JAPANESE RAILWAY LEXICON
Akabō 赤帽 = Station Porter, “Red Cap”
Annai-jo, annaisho 案内所 = Information counter or desk
Anzen Sakudo 安全索道 = Funicular Railway
Aputoshiki Tetsudō アプト式鉄道 = Abt System Cog Railway
Basha Kidō 馬車軌道 = Horse-drawn Tramway
Bashi, -hashi, -kyō 橋 = Bridge
Bogii-sha ボーギー車 = Bogie Carriage, Car on trucks, see also Tenkosha
Chika Tetsudō 地下鉄道 = Underground Railway, Subway
Chokunin 勅任 = arch. Meiji-era high-ranking railway employees with direct Imperial Apppointment, see Hanin and Sonin
Chu tō 中等 = arch. Middle Class, later to become 二等 “Second Class”
Chuui 注意 = Caution (yellow signal indication)
Daia ダイヤ = Train diagram, by extension colloq. Railway Schedule
Denki Tetsudō 電気鉄道 = Electric Railway
Denryoku 電力 = Electric power
Densha 電車 = Electric railway car
Densha Tetsudō 電車鉄道 = Electric [car] Railway
Dō 道 = way, route, road, see also Tetsudō
Dōryoku 動カ = Motive Power
Eki, -eki 驛 = Railway Station
Ekimae 驛前 = Railway Station Forecourt, Plaza
Fuku-fukusen 複々線 = Four-track Mainline
Fukusen 複線 = Double-track Mainline
Futō Tetsudō 埠頭鉄道 = Wharf Railway
Futsū, Kaku-eki 普通, 各駅 = Local, Ordinary stopping train
GJR = Government of Japan Railways (English abbrev. used in early 20th cent.)
Gunyō Tetsudō 軍用鉄道 = Military Railway
Gyūsha Kidō 牛車軌道 = Ox-drawn Tramway
Haishi 廃止 = Service discontinued
Hako 箱 = Railway car, boxcar
Hankei 半径 = Radius
Hannin 判任 = arch. Meiji era low-grade railway employee, see, Chokunin and Sonin
Heiyō Kidō 併用軌道 = Tramway built on a public roadway (lit. “joint-use tramway”) compare with Sen’yō kidō
Hendensho 変電所 = Transformer Substation
Hōmu ホーム = Platform
Honsen 本線 = Mainline
Hosen-jimusho 保線事務所 = Track Maintenance Office
Hyōjun kikan 標準軌間 = Standard Gauge (1435mm) see, Kōki
IJR, IJGR = Imperial Japanese Railways, Imperial Japanese Government Railways (English abbreviation for name used before 1946)
Ishibashi 石橋 = Stone Bridge
Ittō 一等 = First Class
JGR = Japan Government Railways (English name used 1947–1949)
Jidō Tetsudō 自動鉄道 = “Railway and Motorcar Line”
Jidōsha Tetsudō 自動車鉄道 = “Railway and Bus Line”
Jinjō Tetsudō 尋常鉄道 = Ordinary Railway (uncommon term)
Jinsha Kidō 人車軌道 = Man-powered Tramway
Jiyūseki 自由席 = Open seating, unreserved seat
Jō to 上等 = arch. Upper Class, later to become 一 等 “First Class”
JNR = Japan National Railways (Name used 1949-1987)
JR East, JR West, JR Central, etc. = Privatized successors of JNR (Names used 1987–present)
Jūkan 縦貫 = “Runs through”
Junkyū, Junkyūkō 準急, 準急行 = Semi-Express train
Ka to 下等 = arch. Lower class, later to become 三 等 “Third Class”
Kabushiki Kaisha (“KK”) 株式会社 = Corporation, Limited liability joint stock company. (Modern transliteration: Kabushiki Gaisha)
Kaigan-sen 海岸線 = Coastal Rail Line, Seaside Line
Kaiheikyō 開閉橋 = Bascule Bridge
Kaisha 会社 = Company, office
Kaisoku 快速 = Rapid Service, no supplement train
Kaisoku-kyūkō 快速急行, “Kaikyū” 快急 = Rapid Express, faster than kyūkō, oft. w/ supp’l.
Kaisoku-tokkyū 快速持急 = Rapid Limited Exp., generally no supp’l., faster than kyūkō
Kaitakushi 開拓使 = Hokkaidō Development Office
Kakūsa Sakudō 架空索道 = Aerial cable car, Ropeway
Kamotsusha 貨物車 = Freight Car(s)
Kankō Tetsudō 観光鉄道 = Scenic Railway, Tourist Railway
Kansen 幹線 = Trunk line
Kansetsu 官設 = Governmentally established
Katamichi 片道 = One way, one direction
Katamichi-ken 片道券 = Single ticket, One-way ticket
Keiben Tetsudō 軽便鉄道 = Light Railway
-ken 券 = Suffix for “ticket type”
Ki 汽 = Steam
Kiatsu 気圧 = Steam pressure
Kiatsukei 気圧計 = Pressure gauge
Kidō 軌道 = Tramway
Kijō 軌条 = Rails
Kikan 機関 = Boiler (not to be confused with “Gauge Width” using different kanji)
Kikan 軌間 = Gauge width
Kikankata 機関方 = Engine Driver, Railroad Engineer (Meiji)
Kikansha 機関車 = Locomotive(s)
Kikanshi 機関士 = Engine Driver, Railroad Engineer (Modern)
Kikanshu 機関手 = Engine Driver, Railroad Engineer (Intermediate)
Kippu 切符 = Ticket
Kiro キロ = Kilo, kilometer
Kisha 汽車 = (lit. “Steam Car”) Train, steam train
Kisha Seizōsho 汽車製造所 = Railway Manufactory
Kiteki 汽笛 = [Steam] Whistle
KK = Inc., Ltd., SA, AG, Abbreviation for “corporation,” see also Kabushiki Kaisha
Kōbushō 工部省 = Ministry of Public Works (Meiji era)
Kōgyō Tetsudō 鉱業鉄道 = Mining Railway
Kōjō 工場 = Car workshop
Kōka Tetsudō 高架鉄道 = Elevated Railway
Kōkaibu 交会部 = Crossing, intersection
Kōkakyō 高架橋 = Elevated Bridge, Viaduct
Kōki 広軌 = “Broad Gauge,” common name for 1435mm gauge
Kokuden 国電 = “National Electric”, i.e., National Railway’s electrified suburban service
Kokutetsu 国鉄 = National Railway, i.e., government-owned railways: IJR, GJR, or JNR
Kōsaku Tetsudō 鋼索鉄道 = Cable Railway, Funicular Railway
Kōsoku Tetsudō 高速鉄道 = Rapit Transit, High Speed Railway
Kōtsū, Kōtsū kikan 交通, 交通機関 = Transit or Transportation [company]
Kōzan-sen, Kōzan Tetsudō 鉱山線, 鉱山鉄道 = Mining line, railway
Kudari 下り = Down Train, bound away from Tōkyō, see also Nobori
Kukan-kaisoku 区間快速 = Regional Rapid Serv. train (more stops than Kaisoku trains)
Kyakusha Shūzen Kōjō 客車修繕工場 = Railway Car Shops
Kyōki Tetsudō 狭軌鉄道 = Narrow Gauge Railway (i.e., less than 1067mm)
Kyōryō 橋梁 = Bridge
Kyūkō 急行 = Ordinary Express Train
Kyūkō Densha Kidō 急行電車軌道 = Electric Express Railway
Kyūshi 休止 = Service suspended
Kyūsuijō 給水場 = Water Supply Station
Machiaishitsu 待合室 = Waiting room
Nitō 二等 = Second Class
Nobori 上り = Up Train, Tōkyō-bound train, see Kudari
Nōgyō Tetsudō 農業鉄道 = Agricultural railway
Norikae 乗り換え = Change, Transfer Point to change trains
Norikae-ken 乗り換え券 = Transfer ticket
Nyūjō-ken 入場券 = Platform ticket
Ōfuku 往復 = Round trip
Ōfuku-ken 往復券 = Return ticket, Round trip ticket
Omeshi ressha 御召列車 = Imperial Train
Renraku 連絡 = Junction
Ressha 列車 = Train
Rikkyō or Rikukyo 陸橋 = Viaduct
Rinkai Tetsudō 臨海鉄道 = Coastal Industrial Railway
Rinkō Tetsudō 臨港鉄道 = Harbor Railway
Rinyō Basha Kidō 林用馬車軌道 = Horse-drawn Logging Railway
Rinyō Daisha Kidō 林用台車軌道 = Flat-car Logging Railway (uncommon term)
Rinyō Jinsha Kidō 林用人車軌道 = Hand-pushed Logging Railway
Rinyō Teoshi Kidō 林用手押軌道 = Hand-pushed Logging Railway
Rinyō Tetsudō 林用鉄道 = Logging Railway, Forestry Railway
Riteihyō 里程標 = Milepost
Ryokakusha 旅客車 = Passenger Car(s), Passenger Carriage(s)
Ryuusenkei 流線型 = Streamlined
Sangū 参宮 = “Shrine bound”, i.e., a railway for major temple or shrine traffic
Sangyō Tetsudō 産業鉄道 = Industrial Railway
Sanroku Tetsudō 山麓鉄道 = Mountain foothill railway
Santō 三等 = Third Class
Seitetsujo 製鉄所 = Iron and Steelworks
Sekitan Umpan Kidō 石炭運搬軌道 = Coal-hauling Railway
Sekizai Kidō 石材軌道 = Quarry Tramway
Sen 線 = Line (of railway)
Senro 線路 = Railway or Tram Line
Sen’yō kidō 専用軌道 = Tramway with right of way built on or through private land (i.e. by right of easement), comp. with Heiyo kidō
Shako 車庫 = Depot, Car barn, Tram depot
Sharyō 車輌 = Rolling Stock
Sharyō Kōjō 車輌工場 = Car Repair Shops
Shiei Densha 市営電車 = City-operated tramway, Municipal Tram/Trolley Line
Shiei Tetsudō, “Shitetsu” 私営鉄道, “私鉄” = Private Sector (not nationalized) Railway
Shigai Tetsudō 市街鉄道 = (lit. City streets railway) Metropolitan Railway, Street Car
Shin 新 = New
Shindaisha 寝臺車 = Sleeping Car
Shingō 信号 = Signal, signaling
Shingōjo 信号所 = Signal Box, Interlock Tower
Shin-kaisoku 新快速 = New Rapid Service = New Kansai area day kaisoku trains
Shinkansen 新幹線 = New Trunk Line, so-called “Bullet Trains”
Shinkō 進行 = Go, Proceed, All Clear (green signal indication)
Shinrin Tetsudō 森林鉄道 = Logging Railway, forestry railway
Shisen 支線 = Branch Line
Shiteiseki 指定席 = Reserved seat
Shitetsu 私鉄 = see Shiei Tetsudō
Shōei Tetsudō 省榮鉄道 = Government Railway
Shokumin Kidō, Tetsudō 殖民軌道, 鉄道 = Light Tramway for Reclaimed Land (Hokkaidō)
Shuppoppo シュッポッポ = Choo-choo (children’s onomatopoeic name for train derived from the sound of steam escaping cylinder cocks and first two exhaust beats of steam locomotive at start)
Shūyūken 周遊券 = Excursion Ticket
Sonin 奏任 = arch. Meiji era mid-grade railway employee appointed bureaucratically but with Imperial Assent, see Chokunin and Hanin
Sōshajō 操車場 = Marshalling Yard
Shuppatsu 出発 = Departure
Shuppatsu-jikan 出発時間 = Departure Time
Shūten 終点 = Terminus
Suiryoku Denki Tetsudō 水力電気鉄道 = Hydro-Electric Power Railway
Takushoku Tetsudō 拓殖鉄道 = Colonial Railway
Tansen 単線 = Single Track Line
Tankō Tetsudō 炭礦鉄道 = Coal Mining Railway
Tansha 炭車 = (lit. “Coal car”) Freight car for carrying coal shipments
Tansuisha 炭水車 = (lit. “Coal/Water Car”) Locomotive tender
Tasen Tetsudō 多線鉄道 = Multi-track Railway
Teikoku 帝國 = Imperial, “The Empire” (often used in Meiji-era corporate names)
Teiryūjō 停留場 = Halt, Flag-stop Station, Tram or Trolley Stop (alt. Teiryūjo 停留所)
Teishaba 停車場 = (arch. Railway Station lit. car stopping place)
Teishi 停止 = Stop (Red signal indication)
Tekkyō, Tetsukyo 鉄橋 = Railway Bridge, Steel Bridge
Tenkōsha 轉向車 = (lit. “Converted Car”) Bogie carriage, Passenger Car on trucks (archaic Meiji usage for non-bogie cars converted to bogie stock)
Tetsu 鉄 = Iron
Tetsudō 鉄道 = (lit. “Iron Way”) Railway
Tetsudō Dōshi-kai 鉄道同志会 = Meiji-era railway advocacy group variously translated as “The Railway Association” or “The Association of Railway Presidents”
Tetsudō Gakkō 鉄道学校 = Railway School
Tetsudō Kōji Sekkei Sankō 鉄道工事設計参考 = (arch.) Railway Works Planning Consultation Agency (Meiji era)
Tetsudō Kōjō 鉄道工場 = Railway Shops
Tetsudō Nesshinka 鉄道熱心家 = (arch.) Railway proponent, advocate, booster, promoter (of the Meiji-era)
Tetsudō Renraku Kōro 鉄道連絡航路 = Railway Ferry
Tetsudō Yoteisen 鉄道豫定線 = Proposed Railway Line
Tetsudōkyō 鉄道橋 = Railway Bridge
Tetsudōshō 鉄道省 = Department of Railways
Tō 等 = [Ticket] Class (e.g. 1st Class, 2nd Class)
Tōchaku-jikan 到着時間 = Arrival Time
Tokkyū 持急 = Limited Express Train
Tokubetsu-kaisoku 特別快速 = Special Rapid Service train: fewer stops than kaisoku
Tokushu Tetsudō 特種鉄道 = Special Railway (usually light or feeder)
Tozan Sen/Tetsudō 登山線 / 鉄道 = Mountain Line/Railway
Tsuidō 隧道 = Tunnel
Tsūkin-kaisoku 通勤快速 = Commuter Rapid Service Peak Hour Train
Tsūkin-kyūkō 通勤急行 = Commuter Peak Hour Express
Tsuribashi 釣橋 = Suspension Bridge
Unchin 運賃 = Fare
Unchin-bako 運賃箱, Ryōkin-bako 料金箱 = Fare box (as in a tram or trolley)
Untan Tetsudō 運炭鉄道 = Coal Railway
Unyu 運輸 = Transport, Transportation [company]
Zumen 図面 = Plans, blueprint