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Dictionary

R&D: Research and Development (DOT1)

R&R: Restoration and Rehabilitation (FHWA19)

R&T: Research & Technology (NHTSA7)

R,E&D: Research, Engineering and Development (FAA20)

RA: Regional Administrator (NHTSA7)

RAA: Regional Airline Association (FAA7)

RAC: Response Action Contractor or Research Advisory Committee (AASHTO) (FHWA18)

Radar Air Traffic Control Facility: An air traffic control facility, located at a U.S. Naval or Marine Corps Air Station, utilizing surveillance, and normally, precision approach radar and air/ground communication equipment to provide approach control services to aircraft arriving, departing or transiting the airspace controlled by the facility. The facility may be operated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the United Sates Navy (USN), the United States Marine Corp (USMC), or the FAA & USN and service may be provided for both civil and military airports. (FAA13) (FAA14)

Radar Air Traffic Control Tower: An airport traffic control tower that uses radar and nonradar capabilities to provide approach control services to aircraft arriving, departing, or transiting airspace controlled by the facility. It provides radar air traffic control services to aircraft operating in the vicinity of one or more civil and/or military airports in the terminal area. (FAA13)

Radar Altimeter: Aircraft instrument that makes use of the reflection of radio waves from the ground to determine the height of the aircraft above the surface. (FAA6)

Radar Approach Control: An air traffic control facility, located at a U.S. Air Force (USAF) base, utilizing surveillance and, normally, precision approach radar and air/ground communication equipment to provide approach control services to aircraft arriving, departing, and transiting the airspace controlled by the facility. The facility may be operated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), or the United States Air Force (USAF). Service may be provided to both civil and military airports. (FAA13) (FAA14)

Radar Approach Control Tower: An airport traffic control tower (ATCT) that uses radar and non-radar capabilities to provide approach control services to aircraft arriving, departing, or transiting airspace controlled by the facility. It provides radar Air Traffic Control (ATC) services to aircraft operating in the vicinity of one or more civil and/or military airports in the terminal area In other words, a radar approach control tower is an ATCT at which airport traffic control specialists are permitted to provide radar approach control service, including extensive vectoring, as well as to handle takeoffs and landings. Radar Acts can be separated into a control tower and a radar room. (FAA10)

Radar Dome: A dome-shaped structure used to protect the antenna of a radar installation. (DOI4)

Radar Reflector: A device capable of or intended for reflecting radar signals. (DOI4)

Radio Contact: The initial radio call-up to a flight service station by en route aircraft, which includes a complete interchange of information and a termination of the contact. (FAA13) (FAA14)

RADLO: Regional Air Defense Liaison Office (FAA20)

RADNAV: Radio Navigation (USCG5)

RADOR: Russian Association of Regional Highway Administrations (FHWA20)

Rag Top: Open top trailer covered with a tarpaulin. (ATA1)

Rags: Bad tires. (ATA1)

RAIL: Runway Alignment Indicator Lights (FAA20)

Rail: A rolled steel shape laid in two parallel lines to form a track for carrying vehicles with flanged steel wheels. (TRB1)

Rail Car: A car designed to carry freight or non-passenger personnel by rail, and includes a box car, flat car, gondola car, hopper car, tank car, and occupied caboose. (49CFR171)

Rail Joint Bond: A metallic connection attached to adjoining rails to insure electrical conductivity. (49CFR236)

Rail Mode: Consists of freight and passenger (including commuter) railroads. (BTS1)

Rail Motor Cars: Self-propelled passenger rail cars that are driven by electric motors energized from an electrified roadway or by a generator driven by a diesel or gas turbine engine. (BTS11)

Rail-Highway Grade Crossing: A location where one or more railroad tracks cross a public highway, road, or street or a private roadway, and includes sidewalks and pathways at or associated with the crossing. (49CFR225)

Railbus: A relatively light, diesel-powered, two-axle rail vehicle with a body resembling that of a bus. (TRB1)

Railroad: All forms of non-highway ground transportation that run on rails or electro-magnetic guideways, including; 1) Commuter or other short-haul rail passenger service in a metropolitan or suburban area, and 2) High speed ground transportation systems that connect metropolitan areas, without regard to whether they use new technologies not associated with traditional railroads. Such term does not include rapid transit operations within an urban area that are not connected to the general railroad system of transportation. (49CFR225) (49CFR229) (49CFR245)

Railroad Accident: An event arising from the operation of a railroad which, with minor exceptions results in one or more of the following circumstances 1) Any impact between railroad on-track equipment and an automobile, bus, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, farm vehicle, pedestrian, or other highway user at a highway-rail crossing; 2) Any collision, derailment, fire, explosion, act of God, or other event involving the operation of railroad on-track equipment, standing or moving, which results in more than $6,300 in damages to railroad on-track equipment, signals, track, track structures, and roadbeds; 3) Any event arising from the operation of a railroad which results in the death of one or more persons; an injury to one or more persons (other than railroad employees) requiring medical treatment; 4) An injury to one or more employees which requires medical treatment; or results in restriction of work or motion for one or more days, or one or more lost work days, transfer to another job, termination of employment, loss of consciousness or any occupational illness of a railroad employee as diagnosed by a physician. (FRA1)

Railroad and Railway Electric Service: Electricity supplied to railroads and interurban and street railways, for general railroad use, including the propulsion of cars or locomotives, where such electricity is supplied under separate and distinct rate schedules. (DOE5)

Railroad Car Mile: A single railroad car moved a distance of one mile. (DOE6)

Railroad Crossing Collision: A collision between on-track railroad equipment at a point where tracks intersect. (FRA2)

Railroad Switching and Terminal: A company primarily performing switching service, furnishing terminal trackage, bridges, or other facilities such as union freight stations, operating ferries, or performing any one or combination of these functions. It may coincidentally conduct a regular freight or passenger service. (AAR1)

Railroad Switching and Terminal Establishments: Establishments primarily engaged in the furnishings of terminal facilities for rail passenger or freight traffic for line-haul service, and in the movement of railroad cars between terminal yards, industrial sidings, etc. Terminal companies do not necessarily operate any vehicles themselves, but may operate the stations and terminals. (BOC1)

Railroaded: One or more barges or other floating vessels in the charge of a self-propelled vessel which has undertaken to transport such responsibility elsewhere. A tow is made-up when it has been hitched together and made ready for moving. A barge moored to the front of a towing vessel is the towbarge and the ones out in front are the lead barges. When a barge is towed alongside a towboat, it is "slung under her arm" or on the hip". When pulled behind, the barges are said to be "railroaded." When loosely coupled behind, it is called the "mule train." (TNDOT1)

Railway: A permanent way having one or more rails which provides a track for trains. (DOI4)

Railway Car: A railway car designed to carry freight, railroad personnel, or passengers. This includes boxcars, covered hopper cars, flatcars, refrigerator cars, gondola cars, hopper cars, tanker cars, cabooses, stock cars, ventilation cars, and special cars. It also includes on-track maintenance equipment. (FRA1)

Railway Gauge: Distance between the rails of a track. (DOI3)

Railway Yard: An area provided with a system of tracks and associated structures, where railway trains are assembled, and railway cars are switched, stored or serviced. (DOI3) (DOI4)

RAIRS: Railroad Accident / Incident Reporting System (BTS7)

Raking Collision: A collision between parts or a consist on an adjacent track, or with a structure such as a bridge. (FRA2)

Ramp: An inclined roadway connecting roads of differing levels. (DOI3)

RAMP: Real Estate Acquisition and Management Plan (FTA5)

Ramp Metering: The process of facilitating traffic flow on freeways by regulating the amount of traffic entering the freeway through the use of control devices on entrance ramps. 2) The procedure of equipping a freeway approach ramp with a metering device and traffic signal that allow the vehicles to enter the freeway at a predetermined rate. (TRB1)

RAMS: Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety (FRA5)

Ranking Crew Member: An individual in whom the general charge of the train or yard crew is vested in accordance with the railroad's operating rules. Unless otherwise designated by the railroad, the ranking crew member will be the assigned locomotive engineer. (49CFR218)

RAP: Remedial Action Plan or Relocation Assistance Program (FHWA18)

RAP: Regional Action Plan (NHTSA7)

RAPCO: Radar Approach Control (FAA20)

RAPCON: Radar Approach Control (FAA20)

Rapid Rail: A subway-type transit vehicle railway operated on exclusive private rights of way with high level platform stations. Rapid rail also may operate on elevated or at grade level track separated from other traffic. (49CFR37)

Rapid Rail Transit: Transit service using rail cars driven by electricity usually drawn from a third rail, configured for passenger traffic, and usually operated on exclusive rights-of-way. It generally uses longer trains and has longer station spacing than light rail. (BTS11)

Rapid Transit: Rail or motorbus transit service operating completely separate from all modes of transportation on an exclusive right-of-way. (APTA1)

Rapid Transit Rail: Transit service using rail cars driven by electricity usually drawn from a third rail, configured for passenger traffic and usually operated on exclusive rights-of-way. It generally uses longer trains and has longer station spacing than light rail. (FTA1)

Rapids: An area of broken, fast flowing water in a stream, where the slope of the bed increases (but without a prominent break of slope which might result in a waterfall), or where a gently dipping bar of harder rock outcrops. (DOI4)

RAPPI: Random Access Plan Position Indicator (FAA20)

RASPs: Regional Airport System Plans (FAA20)

RAT: Risk Assessment Team (FAA20)

RATCC: Radar Air Traffic Control Center (FAA20)

RATCF: Radar Air Traffic Control Facilities (FAA14) (FAA13)

Ratchet: A heavy turnbuckle with course-screw threads and midships handle, equipped with pelican hooks on both ends for the purpose of rapidly tightening up wire lashings holding the barges of a tow together. It is widely used on the rivers. (TNDOT1)

Rate-Regulated Pipelines: The pipelines included in these segments are all Federally or state rate-regulated pipeline operations, which are included in the reporting company's consolidated financial statements. However, at the reporting company's option, intrastate pipeline operations may be included in the U.S. Refining/Marketing Segment if: 1) They would comprise less than 5 percent of U.S. Refining/Marketing Segment net property plant & equipment (PP&E), revenues, and earnings in the aggregate; and 2) If the inclusion of such pipelines in the consolidated financial statements adds less than $100 million to the net PP&E reported for the U.S. Refining/Marketing Segment. (DOE5)

Rated Maximum Continuous Augmented Thrust: With respect to turbojet engine type certification, means the approved jet thrust that is developed statically or in flight, in standard atmosphere at a specified altitude, with fluid injection or with the burning of fuel in a separate combustion chamber, within the engine operating limitations established under Part 33 of this chapter, and approved for unrestricted periods of use. (14CFR1)

Rated Maximum Continuous Thrust: With respect to turbojet engine type certification, means the approved jet thrust that is developed statically or in flight, in standard atmosphere at a specified altitude, without fluid injection and without the burning of fuel in a separate combustion chamber, within the engine operating limitations established under Part 33 of this chapter, and approved for unrestricted periods of use. (14CFR1)

Rated Takeoff Augmented Thrust: With respect to turbojet engine type certification, means the approved jet thrust that is developed statically under standard sea level conditions, with fluid injection or with the burning of fuel in a separate combustion chamber, within the engine operating limitations established under Part 33 of this chapter, and limited in use to periods of not over 5 minutes for takeoff operation. (14CFR1)

Rated Takeoff Thrust: With respect to turbojet engine type certification, means the approved jet thrust that is developed statically under standard sea level conditions, without fluid injection and without the burning of fuel in a separate combustion chamber within the engine operating limitations established under Part 33 of this chapter, and limited in use to periods of not over 5 minutes for takeoff operation. (14CFR1)

Rating: A statement that, as a part of a certificate, sets forth special conditions, privileges, or limitations. (14CFR1)

Ratio Estimate: The ratio of two population aggregates (totals). For example, "average miles traveled per vehicle" is the ratio of total miles driven by all vehicles, over the total number of vehicles. (DOE4)

RB: Rigid Body (FHWA19)

RBC: Rotating Beam Ceilometer (FAA20)

RBDPE: Radar Beacon Data Processing Equipment (FAA20)

RBN: Radio Beacon (14CFR1)

RBPM: Remote Beacon Performance Monitor (FAA20)

RBS: Recreational Boating Safety (USCG5)

RBSS: Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron (FAA20)

RBT: Random Breath Test or Roadside Breath Test (NHTSA7)

RC: Road Reconnaissance (FAA4)

RC: Resource Center (FHWA18)

RCA: Record of Coordination and Approval (FHWA18)

RCAG: Remote Communications Air/Ground (FAA20)

RCAS: Radio Coverage Analysis System (FAA20)

RCC: Rescue Coordination Center (FAA20)

RCC: Regulation Communication Center (RSPA1)

RCCC: Regional Communications Control Centers (FAA20)

RCE: Radio Control Equipment (FAA19)

RCF: Remote Communications Facility (FAA20)

RCI: Roadway Congestion Index (BTS2)

RCIU: Remote Control Interface Unit (FAA20)

RCL: Radio Communications Link (FAA19)

RCLR: Radio Communications Link Repeater (FAA20)

RCLS: Runway Centerline Light System (FAA16)

RCLT: RCL Terminal (FAA20)

RCM: Reliability Centered Maintenance (FAA20)

RCO: Remote Communications Outlet (FAA19)

RCOC: Regional Coordinating Office Contractor (SHRP) (FHWA19)

RCR: Runway Condition Reading (FAA4)

RCRA: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (DOT1)

RCU: Remote Control Unit (FAA20)

RCU: Roadside Communicator Unit (FHWA19)

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