Glossary of Yard Terms

Arrival/Departure Track  A track where a train can be received into the yard for classification.  A track where a train can be made up.

Dog's Breakfast (Mill Run, Mine Run, Garbage)  A train of unsorted cars being moved to a yard to be switched. 

Caboose Track  A track dedicated to the storage of cabooses. 

Classification Track(s)  Track(s) for sorting cars.  Oftern a classification track will be assigned to a particular industrial area, station or industry.

DIC  (Dead In Consist)  A locomotive needing repairs or not under power coupled to and being moved by other locomotives.

Diesel House (Engine House)  A location where locomotives are serviced and repaired.  May or may not be an actual structure to house locomotives.

Drill Track (Switching Lead)  Track(s) from which other tracks branch.  Track(s) used by the switcher to move cars in and out of the classification tracks.

Engine Service Track  A track where locomotives are fueled, watered, sanded and inspected.  Often locomotives are left on these tracks between assignments.

Held Out  A freight awaiting entry into a yard and left out on a main line or siding.  This is often done on account of a yard being filled and unable to accommodate additional cars.

Joint  The coupling of two cars or a car and locomotive.

Ladder Track  A track from which multiple classification other tracks branch off.  Part of the drill track/switching lead.

Lead Track  Track(s) from which other tracks branch or that extend between different parts of the yard.  Switching takes prescedence over all other movements.

RIP Track(s)  Repair In Place or Repair Inspect Paint  Track(s) used to repair cars, often in conjunction with car the car shops.

Runaround Track  A track used by a locomotive to get to the opposite end of a cut of cars.  Can be the main line, siding or any clear yard track. 

Shorts  Cars for stations between a switching yard and the next terminal.

Sluff  Cars which are not the object of switching;  cars unassigned to an industry or Interchange.  Cars being stored.

Sorting or Storage Track(s)  Classification or Sluff track(s)

Switcher Pocket  A short track, usually near the end of a yard, where a yard switcher can get out of the way when another train is entering or leaving the yard.

Switching Lead  See Drill Track

Thoroughfare Track  Track which extend from one part of a yard to another or between yards in a terminal.  Running track or Runner.

Throat  The end of the yard where the various yard tracks all converge into one (or two) tracks immediately before leaving the yard. 

Throughs  Cars going to or beyond the next terminal <>

<>Verbal Signals  Switching instructions (signs) verbally passed to the engineer by a crewman.