What is the significance of the term MUDHEN? I ran across it in reference to a flat cab work car on two different and unconnected trolley lines. They were the Conneaut and Erie and the Buffalo Gardenville and Ebenezer later Buffalo Southern. Seems to be a popular term at the turn of the 20 th century but can anyone tell me its derivation?

mudhen

quote:

Originally posted by Arthur P. Bloom:
mudhen

Those all seem to be references to narrow gauge steam.
I believe the question was about electric railway cars.

Lee

Yup, that was the question, but maybe the questioner is mis-informed about the nickname.

Mr. Bloom using your Google list checked references and in
Railroad.net Slanguage Dictionary found that "mudhen" was used to designate a work train so thats why the work cars on the 2 trolley lines were called mudhens.

The term was use for some steam locomotives which looked as though they were waddling like a mudhen which is a female coot duck.