The rip track is the yard track where bad-order cars go for wheel changes, brake work, coupler and safety appliance repairs that do not need a full car shop. Carmen work it under blue flag protection, and switch crews pull and place cars there on a schedule. A car that cannot be fixed on the rip track goes on to a contract shop or to scrap.
Pull the three hoppers off the rip track once the car knockers drop the blue flag, they're fixed and good to go.
Also heard as
- RIP track
- repair track
- RIP
Related terms
Bad order
A car or locomotive with a defect that keeps it from running until it is repaired.
Car knocker
A carman, the mechanical worker who inspects and repairs railcars and tests their brakes.
Blue flag
A blue signal marking equipment that workers are on, under or between, which no one may couple to or move.
Set out
To leave a car or group of cars on a track short of the train's final destination.