cable railway

American  

noun

1. a railway on which the cars are pulled by a moving cable under the roadway.

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cable railway British  

noun

1. a railway on which individual cars are drawn along by a strong cable or metal chain operated by a stationary motor

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Etymology

Origin of cable railway

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

To reach it, many would ride on the funicular - a type of cable railway - which had a stop just for hotel residents.

From BBC • Jul. 28, 2025

A family in the U.K. has one of the country’s smallest funicular railways – a type of cable railway system on an incline – at their home.

From Fox News • Jan. 8, 2022

The funicular, or cable railway built on an incline, has a storied past.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 1, 2017

It’s also home to the Duquesne Incline, a red cable railway that dates to the late 19th century and still transports people up and down the craggy hillside of Mount Washington for $5 round-trip.

From Washington Post • Jul. 21, 2016

A cable railway would answer the purpose to perfection, and the cost of running the steam motor would be insignificant, owing to the amount of wood and coal found within easy reach.

From Alone with the Hairy Ainu or, 3,800 miles on a pack saddle in Yezo and a cruise to the Kurile Islands. by Landor, A. H. Savage