marine railway

noun

a railway having a rolling cradle for hauling ships out of water onto land and returning them.

Also called slipway; British, patent slip.

Origin

1815-25, Americanism

Examples from the web for marine railway

Removes obstructions from marine railway or launching ways with pneumatic and power hand tools.
The dry dock rolls down a marine railway that extends into and is submerged under the harbor.
The new lifeboat was too large to fit on the marine railway and had to remain moored in the water.

British Dictionary definitions for marine railway

noun

another term for slipway (sense 2)