Any piece of unpowered rolling stock that moves on the rails. In North America, the term covers everything from boxcars and tank cars in freight service to passenger coaches and baggage equipment. It is strictly distinguished from locomotives, which provide the pulling power.
Heard on the job
We need to set out that bad-order car on the house track before we pull the rest of the cut.
Insider tip
Never call a locomotive a car unless you want to get laughed out of the yard.
Do not mix it up with
- Locomotive: A locomotive provides the motive power, while a car is unpowered and must be towed.