Ton-mile
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A unit of measure expressed in number of short tons moved over a specific distance in miles.
"In the short series of chapters which is here begun, an attempt will be made to set down and illustrate some of the main principles governing the transportation of freight by railroads in the United States. The primary object is to convey a clear idea of what is meant by the "Ton-mile," the "Train-mile," the "Unit of service," the "Unit of product," and the various other words and phrases commonly used to designate the main facts and things in the Railroad industry."
Example
More examples"In the short series of chapters which is here begun, an attempt will be made to set down and illustrate some of the main principles governing the transportation of freight by railroads in the United States. The primary object is to convey a clear idea of what is meant by the "Ton-mile," the "Train-mile," the "Unit of service," the "Unit of product," and the various other words and phrases commonly used to designate the main facts and things in the Railroad industry."
Etymology
Compound of ton + mile, although, as with any such unit of measure (e.g., person-months, newton metres), the mathematical relationship of multiplication is simultaneously involved: X tons transported a distance of Y miles = X × Y = Z ton-miles. Attested since the 19th century in railway logistical usage; greatly increased in use by the logistics boom of World War II and the continued postwar development of advanced logistics.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.