stack talk
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
The sound made by the exhaust of a steam locomotive.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
[…] Father [Clement C.] Kubesh began making long dashes after trains to insure the correct pitch of sound or the proper placing of his car for the approach of a locomotive. He soon had recorded the "stack talk" of every type of locomotive on the Great Northern, Chicago and North Western, Northern Pa
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “stack talk” mean?
The sound made by the exhaust of a steam locomotive.
Is “stack talk” formal or informal?
stack talk is generally slang.