branch line

Noun

branch line (plural branch lines)

1. A secondary railroad route or one subsidiary to a railroad's mainlines.
   • But the states were generally concerned with the location of trunk lines and left it to cities and counties to worry about branch lines.1987, William H. Rehnquist, The Supreme Court
2. A non-through line which joins a mainline (or another branch or secondary line) and ends at a terminus.
   • This is itself a cheerless spot, particularly on a rainy day, when, overshadowed by the great massif of rock that towers in the background, and surrounded by the grey and cheerless quarries, it has a depressing character much in contrast with the green verdure encountered on the northern end of...1954 August, H. M. Madgwick, “The Blaenau Festiniog Tunnel”, in Railway Magazine, page 569
   • They saddled themselves with the handling of light flows on a multiplicity of branch lines, and they sacrificed the speed, reliability and low cost of through train operation, even over the main arteries of the system.1962 December, “Dr. Beeching previews the plan for British Railways”, in Modern Railways, page 377