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Glite Dictionary
cable railway

cable railway

5.8
A steep railway in which a moving cable pulls the cars up and down a mountain
  • noun
  • /ˈkeɪbəl ˈreɪlweɪ/
translation icon : ferrocarril funicular
  • The cable railway carried tourists to the summit of the mountain each summer.

Examples

  • Engineers inspected the cable railway to ensure that the cable and safety systems were functioning properly.

  • A century-old cable railway still operates in the hills above the city.

  • The cable railway runs from the valley to the mountain summit.

  • Have you ever ridden a cable railway before?

  • The cable railway took us to the top of the mountain, offering a stunning view of the valley below.

  • Many tourists prefer to use the cable railway to reach the ski resort during the winter season.

  • The cable railway was an essential mode of transport for the villagers, especially during heavy snowfall.

Synonyms

funicular
vscable railway
  • Specialized
1 8.9

A railway that moves cars up and down a steep hill by a cable

is pulled by a moving line rather than using paired counterbalance
funicular railway
vscable railway
  • Specialized
7.5

A steep railway with two cars joined by a cable that balance each other

is pulled by a moving line and carries passengers or goods up slopes

Surface Forms

cable railway singular
cable railways plural

Morphology

cable + railway

The meaning 'a railway pulled by a cable' is directly and compositionally derived from combining 'cable' (a strong wire or rope) with 'railway' (a track for trains); the compound names the type of railway that uses a cable. This noun–noun compounding is productive in English and has clear cross‑linguistic equivalents, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The noun cable railway comes from a simple picture: a railway where cars are pulled by a long, strong cable up and down a steep hill, like a rope hauling a cart. So the name today means a steep train system that uses a cable to move passengers or goods up and down slopes.