MIRPUR UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (MUST), MIRPUR

DEPARMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND ENGINEERING
CE-361

Lecture No. : Railway yards and terminals

Engr. Junaid Tariq Jarral

Lecturer

Date:
 Introduction
“A transportation system may be defined as consisting of the
fixed facilities, the flow entities, and the control systems that
permit people and goods to overcome the friction of geograph-
ical space efficiently in order to participate in a timely manner in
some desired activity” {Papacostas & Prevedouros 3rd ed. 2001}

Now think of Rail transport

as a transportation system!

Physical components
Fixed facilities?
that are fixed in space

Network of links (railway track)

Nodes = Points of Nodes (yards + passenger terminals)

interchange
 Railway Terminals

A location that includes one

or more yards together with
the tracks connecting the
yard or yards and the
industries within that area.
{AREMA,2003}
Railway Yards Yards Allow continuity of flows and
reduces delays in the main railway line

Yard is: “A system of tracks within defined limits provided for

making up trains, storing , sorting, loading/unloading rail cars
and locomotives, over which movements not authorized by
timetable or train order may be made subject to prescribed
signals and rules of special instructions”.
storage yards are called
layup or stabling yards

Freight Used for, sorting, storing,

Yards Repairing, and loading/
Railway unloading freight cars
Yards
Coach Used for, sorting, storing and
Yards repairing rail passenger cars
Freight Yards
 Types of yards
Storage Industry Switching
yards yard yards
The smallest yard Sometimes
 Largest of yards.
size. named local yard.
Located at division and
located at cheap  Larger than
diverge points.
locations. storage yard.
Consists of three
Required to hold Located near
elements: receiving yard,
empty /loaded cars. industries.
classification yard, and
Roads needed Make at both
departure yard.
between tracks for sides and parallel
inspection and to mainline or drill
Will discuss in more
inventorying. (lead) track.
details in the next slides
Rail track centres
at >24 ft.
 Switching Yards - Elements
Switching yard is composed of three main parts:
 Receiving yard to receive arriving trains.
 Classification yard to sort rail cars by destination.
 Departure yard to make departing trains.

Switching yard can be constructed as end-to-end or parallel

Drill (Lead) track

Receiving yard Classification yard Departure yard

end-to-end switching yard

Unit trains carry a block of cars all of the same origin and destination
Do not need switching yards except for crew change, engine service ...etc
 Classification Yards
From the receiving yards, rail cars are taken to a track
called drill (also named as lead), then sent through series
of switches called a ladder to classification track.

Flat yards Built on flat ground

Classification Built on gradient

yards Gravity yards ground.
Types of The drill (lead) is
classification yards Hump yards
built on a hump
In British literature,
Idea behind these three types
Hump yard is referred
hinges on how railcars are
to as Marshalling yards. moved through a classification yard
Classification Yards
Flat Yard
A yard in which car movements are accomplished by
locomotive, without material aid from gravity.

 Sometimes called as flat-shunted yard.

 Constructed on flat ground.
 Freight cars are pushed by a locomotive.

Locomotive= train or engine

Classification Yards
Gravity Yards
Rail car classification is accomplished by locomotive,
with material aid from gravity.

whole yard is set up on a continuous falling gradient

and there is less use of shunting engines.

It has a very large capacity but they need more

staff than hump yards and thus they are the most
uneconomical classification yards.

Shunting = Pushing
Classification Yards
Hump Yards
Sometimes considered to
Rail car classification is done by belong to gravity yards type,
pushing the cars over a summit, since rail cars roll down by
beyond which they run by gravity. gravity beyond the crest of
the hump.
The heart of this yard is the hump: Drill (lead) track
on a hill that an engine pushes rail cars over
Rail cars are uncoupled before the crest of the hump,
rolled by gravity to their destination tracks in the
classification bowel. Classification bowel: Tracks in
depression where rail cars are
sorted into different trains.
Cont. Classification Yards
Hump Yards
Drill track (hump is constructed here) Classification
yard

Receiving yard
Switches (USA)
Shunts (UK)
Direction of Bowel
movement

Photo shows a switch track

 Cont. Classification Yards
Hump Yards
The speed of rail car rolling down
(off the hump) into the classification bowel
must be regulated Rail cars rolling down off
the hump will vary! Why?

 Empty, full, short or long rail cars will maintain different speeds!
 Weather conditions (e.g. wind/no wind, direction of wind …etc).
How speeds are regulated? Three types:
Retarders are used  Pneumatic
Hump yard equipped with retarders (rail brakes) to  Hydraulic
control car speed during descent to classification tracks.  Electrical

Retarders will keep descending rail cars separated, and maintain a desired
speed of 3-4 mph before it couples with others already standing in bowel.
 Yard Layout – End conditions
All tracks end at the station,
Direction of
movement train can enter and leave from
one end only.
 One end is connected to the
Stub-ended Terminal ladder track
At least two tracks are
provided with a switch [To
Direction of allow change of direction].
movement
Hybrid
Double-ended Terminal Ladder track

A combination
Train can pass through the terminal and of stub-ended &
continue in the original direction after stopping. double-ended is
 Two ends are connected to the ladder track. also possible layout
 Yard Layout - Shapes
The double-ended yard layout
can have the shape (in plan view)
Pyramid of pyramid or diamond.
For the Pyramid shape, the tracks
are shorter the farther they are from
the track where the yard originates.
ALLOWs creating trains of un-equal
Diamond
sizes. Relatively long train has to be
broken down to smaller size.

For the diamond shape the tracks will all be equal in length if
tracks are constructed in parallel. Same length tracks can allow
the storage and creating trains of equal size. NO NEED to Break
down a single train in smaller size.
 Ladder Track
A multiply branched track allowing train movements from
one track to one of many tracks. Frequently found at the
ends of yards or at both sides of large passenger stations.

Ladder track

Links parallel
rail tracks?

Main track
Cont. Ladder
Track - Shapes
Simple Ladder Track

Compound Ladder Track

Pinwheel Ladder Track

 Drill Track Drill track leads rail cars into the
proper classification track, therefore,
sometimes referred to as lead track
An extended track
connecting either end of a railway yard with the main track.
The portion of track before the yard ladder used to assemble
the train. It should be as long as the longest train.

Main track: is a track extending through

yards and between stations and on which
trains are operated by timetable or train
order, or both, or the use of which is
governed by block signals. Drill track allows classification
without messing up the main track.
 Arrival/ Departure Track
If the yard lead can not be used to move trains in and out, then
a special track, or tracks, called arrival / departure (A/D), tracks are
included. A/D tracks are sidings off the main with a connection to
the yard lead, where trains are temporarily stored, while they are
broken down or built up. Auxiliary track (rip): Bad order rail cars
are sent to auxiliary track to repair them

Caboose: Rail transport vehicle coupled at the end of freight train

used to provide the train crew with a shelter at the rear of the train.
 It is a form of
Crossovers switch configuration

A pair of switches that connects

two parallel rail tracks, allowing a
train on one track to cross over
to the other.

 Provides convenient
run-around.
Create more storage
tracks.

Run-around:
 on or off the lead,
a short siding or set of
facing crossovers to an
adjacent track.
It allows the yard switcher to run-around
a car or two, especially a caboose.
 Yards & Curvature
“Curvature within yards, terminals and industry tracks is
based more upon practical limits and maintenance
considerations. For freight railways, most equipment can
physically traverse curves of seventeen degrees or more,
but there are frequently restrictions upon train make-up
that cannot always be accounted for and such extreme
curvatures are to be avoided”. {AREMA,2003}
 Yard Storm Drainage
Good drainage is a
must. If not provided,
then yard will be out of
service during & after
heavy storms.

Drainage facility is
provided at the centre line
that crosses the rail tracks
Rail tracks are then
slightly sloped (0.1 to 0.3%)
toward the drainage line. Is there any other benefit out
of this sloping (grading) issue?
Yes! The sloping will
Prevent rail cars from
rolling towards either
ladder track
(keeps railcars in position).
 Collects runoff at the centre of yard.
{Rail Road Design and Rehabilitation,
U.S. Corps of Engineers 2004}
 A railway turntable is a device for
Yards Auxiliary turning railroad, usually locomotives,
so that they can be moved back in

Facilities the direction from which they came

Roadways Wye
Floodlighting
Lockers and toilets
Air compressor room Turntable

Administrative buildings
Fuelling and servicing facility
Equipments and material storage
Minor repair facility for locomotives
Turntables or wye tracks for turning equipments
Wastewater and oil recovery and treatment facilities
 Factors Governing
Number of Yard Tracks
If space is available then
Fewer tracks are
long tracks to hold the
needed.
Space whole train is provided.
limitations If space NOT available Greater no of tracks
then short tracks are are necessary.
provided.

Number of If one or two trains depart at a time, then

departing trains one or two departure tracks are sufficient.

Exchange loads Either temporary storage tracks are

and local deliveries provided (named transfer yard).
THANKS