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

Travel in an old-timey cable railway up Mount Washington for a phenomenal view overlooking downtown Pittsburgh.

From Washington Post • Jul. 21, 2016

Blanche gave him a tender smile; but he did not see it, for he was gazing at a man who came down the steps from the neighboring cable railway.

From The Intriguers by Bindloss, Harold