Style Guide

Draft September 18th, 2011

This is the first draft of a style sheet to be used by editors and writers submitting articles for publication in CP TRACKS.

General Comments

General sources for correct usage are: the Oxford Canadian Dictionary and the Canadian Writer's Handbook. Also, reference is made to books by Omer Lavallée, the Canadian Trackside Guide, and previous editions of CP TRACKS.

Specific Comments

• When referring to a decade do not use the possessive - i.e. use "1950s" NOT "1950's"
• For dates we have always used April 24th, 1955.
• Use the abbreviation U.S. for the United States as opposed to US or USA.
• Names of trains will be italicized - i.e. The Canadian
• Train numbers will be preceded by the number sign - i.e. Train #123
• Locomotive numbers will stand alone, without a number sign - 2839
• Locomotive numbers if prefixed by railroad symbol should include a space. i.e. CP 5005, SOO 6012.
• Locomotive classes will unhyphenated - i.e. D4g NOT D-4-g
• References to the plural of a locomotive class are to be avoided - i.e. "three locomotives of the D4g class" NOT "three D4g's" or "three D4gs"
• References to the plural forms of steam locomotive wheel arrangements are to be avoided - i.e. "0-6-0 switchers" NOT "0-6-0s" or "0-6-0's"
• GM locomotive designations should follow what the manufacturer used. So for example, FP7, FP9, GP9, SW8, SD40, SD40-2.
• Alco / MLW locomotive designations should follow what the manufacturer used. So for example, FA-2, FPA-2, S-2, RS-2.
• We have followed the Oxford Canadian Dictionary in the naming of freight cars where only boxcar is one word, while flat car, tank car, hopper car, and so on are two words.
• Modeller and modelling have a double-l in Canada.
• Book, magazine and newspaper titles should be italicized.
• Article title in newspaper or magazine should be placed in quotes ""
• Action Red, Action Green and Action Yellow are capitalized as done by CP. Tuscan red is mixed case as done by CP.
• Builder's abbreviations include Alco, MLW, CC&F, EMD, GMD (rather than GMDD).
• Railway abreviations include D&H, SOO, TH&B, E&N.
• Use Canadian spelling.