Glossary - F

Facing point A track turnout positioned so its points face oncoming traffic. Feeder Electrical power wire attached to rail. Fill Roadbed built up above the surrounding terrain to maintain a relatively even grade. Fixed cab A cab or throttle permanently mounted to one location. Flange The part of the wheel that runs below and inside the top of the rail to guide the wheel. Flangeway The space between a running or stock rail and a guardrail for wheel flanges. Flash A thin web of material on a cast part, the result of mold sections not meeting tightly. Flexible track Track in long sections (usually 3 feet or 1 meter) that can be bent to any desired curve. Also called "flextrack". Flextrack See Flexible track. Freelance Modeling that does not follow a prototype railroad. Frog The X shaped rail assembly where rails cross in a turnout or crossing. Function buttons Buttons on a throttle that control locomotive accessories such as lighting and sound. Function mapping In DCC, changing a decoder's CVs to determine which function button controls which function output. Function outputs Wires on a decoder that power locomotive accessories such as lighting. Function outputs are most commonly used to control sound effects and the front and rear headlamps of a locomotive.

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