Switches are lined by hand at a switch stand or by the dispatcher through power switches, and crews say a switch is lined for the main or lined for the siding. Before a move the crew checks that every switch is lined and locked with its points fitting tight, and after hand-throwing a main track switch they report it restored to normal position. A switch left lined the wrong way is the classic cause of trains entering occupied tracks.
Line us into 6 and get the derail, then call me back when you're clear and I'll start the shove.
Crews say lined and locked for a reason: a switch is not ready until the lock or keeper is back in place.
Also heard as
- line a switch
- line up
- throw a switch
Related terms
Switch points
The pair of movable, tapered rails in a turnout that steer wheels onto one route or the other.
Derail
A device on a rail that lifts a rolling car's wheels off the track before it can reach another track.
Main line
The principal track or tracks of a railroad between terminals, where trains need authority to run.
Siding
A track alongside the main line, connected at both ends, where trains meet or let others pass.