catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  Railroad \Rail"road`\ (r[=a]l"r[=o]d`), Railway \Rail"way`\
     (r[=a]l"w[=a]`), n.
     1. A road or way consisting of one or more parallel series of
        iron or steel rails, patterned and adjusted to be tracks
        for the wheels of vehicles, and suitably supported on a
        bed or substructure.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The modern railroad is a development and adaptation of
           the older tramway.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The road, track, etc., with all the lands, buildings,
        rolling stock, franchises, etc., pertaining to them and
        constituting one property; as, a certain railroad has been
        put into the hands of a receiver.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: Railway is the commoner word in England; railroad the
           commoner word in the United States.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: In the following and similar phrases railroad and
           railway are used interchangeably: 
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Atmospheric railway, Elevated railway, etc. See under
        Atmospheric, Elevated, etc.
  
     Cable railway. See Cable road, under Cable.
  
     Ferry railway, a submerged track on which an elevated
        platform runs, for carrying a train of cars across a water
        course.
  
     Gravity railway, a railway, in a hilly country, on which
        the cars run by gravity down gentle slopes for long
        distances after having been hauled up steep inclines to an
        elevated point by stationary engines.
  
     Railway brake, a brake used in stopping railway cars or
        locomotives.
  
     Railway car, a large, heavy vehicle with flanged wheels
        fitted for running on a railway. [U.S.]
  
     Railway carriage, a railway passenger car. [Eng.]
  
     Railway scale, a platform scale bearing a track which forms
        part of the line of a railway, for weighing loaded cars.
        
  
     Railway slide. See Transfer table, under Transfer.
  
     Railway spine (Med.), an abnormal condition due to severe
        concussion of the spinal cord, such as occurs in railroad
        accidents. It is characterized by ataxia and other
        disturbances of muscular function, sensory disorders, pain
        in the back, impairment of general health, and cerebral
        disturbance, -- the symptoms often not developing till
        some months after the injury.
  
     Underground railroad Underground railway.
        (a) A railroad or railway running through a tunnel, as
            beneath the streets of a city.
        (b) Formerly, a system of co["o]peration among certain
            active antislavery people in the United States prior
            to 1866, by which fugitive slaves were secretly helped
            to reach Canada.
  
     Note: [In the latter sense railroad, and not railway, was
           usually used.] ``Their house was a principal
           entrep[^o]t of the underground railroad.'' --W. D.
           Howells.
           [1913 Webster]

  Railroad \Rail"road`\, Railway \Rail"way`\, n.
     1. A road or way consisting of one or more parallel series of
        iron or steel rails, patterned and adjusted to be tracks
        for the wheels of vehicles, and suitably supported on a
        bed or substructure.
  
     Note: The modern railroad is a development and adaptation of
           the older tramway.
  
     2. The road, track, etc., with al the lands, buildings,
        rolling stock, franchises, etc., pertaining to them and
        constituting one property; as, certain railroad has been
        put into the hands of a receiver.
  
     Note: Railway is the commoner word in England; railroad the
           commoner word in the United States.
  
     Note: In the following and similar phrases railroad and
           railway are used interchangeably:
  
     Atmospheric railway, Elevated railway, etc. See under
        Atmospheric, Elevated, etc.
  
     Cable railway. See Cable road, under Cable.
  
     Perry railway, a submerged track on which an elevated
        platform runs, fro carrying a train of cars across a water
        course.
  
     Gravity railway, a railway, in a hilly country, on which
        the cars run by gravity down gentle slopes for long
        distances after having been hauled up steep inclines to an
        elevated point by stationary engines.
  
     Railway brake, a brake used in stopping railway cars or
        locomotives.
  
     Railway car, a large, heavy vehicle with flanged wheels
        fitted for running on a railway. [U.S.]
  
     Railway carriage, a railway passenger car. [Eng.]
  
     Railway scale, a platform scale bearing a track which forms
        part of the line of a railway, for weighing loaded cars.
        
  
     Railway slide. See Transfer table, under Transfer.
  
     Railway spine (Med.), an abnormal condition due to severe
        concussion of the spinal cord, such as occurs in railroad
        accidents. It is characterized by ataxia and other
        disturbances of muscular function, sensory disorders, pain
        in the back, impairment of general health, and cerebral
        disturbance, -- the symptoms often not developing till
        some months after the injury.
  
     Underground railroad or railway.
        (a) A railroad or railway running through a tunnel, as
            beneath the streets of a city.
        (b) Formerly, a system of co["o]peration among certain
            active antislavery people in the United States, by
            which fugitive slaves were secretly helped to reach
            Canada.
  
     Note: [In the latter sense railroad, and not railway, was
           used.] ``Their house was a principal entrep[^o]t of the
           underground railroad.'' --W. D. Howells.