Shoofly

[NW Mailing List]

Another possibility - since the track resembles the curves on the
bottom of a rocking chair...

shoo·fly/ˈʃuˌflaɪ/ noun, plural shoo·flies.
a child's rocker having a seat supported between two boards cut and
painted to resemble animals.

Jerry kay, Portsmouth, Va.

On 11/22/12, NW Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> wrote:

> RE: The term "shoofly" or "shoo-fly"

>

> On Thu, Nov 22, 2012 at 8:37 AM, <nw-mailing-list-request at nwhs.org> wrote:

>

>> first appeared in railroad jargon around 1905

>

>

> The use of the term "shoofly" definitely predates 1905.  A few examples

> follow:

>

> The January 4, 1879 edition of "Railway World" noted in regards to Madeira

> and Mamore railroad (a line being built in South America) that,"Three miles

> of and a shoo fly of five miles has already been laid."

> http://books.google.com/books?id=ZIJRAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA14

>

> Quoting from "The Economic Theory of The Location of Railways", first

> published in 1887, "First, the exploration line or what is popularly called

> a shoo fly line should be run as rapidly as possible over the entire route

> which it is contemplated will ultimately constitute the road."

> http://books.google.com/books?id=OcpAAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA860

>

> Page #110 of the "Proceedings of the First Annual Meeting of the American

> International Association of Railway Superintendents of Bridges and

> Buildings", held in St. Louis, MO, on September 25, 1891, makes three

> references to the term "shoofly" in regards to making repairs to

> embankments that have been badly side washed.

> http://books.google.com/books?id=93ASAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA110

>

> C. Lloyd

>