Why are Railway Sleepers called "Sleepers"?

Question

Why are Railway Sleepers called "Sleepers"?

Answer 1

Cos they just lie there and the rails sit on top of them in "chairs"!!!

Answer 2

For all those who are saying "becasue you sleep in them"

Sleepers are the slabs of wood that lie inbetween the rails - not carrages !

Answer 3

In America "sleeper" refers to the over night coach you can sleep in and of course a coach is called a carriage in Europe.  In America a carriage refers to horse drawn carriages but not to automobiles or trains.  A railroad carriage in America is also referred to as a  railroad car.  But car simply means automobile any where else.  

In Europe, a sleeper is what Americans call a " railroad tie", while a "railroad spike", which is a giant nail,  "ties" the rail to the "tie".   go figure.

A sleeper can also refer to blocks of wood that sit under beams in a house and prevent the beams from shifting.

A sleeper is also a lazy person,  an idler,  who sleeps a lot, hence the archaic reference to an "idler pulley"  called sometimes,  a "sleeper pulley".

.

LOL

Isn't English fun?

Reminds me of the TV program called "Connections"

Answer 4

Take wild guess.

Answer 5

Because they just lay there and don't move .

Answer 6

I imagine because they are lying under the railway line clamping it in place-always lying there ever patiently doing their job. Similar to sleeping policemen(road humps)

Answer 7

They have sleeping compartments.

Answer 8

It comes from the latin word "sleepar" meaning giant log

Answer 9

Because you sleep in them.