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Synchronized movements of the rail laborers
- The nickname "gandy dancers" was inspired by the synchronized movements of the rail laborers when repairing sections of track.
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Michael Quinion identified the first known (printed) use of the term gandy dancer as 1918, but with so little understanding of the origin of the term it is impossible to know when it came into being.
The term originated in the mid-19th century, during the construction of railroads across the continent. At that time, workers were known as track layers or section hands, but they soon became known as gandy dancers. The exact origin of the term is unclear, but it is believed to have come from the rhythmic movements made by workers as they ...
Oct 17, 2023 · The name “gandy” supposedly arose from a belief that their hand tools once came from the Gandy tool company in Chicago (though no researcher has ever turned up such a company that made railroad tools). The name may also have derived from “gander” because the flat-footed steps of the workmen when lining track resembled the way that geese walk.
The origins of "gandy dancer" are unknown although "gandy" has sometimes thought to have originated from the Gaelic dialect while "dancer" denoted the unified motion workers would use to move rail into place (which led to several famous chants and songs over the years).
Jan 29, 2023 · gandy dancer. "railway maintenance worker," 1918, American English slang, of unknown origin; dancer perhaps from movements required in the work of tamping down ties or pumping a hand-cart, gandy perhaps from the name of a machinery belt company in Baltimore, Maryland. also from 1918.
Sep 27, 2023 · The term “Gandy Dancer” finds its roots in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time when manual labor was the backbone of railroad construction. Legend has it that the term originated from the rhythmic movements performed by these laborers.
Jan 22, 2018 · The term “gandy dancers” may have come from the odd gait of the tracklayers, who walked in straight lines like a gaggle of ganders (male geese) as they carried the rails to their last resting place on the ties.
