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Glite Dictionary
footplate

footplate

9.1
A platform inside a train engine where the driver stands to work the controls
  • noun
  • /ˈfʊtˌpleɪt/
  • UK
translation icon : plataforma de la cabina
  • During the safety inspection, the engineer checked the footplate for any signs of wear.
  • fix the footplate
  • edge of the footplate

Examples

  • The design of the footplate ensures that the driver has a stable platform while managing the train.

  • The system generates a different movement of the tip and of the rear of the footplate during the swing.

    Academic text (2000)

  • The rear end is lifted during the swing so that the footplate itself is inclined during the swing.

    Academic text (2000)

  • The char that accumulates on the footplate is not removed.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The low backward movement of the footplates simulates the stance phase, while the forward movement simulates the swing phase.

    Academic text (2000)

  • The conductor stood confidently on the footplate to operate the locomotive's controls.

Synonyms

footboard
vsfootplate
5.1

A narrow board to rest your feet on, often on trains

is a dedicated cab platform for standing to operate controls

Surface Forms

footplate singular
footplates plural

Morphology

footplate = foot + plate (semi-transparent) = foot + plate

Formally a compound 'foot' + 'plate' (a plate for the feet), but the specialized locomotive meaning is technical jargon not fully predictable by all learners.

Etymology

The word footplate comes from the simple parts foot and plate, meaning a 'plate' for the 'foot'. So a footplate is the flat platform in a locomotive cab where the driver stands to operate the controls.