The British love affair with trains is illustrated by the number of rail-related phrases that have seeped into our everyday language.
From running out of steam to chugging along, getting back on track to going off the rails, you’re probably using rail idioms frequently, without even realising it.
Here, we look at the common train idioms that have become part of our daily conversation.
A whistle-stop tour of train idioms
Many common phrases come straight from the railway, from picking up steam to going off the rails. These expressions are so familiar we rarely stop to think about their origins.
Let’s take a whistle-stop tour through some of the most well-known train idioms.
1. “Steaming ahead”
Many popular expressions date from the era of steam engines. Had a bad day at work? You might want to go to the gym to let off some steam.
This term harks back to the days when train boilers would release pressure by blowing off steam. You now use it whenever you are talking about relieving pressure.
Other steam engine rail idioms include picking up steam, running out of steam and getting up a head of steam. If you’re being forced to go it alone, you’ll be doing something under your own steam.
When you’re going full steam ahead, you’ll be doing something as rapidly and purposefully as you can. Just like a train going full steam ahead when its boiler reaches maximum pressure.
There’s debate, though, about whether this phrase originated from trains or ships. One possibility is that it’s adapted from a famous command by David Farragut during a naval battle in 1864: “Damn the torpedoes - full speed ahead!”
2. “Train of thought”
Some idioms specifically use the term train, think train wreck and gravy train. The phrase gravy train is American in origin and was used by rail workers to refer to a job that offered easy, well-paid work.
Train of thought sounds like it should be another example of a train idiom - but it was in use long before the first railway track was laid. The term was first used in 1651 with “train” meaning “series or progression.”
3. “Back on track”
Many well-known train idioms come from those crucial parts of railway infrastructure: the tracks.
We talk of getting back on track, being on track and having a one-track mind. The latter refers to someone who tends to focus on one thing exclusively - like a train that follows a single path.
The opposite of this is sidetracked. For example, if you meant to clear out some cupboards but found yourself poring over some long-lost photos, then you got sidetracked.
This means you got diverted from the main track, just like a train that was moved to a sidetrack. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, sidetrack was first used as a verb in the 1870s, though it had been used as a noun 50 years earlier.
Some also use the idiom on the wrong side of the tracks, whether it’s coming from or being born on it. It’s used as a means of explaining a less-than-ideal upbringing, such as coming from a troubled or lower-income household.
This expression originated in the USA, and there are various theories about its original meaning. Some believe it simply described the poorer areas of towns separated by the railway, which were often exposed to the noise, smoke, and soot from passing trains.
However, not every phrase with the word “track” in it is directly related to the railways. Some of these expressions pre-date train travel. For instance, some say “on track” originated in the 15th century, meaning to successfully follow the same path as someone else.
4. “Go off the rails”
Interestingly, while we often discuss both derailing and getting back on track, we primarily use "rails" in the context of going off them. For example, a project can be derailed, but it’s rarely described as being re-railed. The term "re-railed" still primarily refers to physically placing a train back on the tracks.
Lexicographer and dictionary contributor Orin Hargraves reveals that the word derail was first used around 1850, coinciding with the growing popularity of the railways. It became used in a more metaphorical way much later, in the 1980s.
Similarly, teenagers are often described as going off the rails - a metaphor for straying from the right path and engaging in questionable behaviour. However, once they turn things around, we rarely say they are “going back on the rails.” While the phrase does exist, it’s far less common than its counterpart.
5. “Blowing the whistle”
The term "whistle-stop tour" comes from the USA, where politicians often gave speeches at train stations during campaign stops. Over time, it became a phrase for fast-paced tours, especially before elections.
In the past, when train schedules were less rigid, passengers often had to request stops. A whistle-stop may have referred to the train whistling to a signal station that it was stopping. Alternatively, it could have been the driver’s way of acknowledging a passenger’s request to stop. From this practice, the idiom whistle-stop tour emerged.
In 1948, President Truman toured the country by rail as he secured re-election, making up to 15 speeches a day. Jack Bell, an Associated Press reporter at the time, wrote:
“Smiling, President Truman headed toward Michigan today on the first lap of a whistle-stop campaign in which he will criss-cross the nation."
6. “The end of the line”
Train and rail idioms have been woven into the English language since the emergence of railways in the 19th century. They not only reflect the impact of trains on travel but also highlight their influence on the ways we communicate.
From political campaigns to everyday conversations, train idioms keep the legacy of the tracks alive in our language. But as far as this article is concerned, we’ve reached the end of the line.