Gon

nounShop talkRailroad

A clipped term for a gondola car, an open-topped freight car with low sides.

The everyday spoken shorthand for a gondola. Switch crews, conductors, and yardmasters use this clipped form over the radio to save time when calling out car types or reading switch lists. It refers to the exact same open-top rolling stock used for hauling scrap, steel plates, or ties.

Heard on the job

Shove those three empty gons down into track seven and tie them down.

Also heard as

  • gondola