Adding helper power to the rear of a heavy consist to provide extra tractive effort on a steep incline. The banking locomotive pushes against the rear car to keep the train moving and prevent knuckle breaks on the head end. Once over the summit, the banking engine typically uncouples on the fly or stops to cut away.
Dispatch says we get a banking engine out of Altoona to shove us over the hill.
In North American freight operations, distributed power units have largely replaced traditional manned banking engines, though manned pushers are still used on specific mountain grades.
Also heard as
- helping
- pushing
Related terms
Helper
An extra locomotive temporarily added to a train to provide additional power over a steep gradient.
Helper grade
A section of track steep enough to require additional locomotives to push or pull trains over the summit.
Consist
The makeup of a train, listing its locomotives and cars in order with weights, loads and hazmat.