Well the farther we seem to advance in time, less and less is understood on things of the past. Especially now with railroads.

They no longer hold any fascination with the public. To most people they are noisy, interfering nuisances that seem to have minds of their own. After all, many folks seem to think 'why can't the engineer steer the train out of harm's way, or make it stop a lot faster than they do.' With that, what to correctly call railroad cars or locomotives is no longer part of our everyday language in this 21st century.

Obviously that 'engine car' was likely a diesel locomotive.  I'm not sure what that reporter would have written if it was a steam or electric locomotive.

"...engine car..."? Good grief.

Journalism is dead...

At least the writer didn't call it a choo-choo.

Where ya been, Rich?

Journalism has been dead and buried for darn near half a century, now . . .

EdKing

Oh boy, another over educated individual.  That settles it, I'm turning off my computer and running for the hills.......

He couldn't call it a choo-choo... because that is a Lionel protected trademark!

I kid you not.   What was it somebody said about too many lawyers.

Actually, the steam locomotive in the recent video game Red Dead Redemption is in fact referred to at one point as an "engine car".  It's a nicely detailed 4-6-0; looks like B&O's Thatcher Perkins.  I was kind of surprised to see such a nicely detailed train incorrectly labelled (though I could point out several other inaccuracies about the train).

Yes, I have been aware of the general public's decline of knowledge of basic railroad terms.  "Engineer" and "motorman" have been replaced by "train operator" (and often still incorrectly referred to as "conductor" at times), and even the words "train" and "rail", when referring to the rolling stock, are sometimes used interchangeably.

Aaron

Or maybe we will eventually go the English/continetal/Australian way, calling the person who operates a locomotive, MUE commuter train or light-rail vehicle the

"driver.''