K
Kadee Brand name for precision couplers which are designed for model railroading.
Kangaroo Court An official hearing or investigation, so named because it may be held wherever most convenient, anywhere along the road, jumping around like a kangaroo, to act on main-line mix-ups or other urgent problems.
Kar Trak A modern computerized system used to keep track of all railroad equipment.
Keeley Water can for hot journals or bearings. Nickname derived from "Keeley cure" for liquor habit.
Kennedy [SL] Class 661-1 GM G16 C-C diesels. So called because Kennedy was the President of the USA at the time when they arrived.
Kettle Any small locomotive, especially an old, leaky one. Also called teakettle and coffeepot.
Key 1) A telegraph instrument.
2) Wedge of hard wood or spring steel inserted between rail and chair to hold rail firmly in position at correct gauge.
Key-By The act of lowering an automatic stop arm in order to pass a red signal.
Kick

To drop a car without having the engine enter the siding or spur on which the car is to be placed. This is performed as follows:

  1. Engine and car(s) to be kicked is pulled past the trailing point switch to the track where the car is to be placed and stopped.
  2. Pin is pulled between car(s) to be kicked and cars to remain in consist.
  3. Switch is thrown.
  4. Engine throttles up and moves towards switch, pushing car(s) to be kicked.
  5. Engine applies brakes. Cars that are no longer coupled continue moving down into track on which to be spotted.
  6. Switch may now be relined for main so train can be reassembled, or so additional cars can be switched out.
Kicker A common expression for a triple valve in defective order which throws air brakes into emergency when only a service application is intended.
King Snipe Track or section foreman.
Kingpin 1) A conductor.
2) The pivot on which a truck swivels. Also called a center pin. On a prototype railroad car, the steel pin that connects the wheel set or bogie to the bolster at the pivot point.
3) [MR] Usually a plastic pin or screw that attaches the truck of a model railroad car to the bolster on that car.
Kitbash A model railroading term meaning to combine parts from kits to produce a unique model.
Kitchen 1) Caboose.
2) Engine cab. Firebox is kitchen stove.
Knock Her In The Head Slow down.
Knockout Same as bump.
Knowledge Box 1) Yardmaster's office.
2) The president of the road.
Knuckle The movable portion of the drawbar coupler.