| Fabrication in Transit |
The stopping of goods at a point located between the point of origin and the ultimate destination for further processing or manufacturing. Now seldom used, this process was once widely used in transportation of metal goods. |
| Facing Movement |
The movement of a train over the points of a switch which face in a direction opposite to that in which the train is moving. |
| FAK |
Freight of All Kinds. A term used to indicate that the lading of a trailer or container load is mixed. |
| False Restrictive Aspect |
The aspect of a signal that conveys an indication more restrictive than intended. |
| FC |
See Freight Claims. |
| Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) |
One of seven major branches under the Department of Transportation. The FRA deals with matters pertaining to railroads and their operations. |
| Field |
A specific location on a computer screen for entering data. Input may be alpha, numeric, or an alpha/numeric combination. |
| Field Man |
Brakeman or switchman who works the position farthest from the engine. |
| Fifth Wheel |
Supporting plate and pivot at the forward end of a tractor-trailer. |
| Fill |
A built-up piece of land or embankment on which the roadbed and track is placed. |
| Final Carrier |
Last road haul carrier that handled the shipment. |
| Final Destination |
The location at which a rail shipment is terminated. |
| Final Reduction |
The last reduction of brake pipe pressure required to provide a retarding force to the head portion of a train, as a stop is being completed. |
| Firkin |
Measurement. A quarter of a barrel. |
| Fixed Charges |
A term used to designate collectively such items as interest, rent for leased tracks and equipment, and amortization of discount on funded debt used primarily by the Treasury and Real Properties departments. |
| Fixed Signal |
A permanent signal or sign indicating a condition affecting train movement. |
| Fixed Stanchion |
A non-movable, vertical support bar on a flat car on which the front end of a trailer rests while being transported on a flat car. See also Knock Down Stanchion. |
| Flagman |
An extra crewman (usually the brakeman) assigned to duties at the rear end of the train and used to flag traffic. |
| Flammable |
A commodity or material, which can be easily ignited. |
| Flange (Car Wheel) |
A projecting edge or rim on the circumference of the wheel to keep it on the rail. |
| Flares |
Combustible torches which burn (red, yellow or green) for ten to fifteen minutes as warning signals to other trains when touched off and placed or thrown on the ground by train service employees. |
| Flat Car |
An open car without sides, ends or top, used principally for hauling lumber, stone, heavy machinery, TOFC/COFC equipment, etc. |
| Flat Rate |
A rate that is not dependent on any prior or subsequent transportation, as distinguished from a proportional rate. OR A rate that remains constant after a defined minimum weight is reached, as distinguished from a threshold rate. |
| Flat Switch Yard |
A yard where car switching depends on locomotive power with little assistance from gravity. |
| Flat Wheel |
A car wheel that has flat spots on its running surface. |
| Floating Charge |
A continuous input of current to a storage battery. |
| Flying Switch (AKA Drop Switch or Running Switch) |
A switching movement to get a car that is on one end of the locomotive to the other end. |
| Foot-Board |
To step on the front and rear ends of switch engines and road switcher engines. OR To provide delivery service for train crews to trains instead of using taxis. |
| Force Majeure (AKA Act of God) |
A French phrase which appears in contracts and refers to circumstances beyond anyone's control. |
| Foreign Car |
Any car not belonging to the parent line. |
| Foreign Current |
A term applied to stray electric currents which may affect a signaling system, but which are not a part of the system. |
| Foreign Line |
Any railroad other than CSXT. |
| Fork Lift Type Trucks |
Specially designed trucks used for handling containers in certain specialized facilities. |
| Format |
The proper arrangement of characters in a field on the CRT. |
| Formatted Screen |
A specially arranged screen that is divided into separate fields for the entry of data for input to the computer. |
| Forwarded |
See Interline Forwarded. |
| Fouling Point |
The location on a turnout back of the frog at which insulated joints or derails are placed at or beyond clearance point. |
| Fouling Section |
The section of track between the switch points and the fouling point in the turnout. |
| Free Time |
The period allowed consignor or consignee to load or unload freight from cars before demurrage or storage charges begin to accrue. |
| Free-Astray |
A shipment miscarried or unloaded at the wrong station which is waybilled and forwarded to the correct station free of charge. |
| Freight |
Goods being moved from one place to another by transportation lines. Also a term used to express the transportation charge. |
| Freight Agent |
Railroad's representative with the public who transacts business for and in the name of the railroad. The freight agent is generally in charge of an agency and the clerical employees at such agency. |
| Freight Bill |
A statement of charges for transportation given to customer. Information is taken from waybill. Collect Freight Bill: A bill rendered by a transportation line at destination to the freight payor, giving a description of the freight, name of shipper, point of origin, weight, and amount of charges due. Prepaid Freight Bill: A bill rendered by a transportation line at origin to the freight payor, giving a description of the freight, name of consignee, destination, weight, and amount of charges. |
| Freight Bill Date |
The date the freight bill was generated. |
| Freight Bill Number |
A 7-digit identification number assigned to each freight bill. |
| Freight Cars on Line |
Home cars, foreign cars, and private line cars, but not cabooses or company service equipment, on a railroad's line at a given time. |
| Freight Cars Owned |
For the purpose of equipment condition reports, all freight cars owned and leased with exception of caboose cars, motor-equipped rail cars, and company cars, not definitely assigned to revenue service, and cars retired from service and held for sale or demolition. |
| Freight Charge |
The charge assessed for transporting freight. |
| Freight Claim |
A demand upon a carrier for the payment of overcharge, loss or damage sustained by shipper or consignee. |
| Freight Forwarder |
A person or firm engaged in the business of consolidating the shipments of different shippers into carload lots and forwarding them in volume lot service. Also, one who is in the business of clearing and trans-shipping property to and from foreign countries. |
| Freight House |
The station facility of a transportation line for receiving and delivering freight. |
| Freight Payor |
A customer who has agreed to pay the freight charges on a particular shipment. The customer could be the consignor, consignee, or a third party. |
| Freight Revenue |
Revenue, based on tariffs, from the transportation of freight and from transit, stop-off, diversion, and reconsignment arrangements. |
| Freight Traffic Service |
Company who audits rates and charges for its customers and may also pay customers' freight bills. Credit is authorized to the customer, not the freight traffic service. |
| Frog |
A device made of rail sections so constructed and assembled as to permit the wheels on one rail of track to cross another rail of an intersecting track. Resembles an "X" or a frog with legs extended. OR An implement for rerailing car wheels. See Replacer. |
| Front Contact |
A part of the relay against which, when the relay is energized, the current carrying portion of the moveable neutral member is held so as to form a continuous path for the current. |
| Front Rod |
A rod connecting the points of a switch or moveable point frog, by means of which the relative location of the points is maintained and to which the lock rod is attached. |
| Fruit Growers Express |
A subsidiary of CSX. An organization engaged in the manufacture and servicing of refrigerated cars for protection of perishable commodities. |
| FSAC |
Freight Station Accounting Code |
| Full Liability |
Full liability is when the transportation company agrees to reimburse the shipper for the full amount of the declared value of a shipment. If full liability for each car is desired, an additional charge (i.e., $550 in CSXT 4604) per loaded car may be assessed or a higher rate charged. If full liability is desired, it must be indicated on the bill of lading. |
| Full Service Application |
An application of the automatic brake to the point that the auxiliary reservoir and brake cylinder pressures are equalized. Any further reduction in brake pipe pressure, with the exception of an emergency application, will have absolutely no effect on the amount of the pressure in the brake cylinder. |
| Fully Tested Train |
A train on which the air brake inspection and test are completed after an outbound locomotive consist is attached. No further brake test is required before departure. |
| Fuse |
An electrical conductor inserted in a circuit to open the circuit by melting when the current exceeds the value which the fuse is capable of carrying. |
| Fussee |
Red flare used for flagging or warning purposes. |
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