funicular railway
Noun: A funicular railway is a type of railway designed for steep slopes, such as a mountainside. It consists of two passenger cars permanently attached to opposite ends of a single cable, which is looped over a pulley at the upper station. The cars counterbalance each other; as one ascends, the other descends, pulled by the moving cable.
A funicular railway is a specific transportation system. It is used as a singular, countable noun. * The city's historic funicular railway provides access to the hilltop castle. * We took the funicular railway to reach the observation deck.
- The funicular railway is the most efficient way to transport tourists up the cliff.
- Engineers are conducting safety checks on the funicular railway.
- Many cities with steep terrain have a funicular railway as part of their public transit network.
- The term can be shortened informally to just "funicular" when the context is clear.
- Let's ride the funicular to the top.
- Funicular (noun): A shortened, common form of "funicular railway."
- Cable railway (noun): A broader term that can include funiculars and other systems where cars are pulled by cables.
- Incline railway (noun): A similar term often used interchangeably with funicular railway.
- Cog railway / Rack railway (noun): A different type of mountain railway where a train uses a toothed rack rail for traction, unlike a funicular's cable system.
- Incline railway
- Cable railway (in the specific context of a balanced, two-car system)
The term "funicular railway" has only one primary meaning related to the specific transportation system described. It is not commonly used in other contexts or as part of idioms or phrasal verbs.
- a railway up the side of a mountain pulled by a moving cable and having counterbalancing ascending and descending cars