railhead

Noun

railhead (plural railheads)

1. A point on a railway system where goods (or passengers) are loaded, unloaded or transferred to other transport.
   • The improved service to and from Taunton is fully justified by the passenger patronage to and from this town, which is a railhead for a large surrounding area.1961 October, “The winter timetables of British Railways: Western Region”, in Trains Illustrated, pages 590–591
   • It would also offer an important opportunity to move construction materials in bulk, using a new railhead.2019 October, John Glover, “Heathrow rail expansion”, in Modern Railways, page 71
2. The furthest point on a railroad/railway under construction to which rails have been laid.
   • By 1899 the railhead had reached the further edge of the Athi Plain at mile 315, and halted while the survey parties went ahead, and a supply base was established at the foot of the hills. This spot has become Nairobi.1950 April, Timothy H. Cobb, “The Kenya-Uganda Railway”, in Railway Magazine, page 262
3. The top surface (head) of a rail.
   • Alternative form: rail head
   • High levels of railhead contamination (which can prevent train predictor systems working correctly) were present in the area - probably as a result of limited operation of the railhead treatment train, according to RAIB.2020 December 30, “Network News: Railhead contamination contributed to level crossing near miss”, in RAIL, page 10
4. 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 materiel.