Shunting (rail)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Shunting (disambiguation).
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Light dual-mode (electric and diesel) shunter SBB Tem 346 at work.
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A Diesel loco of WDM class is about to shunt empty passenger rakes.

Shunting, in railway operations, is the process of sorting items of rolling stock into complete train sets or consists, or the reverse. In the United States this is known as "switching".

The occupation of shunter/switcher is a particularly dangerous one as not only is there the risk of being run over, but on some railway systems—particularly ones that use hook-and-chain coupling systems—the shunters have to get between the wagons/carriages in order to complete the coupling and uncoupling. This was particularly so in the past (the Midland Railway company, for example, kept an ambulance wagon permanently stationed at Toton Yard to give treatment to injured shunters). The main tool of such workers was a shunting pole, which allowed the shunter to reach between wagons to fasten and unfasten couplings without having to physically go between the vehicles.

See also

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