marine railway

American  

noun

1. a railway having a rolling cradle for hauling ships out of water onto land and returning them.

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marine railway British  

noun

1. another term for slipway

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Etymology

Origin of marine railway

An Americanism dating back to 1815–25

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

marine railway

With 36 conventional locks, two sets of flight locks, a marine railway and two of the world's highest hydraulic lift locks, a cruise here can be a real adventure.

From Time Magazine Archive

With a 112,000-square-foot facility on eight acres of land, complete with a full-service shipyard and 250-ton marine railway, West Bay delivers from 16 to 18 yachts per year.

From Time Magazine Archive

Below in the yacht yard the master gave orders, and the machinery of the marine railway began its clanking chorus.

From Glory of Youth by Hutt, Henry

There was a machine shop at Anacapa on the opposite side of the island and a marine railway large enough to take on the disabled craft.

From El Diablo by Groesbeck, Dan Sayre

Tom and his chum had managed to get the Kilo to Ramsey's dock, and over the ways of the inclined marine railway that led from the shop on shore down into the river.

From Tom Swift and His Photo Telephone or the Picture That Saved a Fortune by Appleton, Victor [pseud.]