Developmental Tips: The first part of this activity helps children understand how railroads get their names - and how language is used. The second part invites them to name their own railroad and design their own color schemes and graphics - good creative and language activities.

Railroad companies often use words and pictures to tell people whose railroad their locomotives belong to. But how do they choose their names? How would you decide what to call your railroad? If your railroad was near the Western Mountains, you might call it the Western Mountains Railroad. Or you could name it for the places and businesses it served, like the West Virginia Coal Mine Route. If it ran back and forth between two cities, you might use the names of those cities, like the New York and Boston Railway. You could name it after an animal or even a toy, like the Rubber Duckie Line. You might just name it after yourself or some other person, like Jimmy's Railroad. It's your railroad. Call it what you like. Here are some line drawings of steam, diesel and electric locomotives. Print the ones you like and then put the name of your railroad on them. Pick some colors to help identify your railroad. Maybe all your locomotives will be green with red roofs on their cabs. Maybe you will choose blue and add some yellow safety stripes. Maybe they will all have different colors. Do whatever you like and have fun! Click on a locomotive to see a bigger picture to print, put your railroad's name on, and decorate with your official colors. Print freight cars to go with your locomotives in the What's in those railroad cars? activity. Back to Fun with Trains. © 2007, Jerry Jindrich. All rights reserved. Revised 9/6/2017.