Japanese Railway Glossary

This is very incomplete and is something I'll be slowly working on over time. I do not speak Japanese and this is primarily based on Google Translate - corrections are appreciated. Corrections and other comments can be made here.

Entries are sorted in thematic, not alphabetical, order. Some entries are present in multiple sections for the sake of clarity.

General

• 列車 (れっしゃ, ressha): a train
• 電車 (でんしゃ, densha): strictly speaking, an electric railcar or EMU; however, commonly used to refer to trains in general
• 汽車 (きしゃ, kisha): multiple meanings: a steam locomotive, a locomotive-hauled train, a steam or diesel train (as opposed to an electric train), a train in general
• 機関車 (きかんしゃ, kikansha): a locomotive
• 鉄道 (てつどう, tetsudō): a railway
• 線 (せん, sen): a line (the word covers the concept of lines in general)
• 鉄道路線 (てつどうろせん, tetsudō rosen): a railway line
• 本線 (ほんせん, honsen): a main line
• 支線 (しせん, shisen): a branch line
• 幹線 (てつどうろせん, kansen): a trunk route (in the context of railways, roads, power lines, etc.)
• 新幹線 (しんかんせん, shinkansen): literally "new trunk route", the high-speed rail network operated by the JR companies and commonly referred to as the "bullet train" in English
• 在来線 (ざいらいせん, zairaisen): a conventional, i.e. non-high-speed, railway line
• 電気鉄道 (でんきてつどう, denki tetsudō): an electric railway
• 電鉄 (でんてつ, dentetsu): an abbreviation of 電気鉄道. Common in company names
• 国鉄 (こくてつ, kokutetsu): a nationalised railway; commonly used to refer to the Japanese National Railways but also refers to non-Japanese government-owned railways
• 鉄道駅 (てつどうえき, tetsudō eki): a railway station; the term covers both passenger and freight facilities. Usually shortened to 駅 (see below)
• 駅 (えき, eki): while in an etymological sense this just means "station" (it derives from the Chinese term for a relay station where horses were changed, the Japanese term for which is 駅家), it nowadays almost exclusively refers to railway stations, and is not used e.g. for bus stations
• 切符 (きっぷ, kippu): A ticket in the broad sense; to quote Wikipedia's definition for the English word, "a voucher that indicates that an individual is entitled to admission to an event or establishment, or has a right to travel on a vehicle"
• 乗車券 (じょうしゃけん, jōsha-ken): A railway or bus ticket

Rolling stock - general terms

• 列車 (れっしゃ, ressha): a train
• 電車 (でんしゃ, densha): strictly speaking, an electric railcar or EMU; however, commonly used to refer to trains in general
• 汽車 (きしゃ, kisha): multiple meanings: a steam locomotive, a locomotive-hauled train, a steam or diesel train (as opposed to an electric train), a train in general
• 気動車 (きどうしゃ, kidōsha): a self-powered (by steam, diesel, etc) railcar or multiple unit, as opposed to electric ones that draw power or are charged from external sources
• 機関車 (きかんしゃ, kikansha): a locomotive
• 動力車 (どうりょくしゃ, dōryokusha): legally defined as any powered rail vehicle, but in common usage refers solely to powered cars in multiple units, as opposed to unpowered trailer cars
• 動力集中方式 (どうりょくしゅうちゅうほうしき, dōryoku shūchū hōshiki): literally "centralised power system"; the use of locomotives as opposed to multiple units for a train
• 動力分散方式 (どうりょくぶんさんほうしき, dōryoku bunsan hōshiki): literally "distributed power system"; the use of multiple units as opposed to locomotives for a train
• 警笛 (けいてき, keiteki): a horn or whistle
• 運転台 (うんてんだい, untendai): a cab
• 操縦席 (そうじゅうせき, sōjūseki): a cab or cockpit; more commonly used for aircraft etc but also sometimes used for rail vehicles

Rolling stock - steam locomotives

• 汽車 (きしゃ, kisha): multiple meanings: a steam locomotive, a locomotive-hauled train, a steam or diesel train (as opposed to an electric train), a train in general
• 蒸気機関車 (じょうききかんしゃ, jōki kikansha): a steam locomotive
• SL (エスエル): a steam locomotive or steam-hauled train
• タンク機関車 (タンクきかんしゃ, tanku kikansha): a tank locomotive
• テンダー機関車 (テンダーきかんしゃ, tendā kikansha): a tender locomotive
• 炭水車 (たんすいしゃ, tansuisha): a tender
• 火室 (ひしつ, kashitsu): a firebox
• 自動給炭機 (じどうきゅうたんき, jidō kyūtanki): a mechanical stoker
• ボイラー (ぼいらー, boirā): a boiler
• 安全弁 (あんぜんべん, anzenben): a safety valve
• 煙室 (けむりしつ, kemuri-shitsu): a smokebox
• 弁装置 (べんそうち, ben sōchi): valve gear
• シリンダー (しりんだー, shirindā): a cylinder
• 動輪 (どうりん, dōrin): driving wheels
• 先輪 (せんりん, senrin): leading wheels
• 従輪 (じゅうりん, jūrin): trailing wheels
• 汽笛 (きてき, kiteki): a steam whistle
• 気動車 (きどうしゃ, kidōsha): a self-powered (by steam, diesel, etc) railcar or multiple unit, as opposed to electric ones that draw power or are charged from external sources
• 蒸気動車 (じょうきどうしゃ, jōkidōsha): a steam railcar

Rolling stock - diesel and electric locomotives

• 汽車 (きしゃ, kisha): multiple meanings: a steam locomotive, a locomotive-hauled train, a steam or diesel train (as opposed to an electric train), a train in general
• ディーゼル機関車 (ディーゼルきかんしゃ, dīzeru kikansha): a diesel locomotive
• DL (ディーエル): a diesel locomotive or diesel-hauled train
• 電気機関車 (でんききかんしゃ, denki kikansha): a electric locomotive
• EL (イーエル): an electric locomotive or electric-hauled train

Rolling stock - multiple units and railcars

• 電車 (でんしゃ, densha): strictly speaking, an electric railcar or EMU; however, commonly used to refer to trains in general
• 動力車 (どうりょくしゃ, dōryokusha): legally defined as any powered rail vehicle, but in common usage refers solely to powered cars in multiple units, as opposed to unpowered trailer cars
• 気動車 (きどうしゃ, kidōsha): a self-powered (by steam, diesel, etc) railcar or multiple unit, as opposed to electric ones that draw power or are charged from external sources
• 内燃動車 (ないねんどうしゃ, nainendōsha): a railcar or multiple unit powered by an internal combustion engine
• ガソリンカー (がそりんかー, gasorinkā): a gasoline railcar. The last gasoline railcars in Japan were withdrawn in 1969
• ガソリン動車 (がそりんどうしゃ, gasorin dōsha): alternate term for ガソリンカー
• ディーゼルカー (でぃーぜるかー, dīzerukā): a diesel railcar or DMU
• ディーゼル動車 (でぃーぜるどうしゃ, dīzeru dōsha): alternate term for ディーゼルカー
• レールバス (れーるばす, rērubasu): a railbus
• 電動客車 (でんどうきゃくしゃ, dendō kyakusha): literally "electric passenger carriage"; an electric railcar or a powered car in an EMU. Generally used in a historical context and not used for present-day trains
• 電動貨車 (でんどうかしゃ, dendō kasha): literally "electric freight carriage"; an electric railcar or a powered car in an EMU used to carry freight, or an electric railcar used for departmental purposes
• 電動車 (でんどうしゃ, dendōsha): literally "electric motor vehicle"; outside railways is used to refer to electric cars etc, but in the railway context means a powered car in an electric multiple unit
• 付随車 (ふずいしゃ, fuzuisha): an unpowered car in a multiple unit, a trailer car
• 制御車 (せいぎょしゃ, seigyosha): a control car, i.e. a passenger carriage fitted with a cab. The term applies to both control cars used in multiple units and those used with locomotive-hauled trains
• 制御付随車 (せいぎょふずいしゃ, seigyofuzuisha): an unpowered control car. The term applies to both control cars used in multiple units and those used with locomotive-hauled trains
• 制御電動車 (せいぎょでんどうしゃ, seigyodendōsha): a powered control car in an electric multiple unit
• 運転台撤去車 (うんてんだいてっきょしゃ, untendaitekkyosha): a control car that has had its cab removed to convert it into an intermediate car

Rolling stock - unpowered vehicles

• 客車 (きゃくしゃ, kyakusha): a locomotive-hauled passenger carriage
• 客車列車 (きゃくしゃれっしゃ, kyakusha ressha): a locomotive-hauled passenger train
• 制御車 (せいぎょしゃ, seigyosha): a control car, i.e. a passenger carriage fitted with a cab. The term applies to both control cars used in multiple units and those used with locomotive-hauled trains
• 制御付随車 (せいぎょふずいしゃ , seigyofuzuisha): an unpowered control car. The term applies to both control cars used in multiple units and those used with locomotive-hauled trains
• 制御客車 (せいぎょきゃくしゃ, seigyokyakusha): a fairly rare term that seems to generally refer solely to unpowered control cars used in a locomotive-hauled train
• 貨車 (かしゃ, kasha): a freight car/goods wagon

Rolling stock - departmental/engineering vehicles

• 事業用車 (じぎょうようしゃ, jigyōyōsha): a departmental vehicle, a vehicle used for maintenance, training, etc. rather than the commercial transport of passengers or freight
• 電動貨車 (でんどうかしゃ, dendō kasha): literally "electric freight carriage"; an electric railcar or a powered car in an EMU used to carry freight, or an electric railcar used for departmental purposes

Rolling stock - passenger vehicles

• 格下げ車両 (かくさげしゃりょう, kakusage sharyō): a passenger vehicle (not necessarily a railway one) that has been downgraded; e.g. a carriage originally built for express trains being used on local trains, or a first-class carriage that has been converted to third-class

Rolling stock - passenger vehicle components

• 方向幕 (ほうこうまく, hōkōmaku): a destination indicator that is either a rollsign or a modern LED display
• 行先標 (ゆきさきひょう, yukusakihyō): an older destination indicator that is neither a rollsign or a modern LED display

Infrastructure - stations

• 鉄道駅 (てつどうえき, tetsudō eki): a railway station; the term covers both passenger and freight facilities. Usually shortened to 駅 (see below)
• 駅 (えき, eki): while in an etymological sense this just means "station" (it derives from the Chinese term for a relay station where horses were changed, the Japanese term for which is 駅家), it nowadays almost exclusively refers to railway stations, and is not used e.g. for bus stations
• 旅客駅 (りょかくえき, ryokaku eki): a passenger station
• 貨物駅 (かもつえき, kamotsu eki): a freight depot/goods yard
• 停車場 (ていしゃじょう, teishaba): any place where trains can be scheduled to arrive or depart from, including marshalling yards, passing loops, etc; compare German bahnhof. Originally the sole term for what is now usually referred to as 駅, but was mostly supplanted by the mid-20th century
• ターミナル駅 (ターミナルえき, tāminaru eki): a terminal station, both in the sense of a station where the tracks end and in the sense of a station at which services terminate (though other services may continue)
• 終着駅 (しゅうちゃくえき, shūchakueki): alternate term for ターミナル駅
• 乗換駅 (のりかええき, norikae eki): an interchange/transfer station. There seem to be some nuances in the use of 乗換駅/接続駅/連絡駅; I will have to conduct further research
• 接続駅 (せつぞくえき, setsuzoku eki): alternate term for 乗換駅. There seem to be some nuances in the use of 乗換駅/接続駅/連絡駅; I will have to conduct further research
• 連絡駅 (れんらくえき, renraku eki): alternate term for 乗換駅. There seem to be some nuances in the use of 乗換駅/接続駅/連絡駅; I will have to conduct further research
• 駅ビル (えきビル, eki biru): a large station building with space for separate commercial facilities such as shops and offices; an example is the JR Central Towers
• 地上駅 (ちじょうえき, chijō eki): a station built at ground level
• 高架駅 (こうかえき, kōka eki): an elevated station
• 地下駅 (ちかえき, chika eki): an underground station
• 橋上駅 (きょうじょうえき, hashigamieki): a station with the station building on a bridge over the platforms, e.g. Mejiro station in Tokyo
• プラットホーム (ぷらっとほーむ, purattohōmu): a platform
• プラットフォーム (ぷらっとふぉーむ, purattofōmu): alternate term for プラットホーム
• ホーム (ほーむ, hōmu): alternate abbreviated term for プラットホーム
• 待合室 (まちあいしつ, machiaishitsu): a waiting room
• 対面乗り換え (たいめんのりかえ, taimen norikae): a cross-platform interchange

Infrastructure - track

• 踏切 (ふみきり, fumikiri): a level crossing. Japanese level crossings are placed into one of four classes:
• 第1種 (だい1しゅ, dai 1-shu): Class 1 level crossings either have automatic barriers or are permanently manned manual crossings
• 第2種 (だい2しゅ, dai 2-shu): Class 2 level crossings are manual crossings that are not permanently manned. When not manned, they are considered Class 3 or 4 level crossings. The last Class 2 level crossings were closed or converted into other classes in the 1980s
• 第3種 (だい3しゅ, dai 3-shu): Class 3 level crossings do not have automatic barriers but do have automatic warning devices
• 第4種 (だい4しゅ, dai 4-shu): Class 4 level crossings lack both automatic barriers and automatic warning devices

Infrastructure - electrification

• 鉄道の電化 (てつどうのでんか, tetsudōnodenka): railway electrification
• 直流電化 (ちょくりゅうでんか, chokuryū denka): DC electrification
• 交流電化 (こうりゅうでんか, kōryū denka): AC electrification
• 架空電車線方式 (かくうでんしゃせんほうしき,kakūdenshasenhōshiki): overhead line electrification
• 架空電車線 (かくうでんしゃせん, kakūdenshasen): an overhead line (for railway use)
• 架線 (かせん, kasen): an overhead line (not specifically for railway use, can apply to power lines etc.) Can refer specifically to railway overhead lines by being pronounced がせん (gasen)
• 電車線 (でんしゃせん, denshasen): alternate term for 架空電車線
• 鉄道用架線 (てつどうようかせん, tetsudōyōkasen): alternate term for 架空電車線
• カテナリー吊架 (かてなりーつか, katenarī chōka): catenary suspension
• 第三軌条方式 (だいさんきじょうほうしき, daisankijōhōshiki): third rail electrification
• サードレール式 (さーどれーるしき, sādorērushiki): alternate term for 第三軌条方式
• 第三軌条 (だいさんきじょう, daisankijō): a third rail
• サードレール (さーどれーる, sādorēru): alternate term for 第三軌条
• 第三レール (だいさんれーる, daisanrēru): alternate term for 第三軌条

Operations - organisation

• 運用 (うんよう, un'yō): the process of assigning rolling stock and crews to services
• 鉄道運行計画 (てつどううんこうけいかく, tetsudō unkō keikaku): general term for 車両運用計画, 乗務員運用計画, etc.
• 車両運用計画 (しゃりょううんようけいかく, sharyō un'yō keikaku): a plan of the services a specific locomotive or multiple unit will operate; in UK parlance, a unit diagram
• 乗務員運用計画 (じょうむいん うんよう けいかく, jōmu-in un'yō keikaku): a plan of the services a specific crew will operate; in UK parlance, a crew diagram
• 構内作業計画 (こうないさぎょうけいかく, kōnai sagyō keikaku): a schedule for shunting, inspections, cleaning, etc. at a station or depot

Operations - passenger operations

• 終夜運転 (しゅうやうんてん, shūya unten): all night operation; operating trains throughout the night. Not common in Japan; outside of special events the only night with scheduled all-night service is generally the night of New Year's Eve/New Year's Day, to accommodate the many visitors to temples and shrines, allegedly a tradition created by the railway companies themselves
• ドアカット (どあかっと, doa katto): wasei-eigo formed from "door" and "cut". Refers to when only some doors are opened at a station, e.g. when the train is longer than the platform; in UK parlance, selective door operation
• ドア非扱い (どあひあつかい, doa hi atsukai): alternate term for ドアカット
• 扉非扱い (とびらひあつかい, tobira hi atsukai): alternate term for ドアカット
• ドア締切扱い (どあしめきりあつかい, doa shimekiri atsukai): alternate term for ドアカット

Operations - service types

• 列車種別 (れっしゃしゅべつ, ressha shubetsu): train service type
• 回送 (かいそう, kaisō): a train operating without passengers or cargo, e.g. to and from a depot; in UK parlance, a ECS move. Usually translated as "out of service" or "not in service" on destination signs

Tickets

• 切符 (きっぷ, kippu): a ticket in the broad sense; to quote Wikipedia's definition for the English word, "a voucher that indicates that an individual is entitled to admission to an event or establishment, or has a right to travel on a vehicle"
• 乗車券 (じょうしゃけん, jōsha-ken): a railway or bus ticket

Unconventional railways

• ケーブルカー (けーぶるかー, kēburukā): derived from the English term "cable car"; used for all cable-hauled railways
• 鋼索鉄道 (こうさくてつどう, kōsaku tetsudō): alternate term for ケーブルカー; literally translates to "cable railway"
• ラック式鉄道 (ラックしきてつどう, rakkushikitetsudō): a rack railway

Common station name prefixes/suffixes

• 北 (きた, kita): north
• 西 (にし, nishi): west
• 東 (ひがし, higashi): east
• 南 (みなみ, minami): south
• 中央 (ちゅうおう, chūō): centre

Unofficial jargon

• 盲腸線 (もうちょうせん, mōchō-sen): literally "appendix line" (using the colloquial word 盲腸, which more properly refers to the cecum, instead of the medical term 虫垂), a vaguely defined term applied to dead-end branch lines
• 湘南顔 (しょうなんがお, shōnan-gao): the "Shōnan face"; the front end design of the 80 series EMUs (which were nicknamed the "Shōnan train" for the area they served), a style that was widely imitated by Japanese locomotives and multiple units built in the 1950s and 60s
• 遜色急行 (そんしょくきゅうこう, sonshokukyūkō): literally "inferior express"; an express train operated by rolling stock not designed for use on express trains
• 乗り得列車 (のりとくれっしゃ, noritokuressha): the opposite of 遜色急行, a non-express train operated by express rolling stock

Railway enthusiasm

• SLブーム (SL būmu): the "SL boom", the spike in steam locomotive enthusiasm that occured during the final decade of steam operations on JNR (1965-75)