catch points
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.71 in modern English
20
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
2
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A set of points provided to derail rail vehicles out of control on a steep gradient.
British usage
Example Sentences
- "Many freights were not fully braked, and catch points were provided on steep gradients to derail runaway wagons. The points cost money to maintain and were a hassle when wrong-line working was needed. With the Settle-Carlisle Line available as an alternative, all catch points were removed over Shap, which meant only fully braked trains could traverse the route."
Usage
- British usage