A complex of tracks and facilities used for assembling, sorting, storing, inspecting, and dispatching trains and railcars. Rail yards range from simple sidings to large hump yards covering hundreds of acres. They are the operational hubs of the railroad network.
A large rail facility where cars from inbound trains are sorted and grouped by destination to build outbound trains. Cars may be sorted using hump switching, flat switching, or a combination of both. Classification yards are the central nodes of the carload network.
A classification yard where cars are pushed over an elevated hump and allowed to roll by gravity into designated classification tracks. Retarders control car speed during descent to prevent damage from collisions. Hump yards dramatically increase sorting throughput compared to flat switching.
A yard used to hold assembled trains or cars awaiting departure or entry into a classification yard, often located adjacent to a classification or terminal yard. Staging yards decouple the assembly and departure processes, improving terminal throughput. Cars may dwell in staging yards for hours awaiting a train slot.
A set of tracks within a terminal where inbound trains are received, inspected, and held before cars are moved to the classification yard for sorting. Arrival yard inspection includes safety inspections, brake tests, and car condition checks. Delay in the arrival yard is a common contributor to terminal dwell.
A set of tracks where outbound trains are assembled, inspected, and held until they receive a departure slot. Departure yard inspections include air brake tests and train handling briefings. The departure yard is the final step before a train enters the mainline.