Today on Reconnections:
Asset Management Hierarchy, in ascending order:
a. Run to failure
b. Corrective maintenance
c. Preventative maintenance
d. Condition-based maintenance
e. Predictive maintenance
f. Prescriptive maintenance
g. Foresight maintenance
There’s also percussive maintenance - the art of hitting something to get it working again.
Portmanteaux
A combination of two (or more) words and their definitions into a new word, the word portmanteau comes from the name of an early 20th century English luggage piece that opened into two halves.
- anecdata - anecdotal data.
- Bakerloo - Baker Street & Waterloo Railway (BS&WR). G H F Nichols, writing under the pseudonym 'Quex' in the early 1900’s London Evening News, coined the name 'Bakerloo', which proved so popular that in 1906 the railway adopted it.
- BakerLew - Bakerloo’s planned south-east extension to Lewisham.
- Becktroland - Extending the DLR past Beckton for a 'Field of Dreams' for the Build It and They (housing) Will Come effect. A play on the Metroland suburban development made possible by the Metropolitan Railway. See also this LR DLR post.
- Bombatranz - Bombardier-Adtranz, when the former had acquired the latter tram building company.
- bustitution - replacing train or Tube service with bus. In the worst cases, permanently. Not to be confused with being paid to take a bus.
- chairdrobe - the bedroom chair upon which one puts one’s clothes.
- planestitution - Replacing long distance train sleeper services with arguably less subsidised air travel. See the Caledonian Sleeper situation.
- cargotecture - using shipping containers as buildings.
- Chelney Line - Chelsea-Hackney tube/mainline proposal, Chelsea and Hackney through central London, and extending northeast and southwest. Now known as Crossrail 2/CR2/XR2.
- Hacksea - Less popular portmanteau for the Chelney proposed line.
- Romminster - The Romford-Upminster rail shuttle, now part of the Overground. Alternate name is Upminford.
- Oxbridge - Oxford-Cambridge university hub. Also called the Varsity Line.
- prosumer - half professional, half consumer, ie the dedicated amateur.
- ideation - overly clever mashing of idea and creation, like Disney’s 'imagineering'.
- Wimbleware - the Wimbledon-Edgware Road District Line branch service that used to be run by C-Stock, in contrast to the D-Stock on the rest of the District. (Now all District branches are operated by S7 Stock).
You can't make these terms up
- EETPU - Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union
- FOGWOFT - Friends of Greenwich and Woolwich Foot Tunnels
- PENIS - Plessey Electronic Network Information Services (unironic name)
- TWERPS - Tunbridge Wells & Eridge Railway Preservation Society
- WOGLTRUB - Working Group on Local Transport/Trunk Roads Balance ministry unit
- C*NT - Critical Update Notification Tool. Microsoft. In. 2002.
- ARSE - Assistant Rolling Stock Engineer
- OLE - Overhead Line Engineer
Vertical Transport
Whilst almost all transport covered in LR is horizontal in direxion, vertical transport is important but generally unnoticed, unless it is malfunctioning.
- double decker lift - Mused increased capacity lift for Underground stations. Several such lifts have been built over the last century in buildings, but they are very rare.
- funicular - inclined railway, usually on rack and pinion.
- gondolas/cable cars/aerial trams/cableways – traditionally used to scale cliffs and mountains for sightseeing and skiing, the technology is being increasingly used as urban transport to bridge rivers and escarpments.
- inclined lift - elevator that runs diagonally. Starting to be installed in TfL stations to provide accessibility to users with mobility and disability challenges. Also called angled lifts.
- paternoster - an open-doored lift that's on a loop which moves slowly and continually. The name comes from the first two words of the Lord's Prayer in Latin, "paternoster", meaning Our Father, as this device travels in a loop, similar to rosary beads in reciting prayers.
Trans-Atlantic Infrastructure Translator
Note the numerous faux amis:
UK - North America
- pavement - sidewalk
- road surface - pavement
- terrace - townhouse
- row house - townhouse
- townhouse - three-floor property, usually terraced, where the ground floor includes an integral garage
- garden - yard/backyard
- first floor - second floor
- ground floor - first floor
- storey - story
- Cadestre - Registry of Land Ownership
- car park - parking lot
- pick up & drop off (PUDO) - Kiss’N’Ride
- kerb - curb
- cul-de-sac - dead end
- roundabout - traffic circle
- central reserve - median
- crossroads - 4-way stop
- dual carriageway - divided highway
- Sleeping Policeman - speed bump
- Zebra crossing - crosswalk
- cab/Black Cab - taxi
- minicab / private hire taxi (there is only one type of taxi in North America, not including Uber/Lyft ‘rideshares’)
- rail(way) station - train station
- subway - pedestrian underpass
- Underground - subway
- dual carriageway - highway
- shopping centre - mall
- sleepers - ties
- signalling - interlockings
- passing loop – passing siding
- slip road – on/off ramp
- switching - shunting
- switcher - shunter
- coach - carriage
What is Level of Traffic Stress for cyclists?
Level of traffic stress (LTS) is a metric developed to assess the cycling suitability of roads and intersections. It classifies the road links and intersections into four categories LTS1-4 corresponding to cyclists with different skill levels and stress tolerance.
- LTS1 means the road is safe and comfortable for most people including children.
- LTS2 corresponds to the stress tolerance for the majority of adult population.
- LTS3 for enthused and confident cyclists.
- LTS4 strong and fearless cyclists.
The LTS is calculated based on the road type, the type or absence of cycling infrastructure, vehicle traffic speed and volume. The LTS of an intersection is based on the LTS of its intersecting roads and the presence of stop sign and traffic signals.
Previously on Reconnections’ Miscellany
Correct at the time of writing.
Check before you travel.
All Connections Matter.
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