Where do they hitch the trains up at? Another thing I thought occurred at the railroad yard.?

Question

I observed one time at the railyard in Albuquerque to see if I could see any hitching or unhitching of cars going on. I saw nothing.

Answer 1

You probably saw the portion of the yard for car storage.

Trains are usually put together in yards called 'classification tracks'.  In large yards this is usually done at the 'hump yards'.  Here, cars are pushed up over a hump and allowed to roll freely down the other side, being uncoupled at the top of the hump by a switchman.  Remotely controlled switches put the cars into the proper tracks.

Other times the cars are switched in the traditional 'back and forth' manner, called 'flat switching'.

When trains are coupled together, the cars are usually 'blocked', being put together in groups according to destination.  The destination may be a 'set out' while between terminals, where cars are left for distribution to shipper, in the case of empty cars for loading, or to consignees, the people who are receiving the shipments.

There are restrictions that must be adhered to as well, for the placement of hazardous materials within the train, including flammables, explosives, poisons, etc.  Some cars are not allowed to be put next to each other.

There are also restrictions where cars may be placed on account of length or tonnage requirements.  These are usually dependent on the distrcit over which the train is to be operated, so the restrictions vary from railroad to railroad and from place to place.

Out on line, after a thru freight makes a set out, local freight trains or road switchers will distribute the cars according to final destination, delivering them to the industries.  The locals also leave loaded or empty cars to be picked up by a thru freight train.  They are usually blocked by the local crew usuing the flat switching method.

There are mixed freight trains that will handle these cars to a large yard, where, if necessary, the train will be 'humped' and the cars will again be classified according to destination.

When the classification tracks, found in the 'bowl' of the hump yard, have these cars ready, a yard engine will pull the cars out of the tracks in the proper order, and take them to the 'departure yard'.  Here, the cars will be coupled together, the car department will come and make all the air hoses and prepare the train for departure.  Finally, the road engine is added to the front of the consist, the required air tests are made, and the train will depart, properly made up, and go on their merry way.

Answer 2

If you go about 20 miles south to Belen to the Harvy House you can sit and see the switchers moving. There is some copling and uncupling sometimes. It is an impressive sight. You will see more railroad activity there.