branch line

plural branch lines

1. rail transportA secondary railroad route or one subsidiary to a railroad's mainlines.

   But the states were generally concerned with the location of trunk lines and left it to cities and counties to worry about branch lines.

   1987, William H. Rehnquist, The Supreme Court

2. rail transportA non-through line which joins a mainline (or another branch or secondary line) and ends at a terminus.

   They saddled themselves with the handling of light flows on a multiplicity of branch lines, and they sacrificed the speed, reliability and low cost of through train operation, even over the main arteries of the system.

   1962 December, “Dr. Beeching previews the plan for British Railways”, in Modern Railways, page 377

   2 more examples

   This is itself a cheerless spot, particularly on a rainy day, when, overshadowed by the great massif of rock that towers in the background, and surrounded by the grey and cheerless quarries, it has a depressing character much in contrast with the green verdure encountered on the northern end of this interesting branch line.

   1954 August, H. M. Madgwick, “The Blaenau Festiniog Tunnel”, in Railway Magazine, page 569

   Above all, Eurostar needs to be proactive in improving the service, reducing fares, and getting back to a post-COVID normal, despite Brexit. Or is it that SNCF just feels London is on a branch line from the rest of Europe, and not worth bothering about?

   2023 February 8, Christian Wolmar, “Pressing issues to help Eurostar fulfil its ambitions”, in RAIL, number 976, page 39