a light hand-propelled vehicle used on railway lines
handcar in American English
(ˈhændˌkɑr)
US
noun
a small, open car, orig. hand-powered, used on railroads, as to transport workers
handcar in American English
(ˈhændˌkɑːr)
noun
a small railroad car or platform on four wheels propelled by a mechanism worked by hand, used on some railroads for inspecting tracks and transporting workers
Word origin
[1840–50, Amer.; hand + car1]This word is first recorded in the period 1840–50. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: bypass, flan, pylon, striation, warmup