A
train ferry is a
ship (
ferry) designed to carry
railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with
railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train ferries are sometimes referred to as "car ferries", as distinguished from "auto ferries" used to transport automobiles. The
wharf (sometimes called a "
slip") has a ramp, and a linkspan or "apron", balanced by weights, that connects the railway proper to the ship, allowing for the water level to rise and fall with the tides.