quirky subway names

[pelham456]

here in the US, many cities have acronyms for their transport systems.

dallas = DART (dallas area rapid transit)
SF = BART (bay area rapid transit)
philly = SEPTA (SE penn transit authority)
atlanta = MARTA (metro atlanta rapid transit authority)

is there a full list of these anywhere? i can't seem to find one.

obviously, places just using "subway" "network" "rapid transit" "rail" or the like can be excluded (looking at you, DC Metro!)

boston has the quirky "T", btw. stands for the "transit" of "mass[achusetts] bay transit authority" (MBTA) which used to be "mass[achusetts] transit authority" (MTA) until someone noticed that "mass transit" was already a thing.

(me, i grew up thinking it was an intentional pun!)

and chicago has the "el" or "L", for "elevated".

but mainly looking for the acronym types.

[pelham456]

PS -- not *quite* the official name, but the seattle SLUT is still the best:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Lake_Union_Streetcar

[alexora]

In London we have the Bakerloo line, not an acronym, but a contraction of what used to be its terminal stations: Baker Street, and Waterloo.

You Tube

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[pelham456]

that's a great one! is that actually used as the official name, or just a nickname slapped on it? (i read the wiki, but still unclear)

btw, it appears that "MTA" stood for (boston) "metro transit authority" -- like a lot of cities -- and not "mass[achusetts]" at all. but since it stands for mass in the here and now ("mass bay" version), there are plenty of sources claiming it stood for mass back then as well. as i myself had thought.

may well be the only subway in the world with a theme song, btw....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M.T.A._(song)

You Tube

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don't get the "et tu" at the end.

[alexora]

Originally Posted by pelham456

that's a great one! is that actually used as the official name, or just a nickname slapped on it? (i read the wiki, but still unclear)

Bakerloo is the official name for this line and has been so since 1908. Previously (from 1906) is was called the Baker Street & Waterloo Railway.

http://ltmuseum.co.uk/collections/stories/transport/bakerloo-line

[pelham456]

are there other lines which use that kind of portmanteau?

can't think of a single one in the US. maybe cal- or cali- something, but i can't think of an actual example. (ditto our own mass-)

japanese word for walleyed is "ronpari", btw -- from rondon + parii. as in, one eye on london, one on paris!

[alexora]

Originally Posted by pelham456

are there other lines which use that kind of portmanteau?

can't think of a single one in the US. maybe cal- or cali- something, but i can't think of an actual example. (ditto our own mass-)

japanese word for walleyed is "ronpari", btw -- from rondon + parii. as in, one eye on london, one on paris!

I can't think of any right now, except that the Channel Tunnel, the underwater railway from the UK to France was once known as the 'Chunnel'.

However, this was not its official name.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/may/6/newsid_2511000/2511653.stm