A dedicated rail facility consisting of a network of tracks and switches where freight cars are sorted, stored and assembled into outbound trains. Cars arrive on incoming manifests, are separated by destination, and are shoved or rolled into specific classification tracks. Switchyards range from small flat yards to massive hump yards that process thousands of cars a day.
Heard on the job
We've a pickup of twenty empty gons waiting for us in the north switchyard.
Also heard as
- classification yard
Related terms
Hump yard
A classification yard where cars are pushed over a small hill and roll by gravity into sorting tracks.
Siding
A track alongside the main line, connected at both ends, where trains meet or let others pass.
Bowl
The set of classification tracks at the bottom of a hump yard where sorted cars collect.