Glossary of Australian railway terms

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This article lists some of the terminology used at present and in the past by Australian railway employees, contractors, railway historians and railway enthusiasts. Many of the terms appear from time to time in specialist, rail-related publications.

Significant regional variations have existed, indicated when applicable in this glossary by abbreviations of the state (e.g. Vic, NSW) or railway (e.g. SAR). Thorughout Australia, much terminology has persisted since the colonial period, when British technology predominated. In the case of the former South Australian Railways, however, many North American terms and practices were introduced during the incumbency of William Alfred Webb, the American railways commissioner of the SAR between 1922 and 1930. SAR employees' enthusiasm for US railroad developments perpetuated these terms.^[1]