RAILROAD GLOSSARY Freight Rail Handbook Flat Car An open car without sides, ends or top, used principally for hauling lumber, stone, heavy machinery, TOFC/COFC equipment, etc. Flat Switch Yard A yard where car switching depends on locomotive power with little assistance from gravity. Force Majeure (AKA Act of God) A French phrase that appears in contracts and refers to circumstances beyond anyone’s control. Foreign Car Any car not belonging to the parent line. Foreign Line Any railroad other than CSXT. Fouling Point The location on a turnout back of the frog at which insulated joints or derails are placed at or beyond clearance point. Freight Goods being moved from one place to another by transportation lines. Also a term used to express the transportation charge. 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 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. 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. Gage (AKA Gauge) The distance between the heads of rails, measured at a point 5/8 inches below the top of the rail. Standard gage in the United States and Canada measures 4 ft. 8 1/2 inches. Gateway A point or location at which freight moving from one area or territory to another is interchanged between carriers. A base point on or near the boundary of a rate or classification territory on which rates are constructed. Gauge (AKA Gage) The distance between the heads of rails, measured at a point 5/8 inches below the top of the rail. Standard gauge in the United States and Canada measures 4 ft. 8 1/2 inches. General Service Car Box, gondola, or flat car with no special equipment and not designed for any specific commodity or shipper.