railroading
Coercing without discussion
Railroading is the business or activity of operating railroads—building tracks, running trains, managing freight and passengers.
The word also names a coercive practice: to railroad someone is to force them into something without fair process or adequate time to respond.
A defendant gets railroaded through a sham trial; a bill gets railroaded through committee.
In tabletop gaming, railroading describes a game master who forces players along a predetermined plot rather than letting choices matter: The campaign felt like pure railroading—nothing we did changed anything.
Railway pulling machine
- freightGoods being transported
- conductorOne who directs musicians
- passengerTraveler, not operator
- stationFixed stopping point
platform · terminal · junction · timetable · caboose · engine · track · commute
Overpowering through sheer force
- pressureForce upon contact
- forcingCompelling through pressure
- bulldozingDemolishing by pushing over
- strong-armingPressuring through threats
arm-twisting · pushing through · overriding · rushing · dismissing · bullying · intimidation · manipulation
Spanning an entire continent
- Golden Spike1869 railroad completion symbol
- Union PacificMajor American freight railroad
- Central PacificRailroad from California eastward
- robber baronsExploitative nineteenth-century capitalists
Vanderbilt · Gilded Age · land grants · Chinese laborers · industrialization · westward expansion · iron horse · steam locomotive
Connections or neckwear
- sleepersUnactivated spies or surprise hits
- ballastShip stability material
- switchesCircuit opening devices
- turnoutsNumbers who appeared
trestle · tunnel · grade crossing · signal · catenary · interlocking · right-of-way · embankment
Miniature locomotive replicas
- scaleMeasure of relative size
- layoutSpatial arrangement of elements
- dioramaEnclosed miniature scene display
- rolling stockWheeled railway equipment
kitbashing · weathering · scenery · benchwork · turnouts · couplers · throttle · locomotives
Structural or contextual shaping
- kangaroo courtIllegitimate proceeding ignoring procedure
- scapegoatingUnfairly assigning fault to innocents
- setupHow something is arranged
- planted evidenceFalsified material to incriminate
coerced confession · miscarriage · prejudgment · show trial · false testimony · biased jury
locomotive
Railway pulling machine
station · platform · terminal · junction · timetable · caboose · engine · track · commute · express
steamrolling
Overpowering through sheer force
- pressureForce upon contact
- forcingCompelling through pressure
- bulldozingDemolishing by pushing over
strong-arming · arm-twisting · pushing through · overriding · rushing · dismissing · bullying · intimidation · manipulation · imposition
transcontinental
Spanning an entire continent
- Golden Spike1869 railroad completion symbol
- Union PacificMajor American freight railroad
- Central PacificRailroad from California eastward
robber barons · Vanderbilt · Gilded Age · land grants · Chinese laborers · industrialization · westward expansion · iron horse · steam locomotive · Carnegie
ties
Connections or neckwear
- sleepersUnactivated spies or surprise hits
- ballastShip stability material
- switchesCircuit opening devices
turnouts · trestle · tunnel · grade crossing · signal · catenary · interlocking · right-of-way · embankment · culvert
model trains
Miniature locomotive replicas
- scaleMeasure of relative size
- layoutSpatial arrangement of elements
- dioramaEnclosed miniature scene display
rolling stock · kitbashing · weathering · scenery · benchwork · turnouts · couplers · throttle · locomotives · train set
framing
Structural or contextual shaping
- kangaroo courtIllegitimate proceeding ignoring procedure
- scapegoatingUnfairly assigning fault to innocents
- setupHow something is arranged
planted evidence · coerced confession · miscarriage · prejudgment · show trial · false testimony · biased jury
- steamrollingbulldozing, crushing, flattening, trampling, plowing
- needleworkcross-stitch, embroidery, embroidery hoop, embroidery hoops, needlepoint
- coercionduress, coercing, compelling, threat, forcing
- dominance tacticsbullying, commanding, controlling, dictating, domineering
- false accusationsfalse accusation, false charge, false claim, wrongful accusation, bum rap
- GMingworld building, campaign planning, pacing, rulings, fudging
railroadingconsensus-building
Creating widespread agreement
deliberation · collaboration · democratic process · negotiation · taking one's time
railroadingempowerment
Gaining authority or confidence
deference · facilitation · enabling · yielding · accommodation
railroadingdue process
Guaranteed judicial fairness
fair trial · judicial review · rule of law · fair hearing · presumption of innocence
- model railroadingHobby of miniature railways
road, rail, railroad, railing, railway, rails, railroads, monorail, railways