Noun

railways

1. Plural form of railway.

Rail transport is the conveyance of passengers and goods by means of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on.

Track usually consists of steel rails running on sleepers/ties and ballast, on which the rolling stock, usually fitted with metal wheels, moves. However, variants are also possible, such as rubber-wheeled stock moving on concrete tracks, particularly for light rail and monorail systems.

Rolling stock in rail transport generally has low frictional resistance when compared with road vehicles, and can be coupled into long trains.

The operation is carried out by a railway company, providing transport between train stations or freight customer facilities. Power is provided by locomotives which either draw electrical power from a railway electrification system or produce their own power, usually by diesel engines. Most trackage is accompanied by a signalling system.

Rail is the safest land transport when compared to other forms of transport. Rail transport is capable of high levels of capacity and energy efficiency, but is often less flexible and more capital intensive than road transport when lower traffic levels are considered.

The oldest, man-hauled railways date to the 6th century BC. With the development of the steam engine, it was possible to construct mainline railways, that were a key component of the industrial revolution. Also, railroads reduced the costs of shipping, and allowed for fewer lost goods. The change from canals to railroads allowed for "national markets" in which prices varied very little from city to city. Studies have shown that the development of the railroad was one of the most important technological inventions of the late 19th century in the United States, without which, GDP would have been lower by 7% in 1890. In the 1880s, electric trains were launched, and the first tramways and rapid transit systems came into use. Following the 1940s, unelectrified railways in developed countries replaced steam with diesel. In the 1960s, high-speed rail was launched. Trains have since become more accessible, and some are now driverless. Other forms of rail transport outside the traditional definition such as maglev trains have also emerged.