Train sexism

[Steamdemon]

What I don't get is why all locomotives are females, even though some of them have male names... I mean, you don't see that in Thomas the tank engine do you? Ugh, just so bleeding stupid.

I mean, it works for ships, but not for locomotives.

an example. Saint Cuthbert, one of the many saint classes. Now, think about it. Instead of calling it 'she', we should be calling it 'he'. And instead of 'she's a beauty' we should be saying 'he's a beast!'

And another thing. The Big Boy. If you said 'she's taken her maiden voyage' you might as well call it The Big Girl!

You know what I mean, right?

 

[Euphod]

The use of feminine pronouns when referencing inanimate objects, such as oceans or ships (even when named after men, such as the USS H.W. Bush) is a practice whose origins have been lost to the passage of time. It's applications to other objects is on the decline in most nations. Some languages, however, do imply gender to inanimate objects and may have contributed to the origin of the practice long ago.

 

[pakrail]

i thnk she is against dignity of locomotive
so i always use he for locomotives

 

[dean3779]

What I am lead to belive is that it stems back from the old days when the men did all the work and the women stayed at home. Me built them and operated them. Much like in the wars men named thier rifes planes and other things after women.

 

[bendorsey]

It would be interesting to know if the ancient Romans and Greeks did this too. If so its a tradition whos origin will always be lost in antiquity.

What would also be interesting is does the Moslem world follow this too?

And what about the great trading fleets from ancient China?

Ben

 

[SUS_pilot]

Don't ask me how I know this, but the UP 4000's are generally referred to as feminine, unless the term "Big Boy" is used in a sentence - then the word "it" is used:

"4010 is over at the ready track. She's ready to go."

Vs.

"Sir, what's the nickname for a 4000?"

"We call it a 'Big Boy.'"

Inconsistent? Sure. But that's what makes the American idiom fun (In spite of what G. B. Shaw might've said).

 

[CSX5220]

Oh Boy! This may not make since. Lets just say you are heart-fully, dignified passionately to the bone in love with these machines you somewhat find them 'attractive' Being a Male of course, we or at least I do anyway as a general spend more time with these 'beasts' than being around our wife's or kids. I guess one could call it a majestic 'happy feeling'.

Picture this if you could?

The year is 1998 and your in a small northeastern village. Sure you've been to this village before, and never thought of it till now. Your track side with your scanner in hand, suspenders, bluejeans, steel toe boots, favorite railroad cap proclamation your favorite railroad logo, and yes a video camera with a tripod sitting just feet off the road bed. Yeah sure this is all been done countless times before. But today you have this weird feeling inside. Just then when the Western sun is at its best for the shot your scanner goes off and you hear an EMD roaring in the distance pulling a heavy loaded coal train up the hill. I maen the sound of this noise is heart thumping. as the train rounds the curve and enters the perfect spot you hit the REC. button on your camera. Nobody around, just you, your scanner and that heart thumping grind as 'she rolls on bye' giving it everything 'shes got' to pull 'her train' up that steep grade. As the mid point of the train pass, you think to yourself, boy, will 'she' make the grade. Well one could only hope that 'shes got pushers' and guess what? Around that same bend, the same orange sunlit western sky you just about loose it. you do. out from the bellows of your stomach, you shout 'shes got pushers' well now for sure you know 'shes' got it made to her western destination for all that coal. Sure sometimes it can be that extreme. Lets face it most of the time it is. but this is the point. Sometimes the best form of vocabulary is from the best from of transportation.

All in all I think I'll go and play Trainz now and wait trackside for that illusive shot just so i can shout it out loud "Shes a Bute"

My two or three cents worth
Best Regards
Mike S.

 

[Steamdemon]

Another thing is... they didn't have female locomotive engineers/train creators/ whatever they call people who design trains in those days did they?

 

[ftldave]

I don't know what gender the Russians use for trains, but I do know they always use MALE names and pronouns for ships. That's their way. I thought that the Western practice to use female names for ships and hurricanes was because they were "temperamental", i.e. subject to unreasonable and unpredictable changes of mood.

Personally, I have no assumptions that my train simulations are politically correct in any way, and I really don't give a sexist flip if the locos are nicknamed like broads or gents.

- FTLDave

 

[Robertd81]

All other things aside, we often refer to machinery as "she" because of an heartfelt love for the object in question & it's as simple as that; and I've seen women as well as men coo over their "shes" and "hers" more times than I can count. Because of this I've never really been a fan of naming ships and planes and trains after men, or specific people in general.

 

[Tanvaras]

I call my 25 ton crane, my 2 scissor lifts, Hino truck and the trusty backhoe all female names, except when they not doing as intended then I find more appropriate vulgar names hehe. I think I just do it from habit as I always heard my older generation doing the same.

Cheers

Trent

 

[mattm]

Two conclusions can be drawn from the fact that someone has even considered starting this thread:

1- Someone has too much time on their hands, and;

2- The battle of the sexes has gone on too long, and ammo reserves are getting a little low.

Really, if anyone can find it sexist that inanimate objects are named for a particular gender, it may be time to call a truce.

You can take some things too far.

Just my thoughts,

Matt.

 

[H222]

8 letters, 2 capitals, 6 lower-case letters

Who Cares??

It's she or he, does it matter??

Jamie

 

[mattm]

1- Someone has too much time on their hands, and;

2- The battle of the sexes has gone on too long, and ammo reserves are getting a little low.

8 letters, 2 capitals, 6 lower-case letters

Who Cares??

It's she or he, does it matter??

Jamie

My point(s) exactly, Jamie.

The battle of the sexes is really down to mud slinging at this point, all the major battles have been won.

Give it a rest, ladies!

Matt.

 

[Accipiter777]

Some time ago (dont recall where) there was this big todo over a lion display at a museum. It seemed the display was sexist. The male lion was standing over the female. Ridiculous it all is. Call it what ya want.

 

[SUS_pilot]

Speaking strictly for myself, every locomotive I've ever known, whether in the real world or when I was a volunteer at the Illinois Railway Museum (SLSF 1630 is an old friend), has been a female, out of affection. Every airplane I've ever flown has been female. All of my cars have been girls. Again, out of respect and affection.

My wife calls her motorcycle "Bobbie", and it's female (no, it's not a Vespa, it's a Soft Tail Deluxe). She named both of our SAAB's with girl's names. As with me, out of affection, not due to their being temperamental.

The only time machines are neuter to either of us is when they don't work, as in "that stupid piece of junk!". Which is why I've never owned a computer that's had a gender...

 

[psferg]

Me? I have a special name for my Jeep. It's pretty much gender non-specific though. I arrived at it when the transmission went on it.

 

[ex-railwayman]

What I don't get is why all locomotives are females, even though some of them have male names... I mean, you don't see that in Thomas the tank engine do you? Ugh, just so bleeding stupid.

I mean, it works for ships, but not for locomotives.

an example. Saint Cuthbert, one of the many saint classes. Now, think about it. Instead of calling it 'she', we should be calling it 'he'. And instead of 'she's a beauty' we should be saying 'he's a beast!'

And another thing. The Big Boy. If you said 'she's taken her maiden voyage' you might as well call it The Big Girl!

You know what I mean, right?

It depends when you were born.......In the olden days, ALL mechanical vehicles, not just trains, were created with a sense of pride and passion, brass and chrome shone in the sunshine and paintwork glistened. Cars, buses, motorbikes, locomotives, trucks, were all considered as things of beauty, with lots of curves and female like, and accordingly were called "she's a thing of beauty" in reference to their shape, primarily, although, saying they behaved irrationally would be unfair, but, to some drivers could have been more truthful.
If you look at old photographs of fire engines, etc, from the 1930's-1960's, you'll understand what I mean.

Cheerz. ex-railwayman.

 

[illinoiscentral]

What I don't get is why all locomotives are females, even though some of them have male names... I mean, you don't see that in Thomas the tank engine do you? Ugh, just so bleeding stupid.

I mean, it works for ships, but not for locomotives.

an example. Saint Cuthbert, one of the many saint classes. Now, think about it. Instead of calling it 'she', we should be calling it 'he'. And instead of 'she's a beauty' we should be saying 'he's a beast!'

And another thing. The Big Boy. If you said 'she's taken her maiden voyage' you might as well call it The Big Girl!

You know what I mean, right?

I haven't been on this forum since March and this is why...this place is filled with rubbish, garbage, non-sense, hogwash, what ever your preffered accent wants to call it. I call it crap. It's like people think this forum has to be filled with new threads all the time. I can remember when people just enjoyed the existing ones and actually posted constructive REAL stuff in them, now its like a day care center in here. Trainz sexism? Lord help us. Why don't you call the jerks at the ACLU, I'm sure they'll assist you in this matter. If you honestly think railfans are sexist for referring to trains as females, you have an issue, a serious issue. Can no one enjoy the nostalgia of old terms and sayings anymore. Its all considered sexist or racist or somehow against someone. Who freaking cares. This is coming from someone who is neither sexist nor racist. Yet, pity crap like this aggravates the hell out of me. Yes, I know what you mean. Yes, I think its the dumbest thing I've read on this forum yet, and for any of you that remember the words "Strasburg" and "DannyPhantom" in Trainz Community a while back, you'll know that I'm pretty serious about just how stupid this is. Welcome to railroading, I call my museum's SD40 'her' and 'she' and 'old girl' and always will, because I'm proud of her and thats not going to change anytime soon. Take your non-sense elsewhere.

To the rest of you sensible Trainzers, I've missed you guys and until next time I feel up to checking on the day care...

Cheers,
Woody

 

[AJ_Fox]

Hey Woody

Glad to see you back, but what's up with all the angst?

Really it is a personal thing for everyone which gender they want to name things. Nothing sexist really as you have pointed out.

So keep on posting with your eloquent and interesting posts.

Cheers

AJ