rack railway

noun

: a railway having between its rails a rack that meshes with a gear wheel or pinion of the locomotive for traction on steep grades

Examples of rack railway in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The 23-mile railway line rumbles through the Catalan countryside to the foot of the mountains, where the Cremallera rack railway has been heaving visitors up the mountainside since 1892 (with a break from 1957-2003). Julia Buckley, CNN, 7 Apr. 2022 Wengen, reached by rack railway, shares a ski area with Grindelwald -- not the dark wizard from Harry Potter but the scenic village at the foot of the Eiger's infamous North Face. Rob Hodgetts, CNN, 21 Dec. 2021 Since taking its first passengers up the mountain in June 1891, the train has remained famous for being the highest railway in America and the highest rack railway in the world at 14,115 feet. Cailey Rizzo, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rack railway was in 1884

Dictionary Entries Near rack railway

Cite this Entry

“Rack railway.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rack%20railway. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!