Definition

1. Noun:
   • A laborer assigned to a section gang: A "section hand" is a worker, typically on a railroad, who is part of a crew (a section gang) responsible for maintaining a specific segment or "section" of the railway tracks.

Usage

• The term "section hand" is a specific job title used historically and in the railroad industry. It refers to an individual laborer performing manual tasks like laying or repairing tracks, replacing ties, or clearing debris along a designated section of the railroad line.

Examples

• Noun:
  • My grandfather worked as a section hand for the railway in the 1940s.
  • The foreman assigned the new section hand to the crew repairing the tracks near the bridge.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in historical contexts or within discussions of railroad operations. It emphasizes the manual, physical nature of the work and the organization of labor into geographically defined sections.

Variants and Related Words

• Section gang (n): The crew or team of laborers, including section hands, responsible for maintaining a railroad section.
• Gandy dancer (n, informal, historical): A slang term for a railroad section hand, particularly one involved in lining tracks.

Synonyms

• Railroad laborer
• Trackman
• Maintenance-of-way worker

Related Phrases/Idioms

Noun

1. a laborer assigned to a section gang