What is a car?

Question

What is a car?

Answer 1

A "car is one non-powered unit of a train, can either be freight or passenger.

It's purpose is to haul things, people or merchandise of some sort rahter than to propel the train.

Although the lines are blurred in the case of the high speed "bullet" type trains and TGV, where each car of a train have traction motors underneath.

Answer 2

In the US, car = auto = automobile.

Answer 3

In North America the term, 'car' means any rail vehicle.

In Britain we normally use 'carriage' or 'coach' for a passenger vehicle and 'wagon' for freight, but 'car' has limited uses, i.e.

'Sleeping Car', 'Dining Car', Buffet Car', 'Restaurant Car', 'Pullman Car'.

The reason being that the first examples of the above were imported from America during the 19th century, and the name stuck.

Also 'rail car', meaning (usually) a single diesel passenger unit.