What does word "could used" give meaning?

Question

Econo Rail proposed that the first few prototype trains could used the discarded under-frames which are now sold as scrap iron, which are lying all over the railway yard at present.

here what does word "could used" give meaning?
could you explain above sentence in simple way?

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

Hi Nithila

Econo Rail proposed that the first few prototype trains could used the discarded under-frames which are now sold as scrap iron, which are lying all over the railway yard at present.

here what does word "could used" give meaning? It's a typo - it should be "could use" -- could make use of

I don't know what an "under-frame" is, but apparently they are part of a train, and old ones are not being used currently but instead are sold for scrap. So now they are proposing using these under-frames to construct some new model of train.

Avangi · Answer

I suspect the term is "could use." It's conditional - following an imaginary "if" clause. "If I'm going to the dance, I could use some money."

"If we ever get the okay to build these new trains, we could use the old frames."

Without the "if" it's not conditional, and we use "can" instead of "could." "When we build build these trains, we can use the old frames."

The other possibility is "could have used." (shoulda woulda coulda) "When we built these trains (past tense) we could have used the old frames, if we had only thought about it."

(simple way) They're talking about building a brand new type of train. (The first one they build could be called the "prototype.") The engineers who are designing it have figured a way to use the steel frames from old junked railroad cars. There are many of these lying around, not being used for anything but scrap.

What does word "could used" give meaning?

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