Marshalling Yards and Freight Terminals

Marshalling Yards and Freight Terminals

• A Marshalling yard is a railway facility used for receiving, sorting, and distributing wagons (freight cars) to their destinations. It is an essential element of the railway system, enabling the efficient movement of goods.
• Although yards are considered indirect productivity, they are a vital operational necessity.
• A congested yard can significantly impact its capacity and the overall efficiency of the railway system.

Classification of Yards

• Terminal Yards are located adjacent to terminal goods sheds where wagons undergo significant loading/unloading activities. They are also used for terminating goods trains.
• Marshalling Yards are nominated based on the type of work and wagons they handle.

Hump Yards

• Hump yards are designed to use gravity for efficient wagon sorting.
• The wagons are pushed up a hump and then allowed to roll down onto different tracks, sorted by destination.
• Retarders are mechanical devices used to control the speed of the wagons as they roll down the hump, preventing damage to other wagons.
• Skids are placed on sorting lines to control speed when mechanical retarders aren't available.

Other Facilities in Marshalling Yards

• Brake Van Siding: Detached brake vans are stored here for later use on other trains.
• Special Stock Siding: Specialized stock, like cattle wagons or wagons carrying explosives, which cannot be handled on the hump are located here.
• Stabling Lines: Empty wagons or trains are stored here for future use. The size of the stabling lines should accommodate fluctuations in wagon traffic.
• Sick Lines: Wagons needing repairs are placed here for evaluation and potential immediate repair.

Staff and Responsibilities

• Yard Master: Oversees the overall operation of the yard.
• Assistant/Shunting Master: Assists the Yard Master, manages the shunting engines.
• Shunting Jamadar: Assists in handling shunting work, may be in charge for yards with less frequent shunting.
• Pointsmen: Operates points switches, uncouples wagons, brakes wagons, and relays signals.
• Train Clerks (TNCs): Responsible for yard statistics, maintaining wagon exchange registers, and tracking wagon detention.

Working Instructions

• Yard Working Instructions are necessary for the efficient and safe operation of the yard.
• Instructions should cover all aspects of yard operations, including reception and dispatch of trains, staff responsibilities, and statistics tracking.

Transit Yards

• Transit Yards are used to receive and despatch trains without any shunting.
• Crew changes, engine maintenance, and wagon inspections occur in Transit Yards.
• Transit Yards have become less popular over the last 50 years as modern freight terminals have evolved.

Marshalling Yard Objectives

• Quick Transit:
  • Trains are accepted without delays at adjacent stations.
  • Wagon detention in the Yard is minimized.
  • Wagons are efficiently placed and removed from the Yard.
  • Wagons are assembled for their final destinations.
  • Wagons are marshaled according to operational efficiency.
  • Outgoing trains depart on time.
• Economy:
  • Maximize resource productivity.
  • Minimize detention of trains, engines, crews, and staff.
  • Optimize train loads.
  • Optimize shunting engine utilization.
• Safety:
  • Minimize damage to wagons and goods during shunting.
  • Ensure safe marshalling and wagon examinations.
  • Eliminate Yard accidents.

Kinds of Yards

• Flat Yards:
  • Located on flat land.
  • Use engines to shunt wagons by pushing and pulling.
  • Economical in space, but slow and wasteful of shunting engine time.
• Hump Yards:
  • Constructed with gradients between reception lines, sorting lines, and grids.
  • Utilize an artificial "hump" for efficient shunting.
• Marshalling Lines:
  • Wagons are sorted by commodity, type, order, direction, and destination.
  • Wagons are reformed into trains according to specific transportation needs.
• Departure Yard:
  • Used to hold loaded trains ready for departure.
  • Large Marshalling Yards have dedicated Departure Yards for different directions.
• Shunting Neck:
  • A line leading to sorting lines, allowing for shunting away from running lines.
• Gathering Lines:
  • Lines with turnouts to other lines for efficient wagon routing.
• Transfer Lines:
  • Used to move wagons between Up and Down Yards.
• Bypass or Avoiding Lines:
  • A line that avoids the hump.
  • Used for vehicles unable to traverse the hump.
• Engine Run Round Line:
  • Used for engine movements to and from the Yard or loco shed.
• Engine Escape Line:
  • Allows engine movements to and from the loco shed without interfering with Yard operations.
• King Points:
  • The first set of points a wagon encounters after passing over the hump.
  • Divide the sorting Yard into two sections.
• Queen Points:
  • The second set of points a wagon encounters.
  • Further divide the sorting Yard into four sections.
• Jack Points:
  • The third set of points a wagon encounters.
  • Divert rolling wagons to different grids within the sorting Yard.
• Retarders:
  • Rail brakes used to control the speed of humped wagons.
  • Prevent damage from collisions during shunting.
  • Can be automatic or manually operated.
• Skids:
  • Used in Yards without mechanical retarders.
  • Placed on sorting lines to control the speed of humped wagons.
• Brake Van Siding:
  • Used for detaching brakevans from terminating trains for subsequent attachment to originating trains.
• Special Stock Siding:
  • Designated for special stock types, such as cattle wagons or those carrying explosives.
• Stabling Lines:
  • Used for storing special trains or large accumulations of stock.
• Sick Lines:
  • Used for sorting out and repairing damaged wagons.

Telecom Equipment of Marshalling Yards

• Telecommunication Arrangement:
  • Extensive telecom network using an electronic exchange and intercoms.
  • Essential for fast communication between different parts of the Yard.
• Paging and Talk-Back Arrangement:
  • Used to issue orders and instructions to staff from a central point.
• Loudspeakers:
  • Used to broadcast announcements and instructions to staff in specific areas.
• Walkie-Talkies:
  • Used to improve communication efficiency within the Yard.

Yard Organisation

• Chief Yard Master:
  • Responsible for overall Yard operations.
• Yard Masters:
  • Responsible for operational work in each shift.
  • May be dedicated to specific parts of the Yard.
• Field Staff:
  • Includes Yard Masters, Assistant Yard Masters, and other staff.
• Coordination:
  • Effective operation requires coordination between control, loco shed staff, and carriage and wagon staff.
• Planning:
  • Yard staff must plan work in advance, collaborating with control and adjacent Yards.
• Team Spirit:
  • Effective Yard operation requires cooperation between all staff.
• Empty Stock:
  • Empty wagons should be sorted in groups and kept in designated lines.
  • Special stock should be kept separately from general wagons.
• Sick Wagons:
  • Sick wagons should be collected and placed in designated lines.
  • Repairs should be done in the Yard whenever possible.
• Wagons for Adjustment or Transhipment:
  • These wagons should be placed in designated lines and attended to promptly.

This quiz explores the functionality and classification of marshalling yards and freight terminals within the railway system. Understand various types of yards, including terminal and hump yards, and their significance in the effective movement of goods. Test your knowledge on the impact of yard congestion and operational necessities.