What is train?

The term "train" has several distinct meanings and uses, depending on the context:

Rail Transport

A train, in its most common sense, is a series of connected vehicles that run along a railway track, typically pulled or pushed by one or more locomotives. These trains can carry either passengers or freight, and they operate on steel tracks with steel wheels for efficiency234.

Procession or Line

A train can also refer to a long line of moving people, animals, or vehicles traveling in the same direction. This can include a convoy, file, or procession of various entities23.

Attendants or Followers

In another context, a train refers to a group of persons following as attendants in a procession or a retinue; for example, the train of a bride or the entourage of a dignitary23.

Trailing Part

It can also describe a part of a dress, skirt, or other garment that trails behind the wearer, or the tail feathers of a bird, such as the train of a peacock23.

Mechanical and Sequential Contexts

• A train of gears refers to a set of linked mechanical parts for transmitting motion.
• A train of thought or events means an orderly succession of related ideas or occurrences23.

Military and Logistic Support

In a military context, a train refers to the personnel, vehicles, and equipment that follow and provide supplies and services to a combat unit23.

Aftermath or Consequences

The term can also be used to describe the series of consequences or aftermath following an event, such as "disease came in the train of war"23.

These various definitions highlight the versatile use of the term "train" across different domains.