Glossary of Common Terminology Used in the Rail Industry
A
Abandonment
The cessation of operation by a carrier of a specific segment of track or facility, subject to approval by the STB.
AB Valve
The operating device used on freight cars for charging, applying, and releasing the brakes. Also called a triple valve.
ABD Valve
An improvement of the AB Valve that features a quick release.
ABDW Valve
An improvement of the ABD Valve. Modifies the Emergency Portion and provides for accelerated buildup of brake cylinder pressure during quick service applications.
Absolute Block
A length of track in which no train or engine is permitted to enter while it is occupied by another train or engine.
Absolute Permissive Block (APB)
A designated section of track or tracks within which the movement of trains will be governed by block signals, whose indications supersede the superiority of trains. The block signals may be controlled manually or automatically.
Absolute Signal
A block or interlocking signal designated by an "A" market or the absence of a number plate.
Absorption of Charges on Freight
The payment by a carrier out of its revenue on a shipment of the charges assessed by others for switching or other service incidental to transportation.
Abstract of Waybills
A briefed or synoptical statement of waybills, distinguished as to waybills received or waybills forwarded; a report of freight received and dispatched from a station.
Accessorial Service
A service rendered by a carrier in addition to a transportation service such as packing, pre-cooling, heating, storage, substitution of tonnage, etc.
Accident, Nontrain
One not caused directly by the operation or movement of trains, locomotives, or cars, such as attributable to shop machinery or the use of tools and apparatus, that result in reportable casualties.
Accident, Reportable, Railway
One arising from the operation of a railway, resulting in damage to railway property of $750.00 or more (subject to periodic changes based on the trend to wage rates and material prices), including cost of clearing wreck; or in the death of a person; or in the disability of an employee for more than 24 hours during the 10 days following the accident; or in the disability of others for more than one day.
Accident Reports Act
Approved May 6, 1910, 36 Stat. L. 350 (45 U.S. Code, secs. 38-43), requiring the filing of monthly reports of railway accidents and authorizing the Interstate Commerce Commission to investigate accidents. This authority has since been transferred to the Department of Transportation.
Accident, Train
One resulting from the operation or movement of trains, locomotives, or cars that causes damage to railway property of $750.00 or more (subject to periodic changes based on the trend in wage rates and material prices).
Accident, Train-Service
One resulting from the operation or movement of trains, locomotives, or cars, causing reportable casualties to persons but causing no reportable damage to railway property.
Accounting Classifications
Uniform system of accounts prescribed by the Interstate Commerce Commission (now STB).
Accounting Number, Station
Identifying number assigned to each agency and non-agency station, which is shown on waybills and reports.
Active Corporation
One which maintains an organization for operating property or administering its financial affairs.
Additions and Betterments
Additions are additional facilities, such as additional equipment, tracks (including timber and mine tracks), buildings, bridges, and other structures; additions to such facilities, such as extensions to tracks, buildings and other structures; additional ties laid in existing tracks; and additional devices applied to facilities, such as air brakes applied to cars not previously thus equipped. When a unit of property is retired from service and replaced with property of like purpose, the newly acquired property, for the purpose of the I.C.C. Accounting Classification, is considered as an addition, and the cost thereof accounted for accordingly. Betterments are improvements of parts (minor items) of existing facilities through the substitution of superior parts for inferior parts replaced. The cost chargeable to the accounts is the excess cost of new parts over the cost at current prices of new parts of the kind replaced.
Add, To
Couple car(s) to a train
Adhesion Coefficient
The ratio of tangential and normal force that exist between the wheel and the rail during motion.
Adhesion of Drivers (or Adhesive Factor)
The extent to which force can be applied to driving wheels without their slipping on rails, usually expressed as the percent of the force or tractive effort necessary to slip the drivers to the weight on drivers. It may vary widely, being as low as 40 percent where rails are dray and well sanded, but ordinarily it amounts to about 25 percent.
Advanced Charge
The amount of freight or other charge on a shipment advanced by one transportation line to another, or to the shipper, to be collected from the consignee.
AEI Tag
An electronic transponder located on the side of rail cars that identifies them to trackside readers.
Affiliated Company
As defined under I.C.C Account 721, the term includes companies
A. solely controlled by the accounting company or jointly controlled by the accounting company and others under a joint agreement,
B. solely controlling the accounting company or jointly controlling the accounting company under a joint agreement,
C. controlled by controlled companies,
D. controlled by controlling companies
By “control” is meant the ability to determine the action of a corporation.
Aggregate-of-Intermediates Clause
A provision in Section 4 of the Interstate Commerce Act which prohibits a through rate higher than the sum of intermediate rates except as authorized by the Commission after investigation.
Air Brake System
All of the devices and parts included in making an air brake for controlling the speed and stopping a locomotive or train. It is made up of the operating devices, the pipes, fittings and foundation brake gear.
Air Test
The act of operating the brake valve to determine that the air brake system was operating correctly and could stop the train if necessary.
All-Commodity Rate
A freight rate, usually a carload rate, applying to a shipment regardless of the nature of the commodities included, subject to stated exceptions and conditions; also called all-freight rate.
Alley
A clear track in a switching yard.
Amortization of Defense Projects
As used in the I.C.C. Uniform System of Accounts for Railroad Companies, the amount of amortization charges accrued during the accounting period for road and equipment property with respect to which the carrier has elected to observe amortization accounting for income tax purpose under Section 124A , “Amortization deductions,” of the Internal Revenue Code. The charges so included shall be in conformity with the allowances acceptable to the Internal Revenue Service under the regulations prescribed by it.
Amortization of Discount on Funded Debt
A charge to income each fiscal period for a proportion of the discount and expense on funded debt obligations applicable to that period.
Angle Cock
A two-position valve located at both ends of the brake pipe on locomotives, passenger and freight cars. When open, it allows the passage of air.
Annual Report To Interstate Commerce Commission
Report filed annually by interstate common carriers showing results of operations, historical development, etc., as required by I.C.C.
Any-Quantity Rate
A rate applying on a weight basis but without regard to carload minimum weights, and applicable to any quantity of freight tendered.
Approach Signal
A signal that governs the approach to another signal.
Appropriation of Income or Surplus
An action by the Board of Directors setting aside amounts for specific purposes, such as payment of dividends, allotments to sinking funds, and additional investment.
Arbitraries
Specific amount allowed for bridge or other service in the division of interline fares or rates.
Arbitrary Prorate
A division of revenue on interline traffic which bears no discernible relation to comparative lengths of haul, services or local rates of the participating carriers. Arbitrary divisions may also include provisions by which one carrier may receive its local rates and the other carrier receive the remainder of the through rate.
Arithmetic Mean
A general or simple average obtained by adding the value of the items and dividing by the number of items.
Armed
When a 2-way EOT is in communication with the HOT allowing it to dump the train from the rear.
Arrival Notice
A notice, furnished to consignee, of the arrival of freight.
Articulated Car
A car consisting of two or more full-size units free to swivel, the inner ends being carried on one common center truck.
Aspect
The appearance of a fixed signal conveying an indication.
Assigned Car
A car which has been assigned to a particular industry or for use with a specific commodity.
Association of American Railroads (AAR)
The central coordinating and research agency of the American railway industry. It deals with matters of common concern in the whole field of railroading-operations, maintenance, engineering, research, safety, traffic, accounting, finance, valuation, taxation, legislation, transport economics, and public relations. Established by agreement, effective October 12, 1934, the AAR took over and coordinated the activities of several pre-existing railroad organizations, including Association of Railway Executives, the American Railway Association, the Railway Accounting Officers’ Association, the Railway Officers’ Association, and the Bureau of Railway Economics.
Astra Dome
A raised portion of the roof of an observation car, fully enclosed with glass windows. Passengers may ascend to the dome and occupy seats therein for the purpose of viewing the scenery while the train is running. Also called vista dome.
Astray Freight
Less-than-carload freight which is marked for destination and which has become separated from the regular revenue waybill.
Auto-Railer
A self-propelled unit, powered by an internal combustion engine, equipped with alternative flange and pneumatic wheels, and thus suitable for both railway and highway operation.
Automatic Air Brake
A braking system which draws air from the atmosphere and stores it under pressure. A reduction in brake pipe pressure, regardless of how it is made, (bleeding of air by use of valve, or by break in the train line) automatically applies the brakes. An increase of brake pipe pressure causes brakes to release.
Automatic Block Signal System (ABS)
A series of consecutive blocks governed by block signals, cab signals or both, actuated by a train, engine or by certain conditions affecting the use of a block.
Automatic Cab Signal System (ACS)
A system which provides for the automatic operation of the cab signals and cab warning whistle.
Automatic Stop Arm
Mechanical arm located on the wayside, in conjunction with a wayside signal, which causes an emergency brake application when a train passes the signal at danger and the arm is in tripping position.
Automatic Train System (ATS)
A system actuated by wayside inductors, so arranged that its operation will automatically result in the application of the brakes until the train has been brought to a stop.
Automobile Car
A car especially designed for transporting automobiles. It may be a box car with side doors (usually double) or side and end doors fitted with automobile loading and storing equipment, or a flat car, usually called an automobile rack car which has fixed or dismountable steel racks of 2 or 3 levels equipped with the tie down devices.
Automobile Parts Car
A box car specially fitted for transportation of automobile parts in racks without packing.
Automobile Rack Car
A flat car with steel racks for transporting fully assembled automobiles. Racks have wither two or three levels, are equipped with tie-down devices, and are cushioned for vertical and horizontal shocks.
Auxiliary Reservoir
A reservoir located on each rail car that stores air supplied by the locomotive.
Average Demurrage Agreement
An agreement made between a shipper and a transportation line whereby the shipper is debited for the time cars are held for loading or unloading beyond a certain period and credited for the time cars are released by him within a certain period, demurrage charges being assessed by the transportation line, usually at the end of the month, for any debits in excess of credits.
Average Haul
As applied to freight, the average distance in miles one ton is carried, computed by dividing the number of ton-miles by the number of tons carried, whether for an individual railway or for a group of railways, in either case representing the haul per railway. For the United States as a whole, it is also computed by dividing the total ton-miles by the tons of freight originated, thus giving effect to the fact that some freight originates on one railway and reaches its destination on another.
Average Load Per Car
The average number of tons of freight per loaded car obtained by dividing the number of tons originated by the number of carloads originated. The term is also sometimes used to denote the average number of net ton-miles per loaded car-mile, the miles of all loaded freight cars being used as a divisor.
Average Revenue Per Ton Mile
Freight revenue divided by revenue ton-miles (revenue tons multiplied by miles hauled).
Average Speed
Freight trains, the average distance traveled in one hour, computed by dividing the total freight train-miles by the total freight train-hours.
Average Weight of Rail
The average weight in pounds per yard of rail.
B
“B” End of Car
The end of which the hand brake is located.
Baby Lifter
A brakeman.
Back Haul
To haul a new shipment back over a part of a route which the car traveled with its initial shipment.
Back-up Air Signal
A warning whistle which can be operated at the rear of the train when backing up. Air for its operation is taken from the train line.
Back Pay
Compensation earned in a prior period and paid off in a subsequent date.
Bad Order
A piece of rolling stock that needs repair.
Bad Order Cars
Revenue freight cars undergoing or awaiting repairs. Cars retired from service and held awaiting dismantling or sale are not included.
Bail
By moving the independent brake handle sideways, the engineer can release locomotive brake cylinder pressure that is due to an automatic brake application (a brake pipe pressure reduction). The bail has no effect on brake cylinder pressure that is due to an independent brake application.
Bakehead
Fireman (because his head was near the door of firebox when shoveling coal).
Balance Sheet Accounts
Those designated to show the assets, liabilities, and corporate surplus or deficit of the corporation.
Ball (of a Rail)
The head of the rail.
Ballast
Selected material, as broken stone, gravel, cinders, and burnt clay, placed on the roadbed for the purpose of surface and holding the track in line
Ballast Car
Cars for carrying ballast or grading material for repair and construction work usually of either the flat, gondola, or hopper type.