Classification yard
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A classification yard, marshalling yard or shunting yard is a railway yard used to accumulate wagons or railway cars on one of several tracks. First, a group of cars is taken to a track, sometimes cal
Godorf Station, Cologne, Germany
Not all cars can be sent over a classification hump. This Union Pacific track maintenance vehicle is permanently labeled "Do not hump" because it is not designed to withstand hump sorting.
The retarders grip the sides of the wheels on passing cars to slow them down.
A CNW towerman operates the retarders at Proviso Yard in Chicago, Illinois (1943)
Shunting (rail)
Videos
Shunting, in railway operations, is the process of sorting items of rolling stock into complete trains, or the reverse. In the United States this activity is known as switching.
Classification yard
…the cars through the ladder. Freight trains that consist of unrelated cars must be made into a train grouped according to their destinations; this shunting is done at the starting point. Some trains (US: "wayfreights") drop and pick up cars along their route in classification yards or at industrial sidings…
A British Rail Class 08 shunting ballast wagons at Eastleigh Depot.
Trackmobile Titan
Shuttlewagon NVX-E
A heavy steam shunting locomotive, SR Z class, Great Britain