Witnesses to the recent Black Cat cruise boat accident after it grounded just outside the Akaroa Heads are urged to submit a statement to TAIC immediately.
A wagon is a rail vehicle that moves freight on the rail network.
Warning boards
Sometimes referred to as ‘outer warning boards’, a series of boards placed ahead of compulsory stop boards to indicate to a train driver that the train is approaching a worksite and it will need to be stopped at the compulsory stop boards (see Figure 8 for the standard positions of warning boards)
Warning devices
Devices that control vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic at level crossings using flashing lights, bells, barrier arms, gates or a combination of these devices.
Warp
A synthetic rope used to haul in a trawl fishing net.
Warping drum
Devices that provide power to haul on a rope or cable.
Washout
A situation where the formation under a rail track has been removed by water, resulting in the remaining track being unsupported and unsafe for rail traffic.
Watchkeeping alarm
An automated alarm designed to monitor the alertness of watchkeepers, while the ship is underway.
Water ingress
When water makes its way into the boat through a leak or crack
Watertight
Capable of preventing the passage of water in any direction under the head of water likely to occur.
Watertight integrity
A portion of a vessel, normally below the main working deck, is sealed off to provide buoyancy. If a vessel has watertight integrity it means these spaces have not been breached
Wav
Wav stands for waveform audio file, which is an audio file format standard for storing an audio bitstream on personal computers
Wave height
The vertical distance from the trough of a wave to the following wave crest
Wave period
The time it takes two successive wave crests to pass a specified point.
Wave spotter buoy
A drifting waverider buoy.
Wave trains
A group of progressing waves of about the same wavelength moving in the same direction at about the same speed.
Wavelength
The distance from the trough in front of the wave and the trough behind the wave.
Waverider buoy
A buoy fitted with instruments that precisely measure directional waves for direction, heights, periods and energy data.
Waypoint
A specified point on a chart for a planned passage
Weather minima
The specified limits in visibility and cloud base used to assess against forecasted visibility and cloud base.
Weather Risk Matrix
In the Weather Risk Matrix, the four colour codes are Green – no impact, Yellow – minimal impact, Amber – high to very high impact, and Red – widespread impacts across the network.
WECS
Wärtsilä engine control system
Well-decked vessel
The vessel’s deck is exposed to weather and sea, watertight against a head of 1.2 metres of sea water, and fitted with solid sides that would impede the drainage of water over the side.
Wet winching
Retrieval of people from water.
WETA system
Work Entry Train Alert system
WF
Wanaka
WH
Wellington Hospital
Wharf
Quayside structure where ships may load or unload
Wheel climb
The action of a rail wheel being driven up the running face of a rail, resulting in a derailment.
Wheel-over
The point at which a ship’s wheel is put over to initiate the turning of the vessel
Wheelhouse
Enclosed area on a ship from which it is steered
Wheelset
Two rail wheels mounted on a joining axle.
White arrows
White, non-reflective and non-illuminated diagonal arrows on the uprights of signal posts pointing to the track the signal is controlling. These are unique to signals 99 and 100 in Wellington and assist signal identification
Wiggle wire
A wiggle wire is a continuous wire rope used to tighten the log cargo by passing the wire from side to side over a log deck cargo and through a series of blocks held in place by foot wires.
WIL
Wallace Investments Limited
Winch
A mechanical device used to pull in or let out or otherwise adjust the tension of a rope or wire
Winch drum
The winch drum is made up of the storage drum and the tension drum
Wind backs
When wind backs, the direction moves anti-clockwise. It veers when moving clockwise.
Wind shadow
A space downwind of an obstacle where the wind flow is affected by the obstacle.
Wind shear
A change in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance
Windage area
The exposed area of one side of a vessel above the waterline
Winding points
Sometimes referred to as ‘hand winding points’; refers to manually operating a set of points by utilising a hand crank or lever to set the route
Windlasses
A horizontally mounted mechanical device used for handling heavy anchor chains, often also equipped to work as a winch.
Windward side
The side from which the wind is blowing
Wire eye
A loop of rope or wire, usually spliced or clamped with a ferrule.
Wire rope terminations
The end or ends of a wire rope made by forming an eye through splicing or using engineered fittings
Witness mark
A physical mark made when a wheel flange climbs up and across a railhead (the bulbous upper part of a rail section).
Witness marks
Physical marks such as those made on a rail by a derailed wheel.
WN
Wellington Airport
Work group
A group of infrastructure workers who repair and upgrade track and infrastructure
Work train
A non-revenue train delivering equipment or materials to or collecting them from a worksite.
Workboat
A boat used to carry out port maintenance tasks such as surveying, mooring maintenance and towing.
Workside boards
A set of boards that indicates the start and finish points of an individual worksite in a PWA.A place where people and equipment cannot be struck by passing rail traffic.
Worksite
An area with defined limits that is protected so that work can be undertaken.
