Metro glossary

A-F

G-L

M-R

S-Z

AGM: Assistant General Manager
Arcing Insulator: An insulator along the third rail that may be giving off sparks or smoke.
Articulated Buses: Extra-long buses with two connected passenger compartments. The rear body section is connected to the main body by a joint mechanism that allows the vehicles to bend when in operation for sharp turns and curves yet maintain a continuous interior.
At Grade: Track work constructed at the approximate level of the adjacent ground surface, rather than the elevated or subway parts of the system.
Authority: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)
BIE: See Brakes in Emergency.
Bladensburg: Term used to refer to the Bladensburg Metrobus facility which serves as a major maintenance/repair, washing and storage facility. It is located along Bladensburg Road near New York Avenue.
Blowpit: An area below the tracks that blows air up to the train in an effort to keep it free of dust and other particles.
Bulkhead Door: The train door on the end of the car that is used for emergency passage from car to car.
BOCC: Bus Operation Control Central
Brakes in Emergency (BIE): When the breaking mechanism on a rail car indicates that the brakes on a rail car need to be serviced, the train automatically brakes in a safe position/location on a track so that the brakes do not fail. Brakes in Emergency is the actual application of the emergency braking system. When there is a BIE, the train cannot move.
Breda: Breda Costruzioni Ferroviarie; the name of an Italian manufacturer of rail cars.
Bumpy Tiles: Tiles with raised domes that are located along the edge of the platform to provide a tactile method of alerting passengers that they are near the edge
TheBus: Local bus service operated by the Prince George's County (MD) Department of Transportation
Cab: The compartment of a rail car where the operator works and from where the rail car's controls are located.
CAF: Construcciones Y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles is the name of the Madrid (Spain)-based manufacturer of rail cars.
Canopy: The roof-type structure above Metrorail Station entrances or above bus stations/terminals usually to protect the entryway or customers from inclement weather.
Cat Walk: A narrow, often elevated walkway, as on the sides of a bridge.
Central Control: See Operations Control Center.
CEO: Chief executive officer.
Chain Marker: A distance of 100 feet indicated by a survey marker along the tracks identifying the distance in multiples of 100 feet to the middle of the Metro Center platform.
CNG: Compressed Natural Gas.
Code Red Day: When the air quality in the Washington Metropolitan Area is deemed to be very poor, the Washington Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (WMCOG) declares "code red days." On "code red days," Metrobus fares are waived on many Metrobus routes in an effort to encourage individuals to use public transportation instead of automobiles so as not to contribute to the poor air quality.
COG: Council of Governments for the Washington Metropolitan Area
Commuter Rail: An electronic- or diesel-propelled railway for urban passenger train service consisting of local short-distance travel operating between a central city and adjacent suburbs.
COO Bus: Chief Operating Officer for Bus
COO Rail: Chief Operating Officer for Rail
Coupler: A mechanical device on each end of a rail car that is used to connect one car to another.
Coverboard: The insulated cover above (and in some cases, behind) the third rail to prevent inadvertent contact with the rail and to minimize snow and ice accumulation on it. The coverboard also serves as a third rail locator, especially in yards, when the level of snow is above the third rail.
Cross Tie: One of the beams, usually made of wood, that are laid across a railroad bed to secure the rails.
Customer: A passenger or patron who rides Metro or inquires about service.
DASH: The local bus service provided by the Alexandria (VA) Transit Company.
Deadhead: A non-revenue vehicle marked as "not in service".
Derailment: The unintentional removal of one or more train wheels from the running rail.
DF: diesel fuel.
DGM: Deputy General Manager
Edgelights: The lights located along the platform edge which flash to indicate an approaching train.
Emergency Door: The railcar's center door equipped with a self-evacuation mechanism. Bulk head doors at either end of the rail cars are also available for emergency only exits.
Fairfax Connector: Fairfax County (VA) bus service.
Fare: The revenue paid from a passenger to receive transit services.
Fare Box: The receptical used to collect the customer fees for transit services.
Farecard: The currency purchased by customers that is used to travel on the Metrorail system.
Faregate: The machine at the entrance to passenger stations which records information onto, and collects fare from, the farecard as a patron enters and exits the system.
Fare Evasion: When an individual uses transit or attempts to do so without paying the posted fare.
Fare Vendor: The fare card vending machines at the entrance to a station.
Fleet: All of the vehicles that are owned or operated by a transit authority.
FTA: Federal Transit Administration.
Gap Train: A train stored on a pocket track for possible insertion into a gap in the schedule if another train must be removed from service or if additional service is required.
GM: General Manager.
Grade Crossings: An intersection of highway roads, railroad tracks, or dedicated transit rail tracks that run either parallel or across mixed traffic situations.
Headway: The time interval between vehicles moving in the same direction on a particular route.
Heavy Rail: A high-speed transit mode that is an electric railway with the capacity for a high volume of traffic.
Heavy Rail Passenger Cars: Rail cars operated with electric power configured for passenger traffic.
Insulator: The protective covering along the third rail.
IRP: Infrastructure Renewal Program.
In-fill Station: A Metrorail station that is located between two existing stations after the stations on either side of it are already in use.
In revenue: A train or bus that is being used to service paying customers; it is being used to generate revenue.
Interlocking: The part of the railroad where tracks can cross each other or change or to direct trains along different routes. The interlocking itself is an arrangement of signals and signal appliances that permit train movements over controlled routes only if safe conditions exist.
JGB: Jackson Graham Building, the main headquarters for WMATA.
Judi: A term referring to the Judiciary Square Metrorail Station.
Jumper: An unauthorized person on the tracks.
Junction: A location where train routes converge and diverge.
Kicker rail: A short third rail section.
Kiosk: The octagonal structure near a rail station entrance that serves as the station manager's office/booth and the hub of communications for a Metrorail station.
Light Rail: A means of transit that is an electric railway with a light capacity compared to heavy rail.
Line: The route that a vehicle takes to get to its destination, usually designated as a number for a bus route or a color for a rail route.
MARC: Maryland Rail Commuter Services.
Married pair: Two transit railcars which are semi-permanently coupled to each other and which share certain common equipment. Metrorail trains only operate trains with an even number of cars because it operates married pairs.
Metro: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
Metroaccess: The name of the service that WMATA provides for persons with disabilities who are certified eligible to receive this service because they are unable to access Metrorail, Metrobus or other fixed-transit services.
Metrochek: A farecard voucher that employers can provide to their employees as a transit commuter benefit.
Mezzanine: The area of a Metrorail station that is near the entrance level which contains the fare gate, fare vendors and kiosk.
MOC - Maintenance Operations Center: The facility from which all Metrorail maintenance activities are coordinated and monitored.
MTA: Maryland Transportation Administration.
Mushroom: The train operator's emergency brake control.
MTPD: Metro Transit Police Department.
MWCOG: Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
NextBus: An electronic real-time display information system that tells customers where a bus is along the route and when it will arrive at a designated bus stop. This real-time information is accessible through the internet as well as at the designated bus stop.
Non-revenue hours: The hours when passenger service is not operated.
Non-revenue train: Any train in test, maintenance, emergency, or inspection service, which may not be used by the public.
OCC: See Operations Control Center.
OmniRide/Omnilink: Transit systems operated by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission.
Operations Control Center (OCC): The facility in the WMATA headquarters building from which train control and supervision is accomplished for the entire transit system.
Operators: Individuals who are at the control of a rail car or who drive a bus; a bus operator or a rail operator
Passenger Information Display Signs (PIDS): Electronic signs that provide information on the next train or bus to passengers on the Metrorail system or passengers along a NextBus bus route.
Patron: A paying customer.
Peak Hours: Those periods on weekdays (excluding observed holidays) normally associated with morning and evening rush hours.
PIDS: See Passenger Information Display Signs.
Platform: The part of a Metrorail station that is on either side of the track bed where passengers wait for trains to arrive.
Portal: The point where trains enter and exit tunnels.
Potomac Rappahannock Transportation Commission: The authority in charge of operating OmniRide and Omnilink in Virginia.
Rehabilitation: The process of renovating a rail car, train, or bus to original specifications through a rebuilding process that may include new components, mechanical systems, and interior.
Revenue: Money paid in fares.
Revenue Hours: The hours when revenue trains or buses are in service.
Revenue Service: The time when a railcar or bus is available to the paying public.
Revenue Vehicle: A Metrorail car or bus that is used by paying customers.
The RideGuide: The on-line service provided by WMATA that informs customers of the various routes they can take to get to their desired destination. The RideGuide (one word) is available on Metro's web page at www.metroopensdoors.com.
Ride On: The Montgomery County (MD) local bus system.
Rohr: Rohr Corporation; the name of a manufacturer of rail cars.
Route: The regular path or direction that a bus or train takes to get to different locations.
Running rail: The two rails on which the wheels of trains travel.
S-1 Guards: Protective devices along the rear passenger-door side of buses that serve to push objects away from the rear door-side tire of a bus. Helps prevent the rear wheel from running over objects that may be on the ground.
SAP: System Access and Capacity Program.
SEP: System Expansion Program.
Single track: The operation using only one main track for trains traveling in either direction by alternating the direction of traffic when the track is vacant.
SmarTrip: A permanent, rechargeable plastic farecard, like a credit card, which is embedded with a special computer chip that keeps track of the value of the card.
Smoldering Insulator: An insulator along the third rail that may be giving off smoke.
Station Manager: The Metro employee who oversees activity in a Metrorail station and serves as the head Metrorail official in a station. The Station Manger's Office is the kiosk, located near the faregates.
Station Overrun: When a Metrorail train arrives at a platform, but the lead car in the train passes the platform.
TAGS: Transportation Association of Greater Springfield
Terminal Station: The very last stop along a Metrorail or bus station.
Third Rail: The high voltage rail bar along the track which carries electrical energy to run the trains on that track. The third rail voltage is approximately 750 volts . It is also sometimes referred to as a propulsion rail or contact rail.
Train Operator: The qualified WMATA employee aboard a rail vehicle who has direct and immediate control of the vehicle.
Truncated Domes: See Bumpy Tiles.
Tunnel: The underground passageway used by Metrorail cars.
USDOT: United States Department of Transportation.
Vault: The underground Metrorail station's main cavity bordered by the interior walls between the station and the external rock-bed.
VRE: Virginia Rail Express.
WMATA: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
www.metroopensdoors.com: the WMATA web site URL.
www.wmata.com: the WMATA web site URL.