Automatic Signals: Signals that function automatically, based on the position of trains around them
Bank: an inclined section of track, often named after the nearest station eg the Glenroy Bank
Banked Curve: A section of curved track which is tilted with the outside rail higher than the inside. This counters the centrifugal force as the train turns the corner at speed, making the ride more comfortable for the passengers.
Boom Barriers (commonly called Boom Gates): Barriers at a level crossing which lower when a train is approaching to indicate that road vehicles should not cross
Box: short for Signal Box
bph: Abbreviation for Buses per Hour
CAD (Central Activities District): an area of dense commercial development which becomes the focal point of the surrounding suburbs for shopping and employment. Today it usually indicates the development of multiple CADs in the Melbourne suburbs, to allow residents of outer suburbs to go to a local CAD rather than the centre of Melbourne.
Car: Passenger Carriage
Catenary Wire: On electrified railways, a cable which runs between gantries to support the weight of the Contact Wire.
Comeng train: Air conditioned suburban trains built in 1981-1989. There are currently 93 sets in service, making them the most prolific design. There are two major subtypes, tread-braked and disc-braked; the tread-braked examples are generally more reliable.
Connection: When two services are timetabled such that people can get off one and onto the other with minimal delay - eg "five minute connection" means one is timetabled to depart five minutes after the other arrives
Contact Wire: On electrified railways, a wire which carries electricity to the train. In Melbourne and Sydney the electricity supply is 1500 volts DC; other Australian cities use 25,000 volts AC.
Coordination: When the timetables of two services are set relative to each other to make the overall service better - examples of this include connecting services, or parallel services which work together to provide (say) 15 minute frequency by using two partially parallel routes at 30 minute frequency
Crossing Loop: A section of a single-track railway where two tracks are provided for a short distance, to allow trains to pass each other
Crossover: A short section of track connecting two parallel lines, to allow a train to move from one track to the other
DDA (Disability Discrimination Act): An Australian Commenwealth Act of Parliament passed in 1992 which, among other things, specifies design features of public transport facilities to allow people with limited mobility or other impairments to use public transport services without assistance.
Derailment: When a train comes off the rails
Down: Away from the city, eg "a Down Sydenham service" means a service running from the city towards Sydenham. Opposite of Up. The Down Line is the line used by Down services. When facing in the Down direction, the Down line is usually on the left.
Droppers: On electrified railways, short sections of steel cable which hang from the Catenary Wire and hold the Contact Wire
Duplication: building two parallel tracks to allow trains in opposite directions to pass without stopping
Feeder Services: Services, usually run with buses, designed to take passengers to the nearest interchange point (eg a major rail station) where they can catch another service to take them to their destination.
Flyover: A bridge carrying rail lines across other streams of traffic to avoid the requirement to stop traffic in order to let the train through. For example, the Burnley Flyover takes trains from the northernmost tracks and allows them to run south to the Glen Waverley line without interrupting trains on the southern tracks. Flyovers allow services to run faster and more reliably, but are expensive to build.
Frequency: How often a service runs - eg "15 minute frequency" means there is a service every 15 minutes
Gantry: A pole or structure that looks similar to a streetlight pole, to hold up the overhead wires over electrified train or tram tracks, or any other object suspended above the rails, eg signals.
Headway: Compared to road vehicles, trains take a long time to stop so it’s not possible to avoid collisions by watching the train in front. Trains are timed to ensure there is always a safe distance in between; this separation (expressed in minutes) is the headway.
Heavy rail: Track for a full size train, due to the fact that the rails trains run on are much thicker than tram rails. The advantage is that larger and heavier vehicles can run on the rails, and usually at higher speeds.
High-Speed points: Points where the curve followed by diverging trains is gentle enough to be taken at 65 or 80km/h. Regular points limit diverging trains to 40km/h. High-Speed points cost more and take up more space than regular points.
Hitachi train: Non-air conditioned suburban trains built in 1972-1981. Currently 7 sets remain in service.
Host station: A suburban station where Station Hosts are rostered during peak time to assist passengers
Integrated ticketing: A system where you can buy a ticket which covers more than one actual trip, eg a train trip and the connecting bus trip
Interchange: A location where passengers can change from one service (or type of vehicle) to another.
Intercity (description of service): a long-distance service, typically 100km or more, which is usually only taken by occasional travellers rather than regular commuters. Intercity services require high speed trains and on-board facilities including toilets and a snack bar or buffet.
Interurban (description of service): a medium-distance service, typically 20-100km long, running between major Activities Districts. Usually taken by regular and semi regular commuters. Interurban services require high speed trains and toilets but no snack bar.
Island Platform: A station or tram stop which consists of a single platform structure with track on each side. Opposite: Side platform.
Junction: A location where a rail service splits into two or more
Junction Station: A station located at a junction, eg Ringwood, Dandenong, Footscray.
Lay-by: A train standing by (running and with a driver present) ready to replace a train which fails while in service. Lay-by Siding: a siding reserved for lay-by trains
Light rail: Track for a tram. Light Rail systems have smaller capacity and usually a lower speed limit than heavy rail systems, but are cheaper to construct and can turn sharper corners.
Loop: Short for Crossing Loop
Metro (description of service, not to be confused with the Melbourne train operating company): A service aimed at short trips, usually under 20km. Typical Metro-style services run at high frequency (eg every 10 minutes or better) and stop all stations. Metro-style services require few seats (to make space for standees), lots of doors and a high rate of acceleration and braking.
Metrol: The central control facility for the Melbourne suburban rail system.
O-Bahn: A precision-cast concrete structure which allows ordinary buses with minor modifications to run at high speed without needing the driver to steer. Adelaide’s 12km example is the world’s longest.
Pantograph: A metal structure on top of an electric train or tram which touches the Contact Wire and conducts electricity to the vehicle
Parkiteer: A Canadian-designed system recently launched in Melbourne. Simple bike parking is provided inside a locked steel cage, preventing theft or vandalism. In a given amount of space, Parkiteer can house more bikes than the bike lockers previously provided at railway stations in Melbourne.
Passing Lane: similar in purpose to a Crossing Loop, but long enough that trains can pass each other at speed
Points: An arrangement of track which can be set to direct trains in multiple directions
Premium station: A suburban station which is staffed from first to last train and has toilets, payphones and facilities to sell tickets
Punctuality: What percentage of timetabled services ran on time (within set limits) - eg "99% punctuality +1/-5 minutes" means only 1 service in 100 ran more than one minute early or five minutes late
Quadruplication: building four parallel tracks, to allow fast trains to overtake slow trains in both directions
Reliability: What percentage of timetabled services actually run - eg "99% reliability" means only one in 100 services were cancelled
Rollingstock: Any vehicle which runs on rails
Side Platform: A platform which is on the side of a set of tracks, serving only the trains on the nearest track
Siding: A dead-end section of track which can be used to store trains until they are required
Siemens train: Suburban trains built in 2005-2006, used on the Caulfield and Northern groups of lines
Signal: The equivalent of traffic lights for trains. Signals can tell the driver how far ahead the next train is, whether there are any speed limits, or which direction the train is heading at a junction.
Signal Box: A building which houses the controls for all the signals in the area
Sleeper: The horizontal piece of wood, concrete or steel that holds rails together
Spanish Solution: An arrangement where there are platforms on both sides of a train or tram, allowing doors on both sides to open. Allows faster loading or unloading when there are large numbers of passengers.
Sprinter: Trains used on regional services, capable of 130km/h. Built in 1993-1995.
Stable: to put a train into a siding, usually overnight
Terminus: The end location of a service
tph: Abbreviation for Trains/Trams per Hour
Train Trip: A lever on a train which applies the emergency brakes if it passes a red signal
Triplication: building three parallel tracks, allowing fast trains to overtake slow trains in one direction only. Useful to allow for peak time express services.
Turnout: The technical term for a rail junction
Up: Towards the city. Opposite of Down. The up line is the line used by an Up service.
V/Locity train: Trains used on regional services, capable of 160km/h. Originally built for Regional Fast Rail services from 2004 but additional orders have been placed due to their fuel efficiency and reliability.
Works (eg works siding, works train, etc): any vehicle or asset which is used for track maintenance rather than carrying passengers or freight
Xtrapolis train: Suburban trains built 2002-2004 and 2009-2011, used on the Clifton Hill and Burnley groups of lines