Definition

1. Noun:
   • A railway for steep slopes: A rack railway is a specialized type of railway designed to operate on steep mountain grades. It uses a toothed rack rail, typically mounted between the running rails, which engages with a cogwheel (pinion) on the locomotive or railcar to provide the necessary traction and braking power.

Usage

• The term "rack railway" is used to describe the complete railway system, including its track, rolling stock, and the rack-and-pinion mechanism that defines it.
• It is a technical term most commonly found in discussions about transportation engineering, mountain tourism, and railway history.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The Pilatus Railway in Switzerland is the world's steepest rack railway.
  • Engineers chose a rack railway design to safely ascend the mountain's severe incline.

Advanced Usage

• "rack-and-pinion railway": A synonymous technical term for a rack railway, explicitly naming the mechanical components (the rack and the pinion gear).
  • The historic Mount Washington Cog Railway is a famous rack-and-pinion railway.

Variants and Related Words

• Cog railway: A common synonym for rack railway, emphasizing the cogwheel (pinion) on the train.
• Rack rail: Refers specifically to the toothed rail that is part of the system.
• Pinion: Refers to the cogwheel on the locomotive that engages the rack rail.

Synonyms

• Cog railway
• Rack-and-pinion railway
• Mountain railway (This is a broader category that often includes, but is not exclusive to, rack railways.)

Related Phrases

• To engage the rack: Describes the action of the locomotive's pinion gear meshing with the teeth of the rack rail to begin climbing or braking.
  • The train must engage the rack before starting the steep ascent.

Noun

1. railway for steep mountains; a cogwheel on the locomotive engages cogs on a center rail to provide traction