section boss

noun

, Railroads.

1. the boss of a section gang.

Word History and Origins

Origin of section boss¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

His involvement in unions started when Mr Crow was 19 and got into a dispute with his section boss over duties.

From BBC

The McGees lived quite around the corner of the pasture from us, and, as far as my memory serves, the whole seven of them had nothing to do but lie in wait for any appearance of ours in the stump lot; though in respect to their father being a section boss, and the family Catholic, we were not supposed, when we put on our good clothes and went out of the front gate, to meet them socially.

From Project Gutenberg

And by four o'clock in the afternoon their fingers would be stuck together with crackerjack and their dresses decorated with chocolate sirup, and their escorts talkin' to 'em like a section boss to a gang o' hunkies.

From Project Gutenberg

As the company was alarmed for the safety of the trains, Pat Delahunty, the section boss, sent out three men on a hand-car over his section in advance of this train.

From Project Gutenberg

It seems that Railroad Section Boss Finnigin was writing overlong accident reports to Superintendent Flannigan, who told him to cut them down.

From Time Magazine Archive