A heavy steel bar or structural assembly at the end of a locomotive or car that transmits the pulling force of the train. On older equipment, it featured an open mouth for a link and pin. In heavy North American freight operations, a solid drawbar is often used to semi-permanently connect well cars or locomotive units, eliminating the slack action inherent in standard knuckle couplers.
We've a broken drawbar on the fifth car, so we need to set it out at the next siding.
Related terms
Drawhead
The heavy outer casting at the end of a draft assembly that houses the coupling mechanism.
Drawgear
The complete mechanical assembly that couples railcars and absorbs pulling forces.
Draft
The pulling force stretching the couplers and draft gear of a train.
Knuckle
The hinged, hook-shaped part of a railcar coupler that closes and locks to join two cars.