Sand drag

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For off-road drag racing, see drag racing.

A sand drag or sand trap is a device used to stop runaway railway wagons. It can take the form of small troughs filled with sand, through which the wheels of the runaway vehicles run, or it can simply be a short siding covered in sand or dirt. In some countries, it is known as a safety siding.

In use, it is similar to a catch point, but designed to stop wagons moving at high speed without causing too much damage. They were typically placed at the bottom of steep hills to catch wagons which had broken away from their train.

Following the adoption of continuous train braking in the later half of the 20th century, most sand drags in the United Kingdom have been removed.

[edit] See also

• Catch point
• Buffer stop
• Arrestor bed
• Derail (railroad)