The physical act of moving rails and ties sideways to correct track geometry or realign a curve. Maintenance of way crews use heavy tamping machines or pry bars to shove the track structure left or right. Slewing is required to fix heat kinks, adjust clearances, or tie into a new switch installation.
Heard on the job
The tamper is going to slew the curve about two inches to the field side to smooth out that rough spot.
Also heard as
- line