5

A woman who works on a railway, often operating trains or machines

is the neutral company employee term without specifying sex

Surface Forms

railroader singular
railroaders plural

Morphology

railroader = railroad (transparent) = rail + road + er

The word is formed by adding the agentive suffix '-er' to 'railroad', so the meaning 'a person associated with railroads' is directly inferable.

Etymology

Railroader comes from the word railroad, which is made of rail ('the metal track') and road ('a way'), plus the -er ending that means 'a person who does something'. So a railroader is simply someone who works for the railroad or on the rails, which explains the modern meaning.