Okay let me be the first to say, I am childless. However when a friend of mine told me that him and his wife were expecting, I immediately started to wonder what they would name the child. The next day I brought up the idea to a colleague and said that I thought Norfolk would be a decent name. Then we started to think of other railroad names. And thus, here I am to bring you my ultimate list of railroad names for a baby.
Myrtle – This goes without saying. The loss of the HO scale Milwaukee Racine & Troy (or Myrt) staff layout has left us all with a hole in our hearts. If that hole exists in yours, one way to fill the void is by naming your child after the famed layout.
Fallen flags
Ace – one of my favorite railroads is the Akron, Canton & Youngstown so this would be my first choice
Alaska – another one of my favorites, and it just works
Ann – for fans of both iterations of the Ann Arbor RR
Atchison – for all the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe fans
Chessie or Chester – for the Chesapeake & Ohio or later Chessie System
Denver – no, not John Denver. Denver & Rio Grande Western
Fe – another adoption of the Santa Fe
Haven – their favorite paint scheme will undoubtedly be McGinnis
Hudson – for all the Delaware & Hudson fans
J or Jay – Elgin, Joliet & Eastern fans rejoice
Katy – you knew this one was coming, for the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) of course
Leigh – I’ll be honest, this is how I pronounced Lehigh Valley when I was a child
Louie or Louis – a perfect name for a child living along the old Louisville & Nashville
Marilyn – for all you Western Maryland fans
Minnie – name your child after a city that the Minneapolis & St. Louis actually reached
Nash – if Louie or Louis doesn’t fit your style
Nick or Nichole – because New York, Chicago, and St. Louis RR would be a really long name
Paul – for the Milwaukee Road
Pennsy – if you want your child’s first words to be “GG1” or “K4”
Quincy or Quinn – for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
Sue – if you’re a fan of a railroad named Soo (Line)
Virginia – and if you built a version of the Virginian project layout, send it to us for Built by Others
Currently operating railroads
Dallas – the Dallas, Garland & Northeastern operates, surprisingly, in Texas
Kyle – another Genessee & Wyoming line, the Kyle RR operates in Kasas and Colorado
Norfolk – yeah the intro paragraph probably spoiled this for you. Could be for Norfolk & Western or Norfolk Southern
Kansas – no not the band, Kansas City Southern or Canadian Pacific Kansas City
Commuter agencies
Bart – no this isn’t the Simpsons, you just really like Bay Area Rapid Transit
Elle or Ellie – automatically comes with a subway pass
Marc – they don’t have to know their name stands for Maryland Area Rail Commuter
T or Tee – don’t worry, I don’t think babies are born with a Boston accent
