Rail vs. Train

Main Difference

Usually we have heard many people say that we have traveled by rail and some say that we have traveled by train which makes the majority think that rails and trains are both different modes of transportation. In actual, this is not the case, rails are the metal bars that makes the track and all the infrastructure associated with it and a trail is the actual vehicle which runs on the rail in which people travel. The basic composition of rail is two metal or iron rods connected parallel to each other with many small iron rods joined between them and to form a railway track also known as Rail, on which the train a locomotive with many compartments and an engine runs on the railway track to transport people. Rails stay at one place and do not move like trains. Rails are made of metal because metal is a good conductor of heat. It is made of metal because trains run very fast and move on rails against friction which produces a lot of heat energy and because of heat combustion the rails are usually rusted and eroded so metal slows the erosion of the rail plus the weight of the train is also very much. A rail track is made for the constant movement of the train because unlike other vehicle a train does not have a brake, it will start from one destination and travel very fast and stop only at the desired destination stated. That’s why trail cannot travel on the normal roads but need a rail which holds the train in it to travel and does not let the train deviate from its rail track.

Rail vs. Train — Is There a Difference?
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Difference Between Rail and Train

Rail vs. Train

Train is the vehicle and the mode of transport while rails are the track on which the train runs.

Rail vs. Train

Rails stay at one place and are static while the trains are very fast moving vehicles.

Rail vs. Train

Rails are the parallel tracks made of metal and trains travel with their wheels places on the parallel tracks of the rails.

Rail vs. Train

Rails are the tracks as well as the whole infrastructure associated with the railways while train is a locomotive with an engine and different compartments joined together.

Rail vs. Train

Trains are the carrier of the passengers who want to travel while the rails are the carrier or transport mode of the trains in which the passengers travel.

Rail vs. Train

Trains cause erosion of the rails due to high speed which produces heat energy.

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Railnoun

A horizontal bar extending between supports and used for support or as a barrier; a railing.

Trainnoun

Elongated portion.

Railnoun

The metal bar that makes the track for a railroad.

Trainnoun

The elongated back portion of a dress or skirt (or an ornamental piece of material added to similar effect), which drags along the ground.

Unfortunately, the leading bridesmaid stepped on the bride's train as they were walking down the aisle.

Railnoun

A railroad; a railway, as a means of transportation.

We travelled to the seaside by rail.a small Scottish village not accessible by rail

Trainnoun

A trail or line of something, especially gunpowder.

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Railnoun

A horizontal piece of wood that serves to separate sections of a door or window.

Trainnoun

The tail of a bird.

Railnoun

(surfing) One of the lengthwise edges of a surfboard.

Trainnoun

(astronomy) A transient trail of glowing ions behind a large meteor as it falls through the atmosphere.

Railnoun

(internet) A vertical section on one side of a web page.

We're experimenting with ads in the right-hand rail.

Trainnoun

An animal's trail or track.

Railnoun

(drugs) A large line.

Trainnoun

Connected sequence of people or things.

Railnoun

Any of several birds in the family Rallidae.

Trainnoun

A group of people following an important figure, king etc.; a retinue, a group of retainers.

Railnoun

(obsolete) An item of clothing; a cloak or other garment; a dress.

Trainnoun

A group of animals, vehicles, or people that follow one another in a line, such as a wagon train; a caravan or procession.

Our party formed a train at the funeral parlor before departing for the burial.

Railnoun

(obsolete) Specifically, a woman's headscarf or neckerchief.

Trainnoun

A sequence of events or ideas which are interconnected; a course or procedure of something.

Railverb

(intransitive) To travel by railway.

Trainnoun

(military) The men and vehicles following an army, which carry artillery and other equipment for battle or siege.

Railverb

(transitive) To enclose with rails or a railing.

Trainnoun

A set of interconnected mechanical parts which operate each other in sequence.

Railverb

(transitive) To range in a line.

Trainnoun

A series of electrical pulses.

Railverb

To complain violently (against, about).

Trainnoun

A series of specified vehicles, originally tramcars in a mine, and later especially railway carriages, coupled together.

Railverb

To gush, flow.

Trainnoun

A line of connected railway cars or carriages considered overall as a mode of transport; (as uncountable noun) rail travel.

The train will pull in at midday.

Railnoun

a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports

Trainnoun

A long, heavy sleigh used in Canada for the transportation of merchandise, wood, etc.

Railnoun

short for railway;

he traveled by railhe was concerned with rail safety

Trainnoun

(computing) A software release schedule.

Railnoun

a bar or bars of rolled steel making a track along which vehicles can roll

Trainnoun

An act wherein series of men line up and then penetrate a person, especially as a form of gang rape.

Railnoun

a horizontal bar (usually of wood)

Trainnoun

(obsolete) Treachery; deceit.

Railnoun

any of numerous widely distributed small wading birds of the family Rallidae having short wings and very long toes for running on soft mud

Trainnoun

(obsolete) A trick or stratagem.

Railverb

complain bitterly

Trainnoun

(obsolete) A trap for animals; a snare.

Railverb

enclose with rails;

rail in the old graves

Trainnoun

(obsolete) A lure; a decoy.

Railverb

provide with rails;

The yard was railed

Trainverb

(intransitive) To practice an ability.

She trained seven hours a day to prepare for the Olympics.

Railverb

separate with a railing;

rail off the crowds from the Presidential palace

Trainverb

(transitive) To teach and form by practice; to educate; to exercise with discipline.

You can't train a pig to write poetry.

Railverb

convey (goods etc.) by rails;

fresh fruit are railed from Italy to Belgium

Trainverb

(intransitive) To improve one's fitness.

I trained with weights all winter.

Railverb

travel by rail or train;

They railed from Rome to VeniceShe trained to Hamburg

Trainverb

To proceed in sequence.

Railverb

lay with rails;

hundreds of miles were railed out here

Trainverb

(transitive) To move (a gun) laterally so that it points in a different direction.

The assassin had trained his gun on the minister.

Railverb

fish with a hand-line over the rails of a boat;

They are railing for fresh fish

Trainverb

To encourage (a plant or branch) to grow in a particular direction or shape, usually by pruning and bending.

The vine had been trained over the pergola.

Railverb

spread negative information about;

The Nazi propaganda vilified the Jews

Trainverb

(mining) To trace (a lode or any mineral appearance) to its head.

Railverb

criticize severely;

He fulminated against the Republicans' plan to cut MedicareShe railed against the bad social policies

Trainverb

To create a trainer for; to apply cheats to (a game).

Trainverb

(obsolete) To draw along; to trail; to drag.

Trainverb

(obsolete) To draw by persuasion, artifice, or the like; to attract by stratagem; to entice; to allure.

Trainnoun

public transport provided by a line of railway cars coupled together and drawn by a locomotive;

express trains don't stop at Princeton Junction

Trainnoun

a sequentially ordered set of things or events or ideas in which each successive member is related to the preceding;

a string of islandstrain of mournersa train of thought

Trainnoun

a procession (of wagons or mules or camels) traveling together in single file;

we were part of a caravan of almost a thousand camelsthey joined the wagon train for safety

Trainnoun

a series of consequences wrought by an event;

it led to a train of disasters

Trainnoun

piece of cloth forming the long back section of a gown that is drawn along the floor;

the bride's train was carried by her two young nephews

Trainnoun

wheelwork consisting of a connected set of rotating gears by which force is transmitted or motion or torque is changed;

the fool got his tie caught in the geartrain

Trainverb

create by training and teaching;

The old master is training world-class violinistswe develop the leaders for the future

Trainverb

undergo training or instruction in preparation for a particular role, function, or profession;

She is training to be a teacherHe trained as a legal aid

Trainverb

train by instruction and practice; especially to teach self-control;

Parents must discipline their childrenIs this dog trained?

Trainverb

prepare (someone) for a future role or function;

He is grooming his son to become his successorThe prince was prepared to become King one dayThey trained him to be a warrior

Trainverb

train to be discriminative in taste or judgment;

Cultivate your musical tasteTrain your tastebudsShe is well schooled in poetry

Trainverb

aim or direct at; as of blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment;

Please don't aim at your little brother!He trained his gun on the burglarDon't train your camera on the womenTake a swipe at one's opponent

Trainverb

teach and supervise (someone); act as a trainer or coach (to), as in sports;

He is training our Olympic teamShe is coaching the crew

Trainverb

exercise in order to prepare for an event or competition;

She is training for the Olympics

Trainverb

train to grow in a certain way by tying and pruning it;

train the vine

Trainverb

travel by rail or train;

They railed from Rome to VeniceShe trained to Hamburg

Trainverb

drag loosely along a surface; allow to sweep the ground;

The toddler was trailing his pantsShe trained her long scarf behind her

Comparison Chart

TrainRail
The vehicle and the mode of transport.The track on which the train runs.
Speed
Very fast moving.Stay at one place since they are static.
Explanation
A locomotive with an engine and different compartments joined together.The tracks as well as the whole infrastructure associated with the railways.
Alternative Detail
The carrier of the passengers who want to travel.The carrier or transport mode of the trains in which the passengers travel.

Definition of Rail

Rail is the complete system of the railway tracks and all the infrastructure involved in it. A rail consists of two metal bars or rods covering over a huge distance made parallel to each other and joined with many small metal rods in between like a ladder which makes the whole railway track. It is made of metal to support the intense heat energy which is produced by the train when it is run on the rail and also to slow down the process of erosion and combustion caused by the heat combustion and also the heavy weight of the train because metal is a good conductor of heat. A rail is constructed in such a way to balance the weight of the train, as the wheels of the train are fit into the parallel bars and it travels uniformly over the small metal bars which are joined in between, so the train does not move away or deviate from its path because this will lead to major accident. A rail is constructed away from the traffic and hustle of the city and usually on a traffic free and plain land to construct a straight track without any thing in between because a train needs to travel without stopping.

Definition of Train

Train is an exclusive and a very fast mode of transport. It is very useful in covering long distance from one city to another because it travels in a jiffy. Also trains do not have brakes so they travel without stopping. Trains are locomotives with engine and many coaches or compartment joined together which causes many passengers to travel at once without the interruption of traffic or signals as it travels on a rail which is a separate track for trains. Trains travel on rails against friction. Nowadays trains have become very luxurious for people to travel from all walks of life. Trains are faster now and also more convenient as families can travel together and bow the facility of comfortable seats and food are also available.

Conclusion

Trains are one of the most common and fastest modes of traveling around the world but there are various terms associated with it which can get confusing. All in all, this article has looked at the main differences between rail and train so that people know how they differ and how are they related.