The Curious World of Railway Acronyms
When I first joined the railway sector, I was woken to the curious world of railway acronyms. I discovered that an entire meeting could be held without saying many words. I found myself constantly checking my trusty acronyms guide feeling that I would never understand what everyone was talking about. Inevitably over the years I have succumbed, am fully fluent (well almost) in the language of acronyms and feel very comfortable writing entire emails and holding meetings where acronyms are the common language.
It has often struck me how easily we fall into using acronyms and above all how easily they take over our mind set. From what I can see railway acronyms fall into 4 categories - straight forward acronyms; acronyms that are the same but different; acronyms that are the same but different if written differently and acronyms that mean something different to everyone else!
I would say that straight forward acronyms are the easiest to become fluent in and very quickly roll of the tongue – UTX (under track crossing), CBTC (communications-based train control), TOC (Train Operating company), COSS (controller of site safety), NR (Network Rail) all relatively straight forward (if you work in rail) and what is key easy to remember.
Slightly more difficult to gain fluency and where it starts to get more curious, acronyms that are the same but different! I have never been able to get my head around having acronyms with more than one meaning! Take SRP? I use SRP (System Review Panel) and SRP (Safety Review Panel) on a regular basis but rarely get caught out on the correct meaning, which is curious and then there is CSM (Common Safety Method) and CSM (Customer Service Manager) … Common Safety Method wins the day for me.
Now if you can get your head around that what about the acronyms that are the same but different if written differently – MIND BLOWN! These IMO (in my opinion – down with the kids 🤗) are the most curious acronyms. They are the same but different because of the way they are written! Who came up with that idea? The classic for me is CR-T (Contract Requirements – Technical) and CrT (Critical Rail Temperature). Curiouser and curiouser …
Last but not least acronyms that mean something different to EVERYONE else in the civilised world. Prime example RAMS – Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety. I can hear everyone else shouting it RAMS (Risk Assessment Method Statement)!
Above all railway acronyms the one I love the most is AsBo (Assessment Body) …. yes, I hear you, and no it is absolutely not an ASBO (Anti-Social Behaviour Order) – we don’t want to get that one mixed up.
The great thing about Anturas is that most of our team are acronym fluent (a.k.a railway geeks). We don’t have a CSM but can help you with CSM and if you need help with your RAMS but definitely not your RAMS or your AsBo but definitely not your ASBO then give us a shout, to ease the pain we will throw in an acronym TBT (toolbox talk) FOC (free of charge)!
