railhead

See also: rail head

English

Etymology

rail +‎ head

Noun

railhead (plural railheads)

1. (rail transport) A point on a railway system where goods are loaded, unloaded or transferred to other transport.
   • 2019 October, John Glover, “Heathrow rail expansion”, in Modern Railways, page 71:

     It would also offer an important opportunity to move construction materials in bulk, using a new railhead.

2. The furthest point on a railroad/railway under construction to which rails have been laid.
3. (military) An area of hostile territory at the end of a rail line that, when captured, serves for the continuous movement into position of further troops and material.

See also

• airhead
• beachhead
• bridgehead

References

• “railhead”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Anagrams

• headrail