English

Alternative forms

• downline
• down-line

Noun

down line ‎(plural down lines)

1. A railway line on which trains travel away from a major terminus.
   • 1857 Alan J Day, Verena Hoffman - The Annual Register of World Events

     The down line was cleared about midnight, or nine hours after the accident, but the up line was not in a state to admit of the traffic being resumed until one o'clock on the next day.

   • 1842 Francis Whishaw - The Railways of Great Britain and Ireland Practically Described and Illustrated

     The number of down-trains daily is fifty-one, and up-trains fifty; the ropes, therefore, travel 155.25 miles on the up-line, and 158.35 miles on the down-line, or altogether 313.60 miles daily.

See also

• up line