Definition: railroad

Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

railroad
     n 1: line that is the commercial organization responsible for
          operating a railway system [syn: railway, railroad
          line, railway line, railway system]
     2: a line of track providing a runway for wheels; "he walked
        along the railroad track" [syn: railroad track, railway]
     v 1: compel by threatening [syn: dragoon]
     2: supply with railroad lines; "railroad the West"
     3: transport by railroad

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Railroad \Rail"road`\, v. t.
   To carry or send by railroad; usually fig., to send or put
   through at high speed or in great haste; to hurry or rush
   unduly; as, to railroad a bill through Condress. [Colloq., U.
   S.]

Railroad \Rail"road`\, Railway \Rail"way`\, n.
   1. A road or way consisting of one or more parallel series of
      iron or steel rails, patterned and adjusted to be tracks
      for the wheels of vehicles, and suitably supported on a
      bed or substructure.

   Note: The modern railroad is a development and adaptation of
         the older tramway.

   2. The road, track, etc., with al the lands, buildings,
      rolling stock, franchises, etc., pertaining to them and
      constituting one property; as, certain railroad has been
      put into the hands of a receiver.

   Note: Railway is the commoner word in England; railroad the
         commoner word in the United States.

   Note: In the following and similar phrases railroad and
         railway are used interchangeably:

   Atmospheric railway, Elevated railway, etc. See under
      Atmospheric, Elevated, etc.

   Cable railway. See Cable road, under Cable.

   Perry railway, a submerged track on which an elevated
      platform runs, fro carrying a train of cars across a water
      course.

   Gravity railway, a railway, in a hilly country, on which
      the cars run by gravity down gentle slopes for long
      distances after having been hauled up steep inclines to an
      elevated point by stationary engines.

   Railway brake, a brake used in stopping railway cars or
      locomotives.

   Railway car, a large, heavy vehicle with flanged wheels
      fitted for running on a railway. [U.S.]

   Railway carriage, a railway passenger car. [Eng.]

   Railway scale, a platform scale bearing a track which forms
      part of the line of a railway, for weighing loaded cars.
      

   Railway slide. See Transfer table, under Transfer.

   Railway spine (Med.), an abnormal condition due to severe
      concussion of the spinal cord, such as occurs in railroad
      accidents. It is characterized by ataxia and other
      disturbances of muscular function, sensory disorders, pain
      in the back, impairment of general health, and cerebral
      disturbance, -- the symptoms often not developing till
      some months after the injury.

   Underground railroad or railway.
      (a) A railroad or railway running through a tunnel, as
          beneath the streets of a city.
      (b) Formerly, a system of co["o]peration among certain
          active antislavery people in the United States, by
          which fugitive slaves were secretly helped to reach
          Canada.

   Note: [In the latter sense railroad, and not railway, was
         used.] ``Their house was a principal entrep[^o]t of the
         underground railroad.'' --W. D. Howells.

Source: U.S. Gazetteer (1990)

Railroad, PA (borough, FIPS 63288)
  Location: 39.76007 N, 76.69694 W
  Population (1990): 317 (114 housing units)
  Area: 1.6 sq km (land), 0.0 sq km (water)

RAILROAD, n.  The chief of many mechanical devices enabling us to get
away from where we are to wher we are no better off.  For this purpose
the railroad is held in highest favor by the optimist, for it permits
him to make the transit with great expedition.