trainmaster

T1R1A1I1N1M3A1S1T1E1R1

noun

A superintendent or supervisor of a freight railroad, responsible for train movements, crew assignments, derailments and more.

“In the past, trainmasters were promoted brakemen or conductors who retained their union seniority.”

Similar
yardmastertrain dispatcher
Scrabble 13

Meanings

nountrainmaster (plural trainmasters)

plural trainmasters

  1. USrail transportA superintendent or supervisor of a freight railroad, responsible for train movements, crew assignments, derailments and more.

    In the past, trainmasters were promoted brakemen or conductors who retained their union seniority.

    1 more example

    Trainmasters are American officials, who perform duties somewhat akin to those of a British controller, but with obvious differences dictated by the different operating conditions in America.

    1946 March and April, “The Why and The Wherefore: The Duties of Yardmasters, Controllers and Trainmasters”, in Railway Magazine, page 127

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna railroad employer who is in charge of a railway yard

Similar
yardmastertrain dispatcher
Also see

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*dʰregʰ-der.?
  2. Latintrahere
  3. Vulgar Latin*tragīnāre
  4. Old Frenchtraïner
  5. Old Frenchtrain
  6. Middle Englishtrayne
  7. Englishtrain
  8. Proto-Indo-European*meǵh₂-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*meh₂-
  10. Proto-Italic*magisteros
  11. Latinmagister, magistrum
  12. Old Frenchmaistre
  13. Latinmagister
  14. Old Englishmǣġester
  15. Middle Englishmaister
  16. Englishmaster
  17. Englishtrainmaster

From train + master.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

trainmaster. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trainmaster

MLA

“trainmaster.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trainmaster. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “trainmaster,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/trainmaster.

Source: trainmaster on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.