BTS | Dictionary

War Risk: The possible aggressive actions against a ship and its cargo by a belligerent government. This risk can be insured by a marine policy with a war risk clause. (TNDOT1)

Warehouse: A place for the reception, delivery, consolidation, distribution, and storage of goods/cargo. (MARAD2)

Warning Area: Airspace which may contain hazards to non participating aircraft in international airspace. (FAA8)

WARP: Weather and Radar Processor (FAA19)

Warranty: The written guarantee issued with new motor vehicles or related equipment. It defines the manufacturer's responsibility for the repair or replacement of defective parts and other services provided as part of the purchase price. A warranty can be nullified if the user does not follow certain stipulations of the manufacturer, such as preventive maintenance. (GSA2)

Wash: The usually dry portion of a bed of a stream that contains water only during or after a local rainstorm or heavy snowmelt. (DOI3)

Waste and Tar Oils: Petroleum-based materials that are worthless for any purpose other than fuel use. (DOE5)

Water: See also Waterway.

Water Intake/Outflow: A structure through which water enters or exits a conduit. (DOI3)

Water Mode: Consists of navigable rivers, canals, the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway, the Intercoastal Waterway, ocean shipping channels; ports; commercial ships and barges, fishing vessels, urban ferries, and recreational boats. (BTS1) (BTS2)

Water Pollution Abatement Equipment: Equipment used to reduce or eliminate waterborne pollutants, including chlorine, phosphates, acids, bases, hydrocarbons, sewage, and other pollutants. Examples of water pollution abatement structures and equipment include those used to treat thermal pollution; cooling, boiler, and cooling tower blowdown water; coal pile runoff; and fly ash waste water. Water pollution abatement excludes expenditures for treatment of water prior to use at the plant. (DOE5)

Water Transportation: Includes establishments engaged in freight or passenger transportation on the open seas or inland waters, and establishments that provide incidental services such as lighterage, towing, and canal operation. Also includes excursion, sightseeing, water taxis, and cargo handling. (BEA1)

Water Transportation of Freight (Not Elsewhere Classified): Establishments primarily engaged in transporting freight on all inland waterways, including the intracoastal waterways on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. (BOC1)

Water Transportation of Passengers (Not Elsewhere Classified): Establishments primarily engaged in furnishing water transportation of passengers, not elsewhere classified, such as airboats (swamp buggy rides), excursion boat operations, and sightseeing boats. (BOC1)

Watercourse: A way or course through which water may or does flow. (DOI4)

Waterfront Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) Plant: An LNG plant with docks, wharves, piers, or other structures in, on, or immediately adjacent to the navigable waters of the United States or Puerto Rico and any shore area immediately adjacent to those waters to which vessels may be secured and at which LNG cargo operations may be conducted. (49CFR193)

Watering Place: A place other than a spring or well where vessels and vehicles replenish their water supply. (DOI4)

Waters of the U.S.: The territorial seas; coastal and inland waters, lakes, rivers, and streams that are navigable waters of the United States, including adjacent wetlands; tributaries to navigable waters of the United States, including adjacent wetlands (man-made non-tidal drainage and irrigation ditches excavated on dry land are not considered to be tributaries); interstate waters and their tributaries, including adjacent wetlands; all other waters of the United States such as isolated wetlands and lakes, intermittent streams, prairie potholes, and other waters that are not part of a tributary system to interstate waters or to navigable waters of the United States, the degradation or destruction of which could affect interstate commerce. (TNDOT1)

Waterway: See also Water.

Waterway: River, canal, lake or other stretch of water that by natural or man-made features is suitable for navigation. (DOE5)

WATS: Survey of Motor Freight Transportation and Public Warehousing (BTS8)

Waybill: The document covering a shipment and showing the forwarding and receiving stations, the name of consignor and consignee, the car initials and number, the routing, the description and weight of the commodity, instructions for special services, the rate, total charges, advances and waybill reference for previous services, and the amount prepaid. (AAR1)

WCUS: Waterborne Commerce of the United States (DoD/COE1)

Weather Radar: Provides the flight crew with visual display of weather that could contain turbulence. The system's primary function is to assist in turbulence avoidance, although most airborne radar systems are also capable of terrain mapping. (FAA6) (FAA10)

Weekday: From 6 a.m. Monday to 5:59 p.m. Friday. (NHTSA3)

Weekend: From 6 p.m. Friday to 5:59 a.m. Monday. (NHTSA3)

WEFA: Wharton Econometric Forecasting Association (FAA3)

Weigh Facility: An area having facilities for weighing of trucks by State highway authority. (DOI3)

Weight Ton: There are three types of weight tons; 1) The short ton, weighing 2,000 pounds; 2) The long ton, weighing 2,240 pounds; and 3) The metric ton, weighing 2,204.68 pounds. The last is frequently quoted for cargo being exported from Europe. (TNDOT1)

Weight-Distance Tax: A tax basing the fee per mile on the registered gross weight of the vehicle. Total tax liability is calculated by multiplying this rate times miles traveled. (ATA2)

Weight/Measurement Ton: In many cases, a rate is shown per weight/measurement ton, carrier's option. This means that the rate will be assessed on either a weight ton or measurement ton basis, whichever will yield the carrier the greater revenue. For example, the rate may be quoted on the basis of 2,240 pounds or 40 cubic feet or 1 metric ton or 1 cubic meter. (TNDOT1)

Weir: (See also Low Water Dam) A dam in a waterway over which water flows and that serves to raise the water level or to direct or regulate flow. (DOE5)

Well Area: An area identified as a danger to maritime navigation containing one or more wells. (DOI3)

Well Out In River: Channel report term meaning nearer to the middle of the river than to the bank. (TNDOT1)

Wellhead Unit Value: The wellhead sales price, including charges for natural gas plant liquids subsequently removed from the gas; gathering and compression charges; and state production, severance, and/or similar charges. (DOE5)

WEM: Workshops In Emergency Management (RSPA1)

Western Rivers: Generally, the Mississippi River system but technically the Mississippi River system above the Huey P. Long Bridge, the Red River to the north, the Port Allen-Morgan City Waterway, and that part of the Atchafalaya River above its junction with the Port Allen-Morgan City Waterway. (TNDOT1)

Wharf: See also Dock, Marina, Pier.

Wharf: A general term for any structure at which vessels berth or tie-up. The term is also used specifically for a berthing structure of open piling construction, aligned parallel with the shoreline, and referred to as a marginal wharf. (MARAD1)

Wharf: A landing place where vessels may tie up for loading and unloading of cargo. (TNDOT1)

Wharf Demurrage: Charge assessed against cargo remaining in or on terminal facilities after the expiration of free time, unless arrangements have been made for storage. (MARAD1)

Wharfage: (See also Berth, Dockage) Charge assessed by a pier or dock owner against freight handled over the pier or dock or against a steamship company using the pier or dock. (MARAD2)

Wheelbase: The distance from the center line of the front axle to the center line of the rear axle. (GSA2)

Wheelchair: A mobility aid belonging to any class of three or four wheeled devices, usable indoors, designed for and used by individuals with mobility impairments, whether operated manually or powered. A "common wheelchair" is such a device which does not exceed 30 inches in width and 48 inches in length measured two inches above the ground, and does not weigh more than 600 pounds when occupied. (49CFR37)

Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle: A vehicle that a wheelchair-bound person may enter either 1) via an on-board retractable lift or ramp; 2) directly from a station platform reached by an elevator or a ramp that is either level with the vehicle floor or can be raised to floor level. (APTA1)

When Halfway Over: Channel report term used in crossings meaning when halfway across the river, put head of tow on the next mark listed in the channel report. (TNDOT1)

When Well Over: Channel report term used in describing courses steered in crossings when more than halfway across or halfway over the reach. (TNDOT1)

Wicket: A rectangular heavily constructed slab of wood and steel hinged in a counterbalanced way so as to be lying flat on the riverbed when down, and held upright by the pressure of the water when raised. Wickets are placed in a parallel line across the river. When all are in raised position, they form a wall or dam, thus backing up the water and raising it to the pool level. (TNDOT1)

Wide Out: A channel report term meaning not quite as far as the middle but well out in the channel. (TNDOT1)

Wide Reef: An illusion caused by the wind blowing upstream against the current. There is generally a deep trench under the ripples caused by the wind. (TNDOT1)

Wide Spread: Trailer axles which are more than 8 feet apart. (ATA1)

WIM: Weigh-In-Motion (BTS8) (FHWA7)

Winch Rig: Straight truck or tractor with a hoist. (ATA1)

Wind Indicator: A visual device used to provide wind information. (DOI4)

Windbreak: A shelter, either natural (e.g., a line of trees or a thick hedge) or artificial (a screen), which breaks or interrupts the force of the wind. (DOI4)

Windshield: The combination of individual units of glazing material of the locomotive, passenger car, or caboose that are positioned in an end facing glazing location. (49CFR223)

Wingboard: A 12-by 36-inch daymark formerly used with type 46 wooden structures. Wingboards are now being replaced by passing daymark. (TNDOT1)

Wingdam: A rock and sand dike extending from the right or left bank of the river outward toward the channel. Often lies just below the surface of the water at pool stage. Wingdams are used to direct the flow of water into the main channel to assist in its maintenance. (TNDOT1)

Winglet (Tip Fin): An out-of-plane surface extending from a lifting surface. The surface may or may not have control surfaces. (14CFR1)

Wires: Short lengths of wire rope of varying sizes used to couple up the many barges within a tow. They are usually of standard length to span the distance from one timberhead to another on the barges and are used with ratchets. Named as follows: tow wire, backing wire, face wire, stem wire, scissor wire, lashing. (TNDOT1)

With Average: A marine insurance term meaning that a shipment is protected for partial damage whenever the damage exceeds a stated percentage. (TNDOT1)

WLB: Seagoing Buoy Tender (USCG5)

WLBR: Seagoing Buoy Tender Replacement Vessel (USCG5)

WLI: Inland Buoy Tender (USCG5)

WLIC: Inland Construction Buoy Tender (USCG5)

WLM: Coastal Buoy Tender (USCG5)

WLMR: Coastal Buoy Tender Replacement Vessel (USCG5)

WLR: River Buoy Tender (USCG5)

WMATA: Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (VDOT)

WMSC: Weather Message Switching Center (FAA19)

Wood Hull: Hulls of plywood, molded plywood molded planking, or any other wood fiber in its natural consistency including those of wooden construction that have been "sheathed" with fiberglass or sheet metal. (USCG2)

Woodchuck: Driver with low job seniority. (ATA1)

Wooden Barrel: A packaging made of natural wood, of round cross-section, having convex walls, consisting of staves and heads and fitted with hoops. (49CFR171)

Work Barge: A barge equipped with aids to navigation material pushed ahead of the tender and containing storage space for lumber, sinkers, buoys, an aids to navigation workshop, and a boom for hoisting buoys on board. (TNDOT1)

Work Environment: The work environment is comprised of the physical location, equipment, materials processed or used, and the activities of an employee while engaged in the performance of his work, whether on or off the railroads property. There are no stated exclusions of place or circumstance. (FRA2)

Work Equipment: Equipment which can be coupled in a train for movement over the carrier's tracks, and which is used in the carrier's work service. Includes such equipment as ballast cars, business cars, company cars, derrick cars, ditching cars, outfit cars, pile drivers, snow dozers, tool cars, wrecking cars, and others. (AAR1)

Work Train: Work trains are non-revenue trains used for the administration and upkeep service of the railroad. Examples are: official trains; inspection trains; special trains running with company fire apparatus to save the railroad's property from destruction; trains that transport the railroad's employees to and from work when no transportation charge is made; construction and upkeep trains run in connection with maintenance and improvement work; and material and supply trains run in connection with operations. (FRA2)

Work-Related: Any event, exposure, activity, etc., occurring within the work environment resulting in death, injury, illness to an employee is generally considered to be work-related, regardless who was responsible or at fault. (FRA2)

Worker: Any railroad employee assigned to inspect, test, repair, or service railroad rolling equipment, or their components, including brake systems. Members of train and yard crews are excluded except when assigned such work on railroad rolling equipment that is not part of the train or yard movement they have been called to operate (or been assigned to as "utility employees"). Utility employees assigned to and functioning as temporary members of a specific train or yard crew (subject to the conditions set forth in 49 CFR 218.22), are excluded only when so assigned and functioning. (49CFR218)

World Aeronautical Charts (WAC): Provide a standard series of aeronautical charts covering land areas of the world at a size and scale convenient for navigation by moderate speed aircraft. Topographic information includes cities and towns, principal roads, railroads, distinctive landmarks, drainage and relief. Aeronautical information includes visual and radio aids to navigation, airports, airways, restricted areas, obstructions, and other pertinent data. (FAA4)

Worst Case Discharge: The largest foreseeable discharge of oil, including a discharge from fire or explosion, in adverse weather conditions. This volume will be determined by each pipeline operator for each response zone and is calculated according to 49 CFR 194.105. (49CFR194)

WPOD: Water Port of Debarkation (MTMC1)

WPOE: Water Port of Embarkation (MTMC1)

Wreck: A wrecked vessel, either submerged or visible, which is attached to or foul of the bottom or cast up on the shore. (DOI4)

Wreckage: An area identified as a danger to maritime navigation containing the ruined remains of one or more vessels. (DOI3)

Wrecker: Truck designed for hoisting and towing disabled vehicles. (ATA1)

WTO: World Tourism Organization (OFR1)

WTS: Women's Transportation Seminar (ENO1)

WWW: World Wide Web (BTS9)

WYSIWYG: What You See Is What You Get