The name comes from hog, railroad slang for a locomotive, so the hogger or hoghead is the one who drives it. Engineers use the word for themselves with some pride, and conductors use it with affection or exasperation depending on the trip. A good hogger handles the slack so smoothly the crew barely feels it; a rough one is remembered for every broken knuckle.
New hogger on the extra board, kid's only been promoted a month, so talk him through the hill.
Hogger is affectionate from a coworker and a little cheeky from an outsider; the formal title is always locomotive engineer.
Also heard as
- hoghead
- hog head
- engineer
- eagle eye
Related terms
Brakie
A brakeman, the crew member who handles switches, couplings and hand brakes under the conductor.
Slack
The free play in couplers and draft gear that lets cars move a little toward or away from each other.
Old head
A veteran railroader with long seniority, respected for knowledge and sometimes resented for it.
Extra board
A roster of crew members with no regular job, called in rotation to fill vacancies and extra trains.