Why do trains stop right in the middle, back up, and go again? And why do they have cars with nothing in them?

Question

This happened to me earlier. Its annoying as h**l.

Answer 1

they back up to make a turn in a different rail.  the emty ones are going to go where they can get filled.

Answer 2

They do it just to annoy you.

Answer 3

Trains often have to be shunted (UK) or switched (US/Canada) from one line to another, to gain another route or to put off cars or put them on.

The aim of railway operators is to keep the movement of empty stock to a minimum because an empty car is not earning any revenue, but empty cars do have to be moved from one location to another to be reloaded.

Also they have to be taken out of service from time to time for repairs, maintenance etc.

Passenger trains may consist of several cars which are split into two trains en route, with each going in different directions. Again passenger cars may run empty to & from the depot, repair shed, etc. or may have to reverse direction at a junction, etc.

Answer 4

The choo choo engines are too heavy to pick up and turn around at most yards. Sometimes the Engineer or Brakemen is asked to turn them around or move them out of the way.

Trains are neato.

Answer 5

Most likely they are stopping so the conductor can line a switch behind the last car and the engineer can back into a different track to pick up or drop off cars.

Empty train cars are not like the box your computer came in, thrown away. They are taken to be refilled.

Answer 6

Question 1: Probably because they are switching and need to back a care onto a siding via a switch - most sidings have only one way on and one way off.

Question 2: The empties need to get somewhere to be loaded obviously - the same reason there are empty trucks on the road. Surely the railroad would like to have all the cars full, but it doesn't work that way.

Answer 7

They stop, back up and go again, usually when they have a car or however many rail cars to either drop off at a location, or pick up rail cars. As for why some of them are empty--are you talking of the ones that are moving along the tracks with other rail cars and the power (engine?)? If they are on the move, and empty, they have been emptied and are going to a place to get filled up again. Please don't let this train stuff annoy you. Please look at it this way, those freight trains are used to transport various products across our country for our stores, etc. for us, the consumers. I personally enjoy the trains. Hearing their whistle (horn), counting the cars as they go by, waving to the engineers, that is fun for me. And, the rythym of the train wheels along the track is pretty cool to listen to as well.  The railroad is an interesting part of our society, and a big help to all of us in accuality. Take care. As for the rail cars that are "parked" on the side in various areas, I'm not sure, but I would think they would be kept there until needed by another train that will be coming by later.

Answer 8

Well, I bet they either changing lines, as the people before me had said, or they could've been making sure they had the couplings attached properly, or mayb a coupling came undone, and they had to re-couple. Some trains haul a string of empty cars becasue they are either A.) Being taken to be refilled with goods or B.) They are in need of repair and/or re-painting, and are being hauled to a railway car shop, like the one in my town, DeSoto Missouri, one of the few remaining shops in the country.

P.S. Please have a little patience, for I bet 80% of the things in your house have at one time rode the rails to get to where you bought them.