- B end (North America): The end of a railroad freight car in North America, to which the hand brake apparatus (usually a wheel, sometimes a lever) is applied, or to which it is closest. On articulated cars with more than one unit, where there is only a brake wheel on one of the units, the unit containing the brake wheel is generally designated the "B" unit (not to be confused with a B unit locomotive), the opposite end of the articulated unit the "A" unit, and any intermediate units between the "A" and "B" designated with successive letters of the alphabet, starting with "C", and progressing in order towards the "A" unit. Thus an articulated car consisting of five units, will have the units ordered (from the "A" end, "A - E - D - C - B".
- B unit (US): A cabless booster locomotive, controlled via MU from a cab-equipped A unit. Sometimes equipped with limited controls for hostling.
- Bacon slicer (UK): Slang term for a cutoff controlled by a wheel operating through a worm and nut, rather than the more usual quadrant lever. The device was slow to operate, but very precise, and therefore only fitted to long-distance locomotives where frequent changes of cut-off were not required.
- Bad order: A tag or note applied to a defective piece of equipment. Generally, equipment tagged as bad order is not to be used until repairs are performed and the equipment is inspected and approved for use.
- Bail off: To release the locomotive brakes while the train brakes are being applied in order to maintain slack conditions and permit smoother stops. Also actuate.
- Balancing: the reciprocation and revolving masses of any steam, diesel or electric locomotive need balancing, if it is to work smoothly. Revolving masses can easily be balanced by counterweights, but the balancing of reciprocating parts is a matter of compromise and judgement.
- Baldwin: 1. An American locomotive manufacturer in business from 1825 to 1972. 2. A locomotive built by the BLW.
- Ballast: aggregate stone, gravel or cinders forming the track bed on which sleepers (ties) and track are laid to ensure stability and proper drainage.
- Balloon: A looped length of track, usually at the end of a spur or branch, which allows trains to turn around for the return trip without reversing or shunting. Can be used as part of a freight installation to allow the loading or unloading of bulk materials without the need to stop the train (see merry-go-round train (MGR)).
- Bank: A particularly steep section of line that requires additional bank (or banking) engines (US: helper engines) to help trains climb.
- Banking: Assisting the working of a train, usually when ascending a gradient, by attaching one or more locomotives to the rear.
- Base plate (UK), tie plate (US): An iron or steel plate used to spread the weight of rail over a larger area of sleeper (tie) and facilitate a secure, low maintenance, fastening with bolts or clips. It derives from the former rail chairs.
- Bay platform: A type of platform/track arrangement where the train pulls into a siding, or dead-end, when serving the platform.
- Bearings: The bushing or metal block of anti-friction material which transmits the load via an oil film to a journal.
- Beep: A one-of-a-kind switcher locomotive (also referred to as the SWBLW) built by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1970.
- Bend the iron (slang, US): To line a switch.
- Berkshire: A steam locomotive with a 2-8-4 wheel arrangement.
- "Big Mac" (slang, US): A nickname for EMD's SD-90MAC locomotive model.
- Bi-current Locomotive: Designed to operate on two different electric current frequency systems.
- Blastpipe: A part of a steam locomotive that discharges exhaust steam from the cylinders into the smokebox beneath the chimney in order to increase the draught through the fire.
- Blended braking: The combination of air brakes with dynamic braking to control a heavy train on a grade.
- Blowdown value: A means of releasing water, plus impurties contained therein, form the lowest water space of the boiler.
- Blower: On a steam locomotive, a steam pipe leading into the smokebox, causing necessary draft in the chimney (stack) when the engine is not running. However, UK practice is to turn on the blower also when entering tunnels, etc., to avoid dangerous blow-back into the cab. (The UK loading gauge is much smaller than that in the US and the tunnel roof would otherwise spoil the normal draft created from the exhaust.) On a two-stroke diesel engine, the blower is a mechanical device that scavenges the cylinders: not to be confused with a supercharger.
- Blue signal (US): A method of on-track protection for rail cars and locomotives that are being loaded/unloaded, maintained, or serviced; typically in the form of a sheet-metal blue flag in daylight and a flashing blue light at night. Only the employee (or another employee from the same department) who placed a blue signal may remove it.
- Bobber: (archaic, US): A slang word for a small caboose with just four wheels, all rigidly mounted to the frame. This design was common in the 19th century. Bobber refers to the bouncing action of such a caboose while in motion.
- Bo-Bo (Europe): A locomotive with a 4 wheel per truck configuration, each individually powered, as opposed to a 6-wheel "Co-Co" configuration.
- Bogie: (chiefly UK) The undercarriage assembly incorporating the wheels, suspension, brakes and, in powered units, the traction motors. Generally called a truck in the US.
- Boiler: A cylindrical container adjacent to the firebox in which steam is produced to drive a steam locomotive.
- Bolster: Transverse floating beam member of truck suspension system supporting the weight of vehicle body.
- Bonds: Short wires used to bridge gaps in electrical circuits, usually at track circuit joints or between rails.
- Booking Clerk: A person at a station whose job is specifically selling tickets.
- Boom barrier: A barrier at a level (rail) crossings.
- Booster: (Steam locomotive) - An extra set of cylinders that can be engaged to drive a trailing truck or tender truck to give additional tractive effort at starting and low speeds.
- Bowl yard, Bowl track: A classification yard with an ascending grade at both ends, which thus prevents free-rolling cars from running out the opposite end during switching operations.
- Boxcar (US): a type of rolling stock with a flat bottom enclosed on all sides and top, which is loaded and unloaded from sliding doors on each side. Same as van (UK). (Also used as a verb in US railroad slang for setting up a locomotive's air brake system so it can be hauled dead-in-tow.)
- Brakeman (US): A train crew member who performs railcar and track management; often a single job description along with switchman ("brakeman/switchman"). A brakeman manually activated brakes on railroad cars before the advent of air brakes.
- Brakeman's cabin, brakeman's cab or brakeman's caboose (US): small hut at one end of a railway wagon to protect the brakeman from the elements.
- Brake Pipe (US): The main air pipe of the trains pneumatic braking system.
- Brake van (UK): A heavy vehicle with powerful brakes which was attached to the rear of goods trains in the days when most wagons were not fitted with a continuous braking system. Its function was to supplement the locomotive's braking power in slowing and stopping the train and to keep the couplings uniformly tight by selective light braking to avoid snatching and breakages. It also conveyed the train guard, hence its alternative name of "guards van". Partly analogous to caboose and its synonyms.
- Branch line: A secondary railway line that branches off a main line.
- Brick arch: A brick or concrete baffle provided at the front of a locomotive firebox below the tubes, in order to extend the flame path. Early Locomotives burnt coke; provision of a brick arch was necessary before coal could be used without producing excessive smoke.
- Broad gauge: Track where the rails are spaced more widely apart than 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) (which is called standard gauge). Many early railroads were broad gauge, for example the Great Western Railway in the UK which adopted 7 ft 0 1⁄4 in (2,140 mm) gauge until it was converted to standard gauge in the 1860s - 1890s. Russia still has over 80,000 km (50,000 mi) of broad gauge (1,520 mm/4 ft 11 5⁄6 in) railroads. Broad gauge is also normal in Spain and Portugal (1,668 mm/5 ft 5 2⁄3 in Iberian gauge), in India (1,676 mm/5 ft 6 in Indian gauge), as well as Ireland and used in some parts of Australia (1,600 mm/5 ft 3 in Irish gauge).
- BRUTE: British Rail Universal Trolley Equipment - type of platform trolley found on stations all over the UK rail network from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.
- Brush conductor: usually of carbon providing electrical contact with a sliing surface moving relative to it such as the commutator of a direct current machine.
- Bubble Car: A DMU consisting of a single coach (UK), e.g. British Rail Class 121
- Buckeye coupler: A form of coupler which will lock automatically when the two parts are pushed together.
- Buck (US): A term used for pushing railroad cars with a locomotive then allowing them to roll under their own momentum into a siding. (Assuming a brakeman hangs on for a free ride) Also; Kick.
- Buffer A device that cushions the impact of rail vehicles against each other.
- Buffer stop or Bumper post: The barrier installed at the end of a dead end track to prevent rail vehicles from proceeding further.
- Builder's plate: the nameplate on locomotives and rolling stock
- Bulkhead flat: An open-top flatcar with a wall at each end.
- Bull head rail (UK): A steel rail section commonly used in 60 ft lengths on almost all railway lines throughout Britain until c1950, which due to its shape must be supported in cast iron chairs that are screwed to the sleepers. It is still found on secondary and preserved lines and in yards. The rail has two heads (shaped somewhat like a vertical dumbbell) so, when one side became worn, the rail could be inverted and reinstalled for further service rather than being replaced.
- Bustitution: The practice of replacing train service, whether light rail, tram/streetcar systems, or full-size railway systems, with a bus service, either on a temporary or permanent basis. Somewhat derogatory and mainly used in the UK, Canada, USA, and Australia. The word is a portmanteau of the words "bus" and "substitution".
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