A railcar that has been removed from service because it has a mechanical defect, damage, or other condition that makes it unsafe or unsuitable to move loaded. Bad-ordered cars are set out at a repair facility until they are inspected and restored to serviceable condition. The term is used as both a noun and a verb in railroad operations.
A Repair In Place track where bad-ordered cars are sent for inspection and mechanical repair. RIP tracks are typically located within or adjacent to classification yards and staffed by carmen. The term originally stood for Repair In Place, reflecting that repairs are done with the car on the track.
A compensation system under which a railroad pays a daily or mileage-based fee to the car owner when using foreign-owned or privately owned equipment. Car hire rates are established under AAR rules and are intended to recover the owner's fixed and variable car costs. The system balances car supply across the national rail network.
The pneumatic braking system used on all North American freight cars, based on George Westinghouse's fail-safe design in which brakes apply automatically if air pressure is lost. The system uses a continuous brake pipe running the length of the train, fed by a locomotive compressor. FRA regulations govern brake testing requirements before each departure.
The mechanical device at each end of a railcar that links cars together into a train. North American railroads use the AAR standard E or F knuckle coupler, which engages automatically when two cars are pushed together. Coupler failures are a leading cause of train separations and bad orders.