crossrail

English

Etymology

cross- +‎ rail

Noun

crossrail (plural crossrails)

1. A rail that goes across something.
   • 1905 March 2, The Iron Trade Review, volume 38, page 70:

     The stroke of the planer is remarkably uniform, the reverse taking place at the same the same screws which carry the crossrail.

   • 2006, Carol Jenkins, Once Upon a Fact: Helping Children Write Nonfiction, page 74:

     After you have done caveletti for a little bit you should go into small crossrails about 1 foot high.

2. (UK, rail transport) A commuter rail line that crosses a major city through a tunnel and which continues for a significant distance into the surrounding areas, generally with relatively high speeds and widely spaced stations compared to an underground or metro.
   • 2004, Bernard Ingham, Gerry Hassan, The Political Guide to Modern Scotland: People, Places and Power, Politico's Publishing:

     A crossrail link to Aberdeen and Stonehaven is planned.

   • 2010 February 15, Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Transport Committee, quoting Professor Begg, Priorities for investment in the railways: third report of session 2009-10, Vol. 2: Oral and written evidence, The Stationery Office, →ISBN, page 7:

     We need to change the name of the Manchester Hub. Crossrail for the north of England is a better term, otherwise people will view it as a Greater Manchester project and will miss out on exactly what it is actually going to do.

   • 2013 June 27, Great Britain: H.M. Treasury, Investing in Britain's future, Stationery Office, →ISBN, page 25:

     The proposal to build a second Crossrail line would create a new high-frequency, high-capacity rail line running south west to north east across London.