L SIDE
That side of a railcar on the left side of the observer when facing the "B" end of the car.

LADING
The commodity carried in a tank or hopper car.

LAP JOINT
A weld joint between two overlapping pieces of metal.

LEASE
A legal contract which is used to convey the use of land, equipment, or facilities for a specified term and rate.

LEASE RATES
Monthly rental charges invoiced to lessees for each railcar leased.

LEASE TERM
The defined time period for which land, equipment, or facilities are leased. Considered to include the minimum rental period and the notice period.

LEFT SIDE (L)
When facing the "B" end of a railcar, the side of the car on the left. See "B" end.

LENGTH OVER PULLING FACES
The effective coupled length of a railcar.

LENGTH OVER STRIKERS
The distance between the strikers of a railcar. See "Strikers."

LENGTH OVER TRUCK CENTERS
The distance between the truck center pins. Sometimes referred to as truck centers. See "Center Pin."

LESS THAN CARLOAD RATE
A railroad freight charge applicable to a less than carload shipment.

LESSEE
The party to a leasing arrangement who is holding or utilizing land, equipment, or facilities. See "Lessor."

LESSEE RESPONSIBLE LINING/COATING
In many cases, the lessee is responsible for the type and integrity of the interior lining or coating of a car. Sometimes financed by Union Tank Car.

LESSOR
The party to a leasing arrangement who retains ownership but conveys the use of land, equipment, or facilities to a lessee.

LIEN
A legal claim upon goods for the satisfaction of some debt or duty.

LIGHT WEIGHT
Actual weight of an empty railcar.

LIMITING OUTLINE
See "Clearance Diagram."

LINE HAUL
The movement of freight over the tracks of a transportation line from one town or city to another town or city (not a switching service).

LINING
General term for an interior rubber lining in a tank car.

LIQUID PENETRANT INSPECTION
A nondestructive test method using liquids/dyes that penetrate cracks and voids highlighting discontinuities in the part being inspected by x-ray.

LIQUID TIGHT
A valve, tank, or mechanical joint judged to have passed a specific hydrostatic leak test utilizing specific acceptance criteria.

LIQUID VALVE
Normally refers to the top unloading valve mounted at the top of a siphon pipe.

LIVE LEVER
The truck brake lever (conventional system) that is not directly connected to the truck bolster.

LOAD LIMIT
The maximum weight of lading that can be loaded into a car, calculated by subtracting the car light weight from the maximum gross rail load.

LOADED MILEAGE
A car travelling on the railroads with commodity.

LOCK NUT
A special type of threaded nut having a feature which prevents the nut from vibrating loose once it has been tightened.

LOCK WASHER
A washer designed to prevent undesired loosening of a nut after it has been tightened.

LOCKING CENTER PIN
A special 2 or 3 piece truck center pin which, after installed, is designed to inhibit separation of the truck from the car body. See "Center Pin."

LOCOMOTIVE
A self-propelled, non-revenue rail vehicle designed to convert electrical or mechanical energy into tractive effort to pull or push rail cars.

LOW PROFILE BALL VALVE
A bottom outlet valve designed to protrude a minimum distance below the tank shell as compared to earlier design exterior bottom valves.

LPBV
Acronym for Low Profile Ball Valve.

LT. WT.
Abbreviation for light weight.