1. a small railroad car propelled by hand power, typically operated by railroad workers for inspection or maintenance of tracks
Usage: also called a hand pump car or pump car; historical and still used in some contexts

Examples

• The railroad workers used a handcar to travel along the tracks for daily inspections.
• A handcar requires at least two people to operate the pump handle effectively.
• In the early 1900s, handcars were a common sight on American railroads.
• The maintenance crew loaded their tools onto the handcar before heading out to repair the line.
• Children sometimes rode on handcars in rural areas where rail service was limited.