Railroad

The terms railroad and railway commonly describe the same thing, a guided means of land transport, designed to be used by trains, for transporting both passengers and freight. Etymologically both words obtain from Old English; a road being something one rides along and way deriving from a Germanic base meaning move, journey, carry.

U.S. practice

Historically, in the United States of America the term railroad, particularly when used in a company name, implies a conventional rail system and railway implies a street railway, also known as a streetcar or light rail line. There are, however, quite a number of exceptions. In fact, many companies change from one period to the other when they re-incorporate, possibly to distinguish between the old and new companies (example: Seaboard Air Line Railroad).