Terminal Operation

Involved in the operation of terminals are such activities as maintenance, classification of cars, make-up of trains, loading or unloading freight, and handling passengers.

In classification yards, freight cars are sorted out and outgoing trains are made up. Most large classification yards have a hump over which cars are pushed. They then roll down from the hump by gravity, and each is routed into a classification track corresponding to its destination. By the 1970s, operations in the newer classification yards had reached a high degree of automation. The heart of such a yard is a central computer, into which is fed infor­mation concerning all cars in the yard or en route to it. As the cars are pushed up the hump (in some recently com­pleted yards, by locomotives that are crewless and under remote radio control from the yard’s operations centre), electronic scanners confirm their identity by means of a light-reflective label, place the data (car owner, number, and type) in a computer, and then set switches to direct each car into the proper classification track. Electronic speed-control equipment measures such factors as the weight, speed, and rolling friction of each car and operates electric or electropneumatic retarders to control the speed of each car as it rolls down from the hump. Because such electronically equipped yards can sort cars with great efficiency, they eliminate the need to do such work at other, smaller yards.

The terminal operation is a complicated one. A car of the specified type and size is switched in place for loading. When the car is loaded it is pulled to a yard where trains are made up. The various cars are sorted into groups going to the same regions. Then the cars are coupled into a train and inspected, an engine is attached ahead, the air brake system is pumped up and tested, and finally orders are given to proceed. On arrival at the final terminal, the cars are inspected, the air is released from the brake system, the cars are switched out in proper groups and taken by switch engines to the proper sidings.

Besides selling tickets, giving information on arrivals and departures, and receiving and discharging passengers, the functions of the passenger station include provision of waiting rooms and restaurants for the convenience of passengers. The stations to be used by several lines have been built in many cities, and often they are among the cities’ most beautiful structures. They are often centers of which cities are proud. In 24 hours thousands of passengers pass through the world’s largest stations such as those in London, Paris, New York, Melbourne, and Moscow. Much construction work is involved in the maintenance of railway stations, especially in rebuilding and modernizing stations to meet changing conditions in passenger requirements and service.