cinder dick

American  

[sin-der dik] / ˈsɪn dər ˌdɪk /

noun

Slang: Older Use.

1. a railroad police detective.

   I knew that cinder dick was tailing me, so I ducked between two trains and hopped on the next freight car leaving the yard.

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Etymology

Origin of cinder dick

First recorded in 1920–25; so called from cinders of coal-burning locomotives + dick ( def. ) (in the sense “detective”)