platelayer

English

Etymology

From plate +‎ layer.

Noun

platelayer (plural platelayers)

1. (rail transport) A railway employee who inspects and maintains the permanent way of a railway installation.
   • 2021 September 22, Dr Mike Esbester, “Trackside safety: a permanent problem”, in RAIL, number 940, page 79:

     Instead, the Ministry of Transport (MoT) investigation concluded that the gang were reliant upon hearing the approach of trains - "a common practice among platelayers", Assistant Inspecting Officer JPS Main concluded.

Synonyms

• surfaceman
• trackman

References

• “platelayer”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.