Glossary of Transportation Law Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #

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Saddle Tank: A tank locomotive which has the water tank mounted on top of the boiler so that they take the form of a saddle.

Safety Valves: Pressure relief valves mounted on top of a boiler or firebox (sometimes both on early locomotives) designed to allow steam to escape if the boiler pressure exceeded the design limit

Scull: The means of propelling a boat by working an oar from side to side over the stern of a boat, reversing the blade at each turn [from Ned Myers].

Scupper: A hole or channel cut in a vessel's side or waterway to drain off deck water.

Seaworthiness: The sufficiency of a vessel in materials construction, equipment, crew and outfit for the trade in which it is employed. Any sort of disrepair to the vessel by which the cargo may suffer -- overloading, untrained officers, etc., may constitute a vessel un-seaworthy.

Seaworthiness Certificate: A certificate issued by a classification society surveyor to allow a vessel to proceed after she has met with a mishap that may have affected its seaworthiness. It is frequently issued to enable a vessel to proceed, after temporary repairs have been completed, to another port where permanent repairs are then carried out.

Service Of Process: Providing a formal notice to the defendant that orders him to appear in court to answer plaintiff’s allegations.

Settlement: The resolution or compromise by the parties in a civil lawsuit.

Settlement Agreement: In a civil lawsuit, the document that spells out the terms of an out-of-court compromise.

Ship's Manifest: A statement listing the particulars of all shipments loaded for a specified voyage.

Standard Of Care: The degree of care a reasonable person would take to prevent an injury to another.

Standing: The legal right to initiate a lawsuit. To do so, a person must be sufficiently affected by the matter at hand, and there must be a case or controversy that can be resolved by legal action.

Statue Of Limitations: The time period within which a plaintiff must file his action against the defendant. This time frame varies by state. In North Carolina, the statute of limitations is three years.

Steam: Steam is the gas which is given off as a result of boiling water. The normal boiling point of water is 100º C. Unconfined steam will expand to about 1325 times the size of the water from which it came. If it is confined, it will build up pressure which can be harnessed to do work.

Strict Liability: The defendant is liable to the plaintiff regardless of fault.

Subpoena: A form issued by the court requiring someone to appear in court and/or bring documents.

Subrogation: Subrogation may be involved in the case of an injury for which compensation is paid under the Workers' Compensation Act and the circumstances caused a legal liability in some person other than the employer. If the injured employee settles his case, any recovery against the third party for damages resulting in personal injury, after deducting expenses of recovery, may be used to reimburse the carrier, with the balance forwarded to the injured party.

Summation: The closing argument in a trial.

Summons: A legal document that notifies a party that a lawsuit has been initiated and states when and where the party must appear to answer the charges.

Synthetic Flight Training Systems: A group of high-fidelity instrument and visual flight simulators capable of providing basic, advanced, and tactical training in either manual or automated modes.