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Glite Dictionary
platelayer

platelayer

9.9
A railway worker who lays and repairs train tracks
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : trabajador de vías
  • During the storm, a team of platelayers was called out to repair a damaged section of rail.

Examples

  • The platelayer inspected the tracks early every morning to ensure safety for passing trains.

  • Years ago, my grandfather worked as a platelayer on the Great Western Railway.

  • The platelayer worked diligently to fix the tracks.

  • Many platelayers were hired for the new railway project.

  • During the storm, a team of platelayers was called out to repair a damaged section of rail.

  • The platelayer inspected the tracks early every morning to ensure safety for passing trains.

  • Years ago, my grandfather worked as a platelayer on the Great Western Railway.

Synonyms

tracklayer
vsplatelayer
  • US
7.7

A worker who builds and fixes rails that trains run on

is the same in meaning but is an alternative term
trackman
vsplatelayer
  • US
8.1

A person who maintains and inspects railway tracks for safety

focuses on laying and repairing rather than inspecting or general maintenance
section hand
vsplatelayer
  • Jargon
8.2

A worker who fixes and looks after a part of a railroad track

performs laying and repair tasks directly rather than crew-based maintenance

Surface Forms

platelayer singular
platelayers plural

Morphology

platelayer = plate + layer (semi-transparent) = plate + layer

The compound 'plate' + 'layer' is structurally clear, but the occupational sense referring specifically to railway track work is a specialized extension that may not be obvious to all learners.

Etymology

Platelayer is a simple compound: plate was an old name for a flat metal rail, and layer means 'one who lays'. So a platelayer is literally someone who 'lays plates' on the track, which is why the word now means a railway worker who puts down and repairs rails.