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   What is a Railroad Switch? (with pictures)
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When the train is destined to travel on a set of tracks that are split off of the current set of tracks the train in operating on, the switch-man on the <a href=//www.wise-geek.com/what-is-a-locomotive.htm> locomotive </a> or another employee in the railroad yard will turn the switch and line the train up on the correct set of tracks. The railroad switch is activated by moving a long arm from side to side and moving the train tracks to the desired position. While most railroad switch activation is accomplished by hand, some are electronic and can be changed by an employee in an elevated office in the railroad yard.<div class="ad-block center"><ins class=adsbygoogle data-ad-client=ca-pub-8290526608142878 data-ad-format=auto data-ad-slot=5480447840 data-full-width-responsive=true style=display:block> </ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({params: {google_ad_channel: "297+8078638711+9522010566+2304292734+9332816861+5143456316+90+28+126+197+8917920950+9057521750"}});</script></div><figure class="fright txt-center"><a class=popup-open-but data-popup=#slider-image-2 href=#imagePopup> <img alt="Train engineers are taught to look at railroad switches to determine their positions."src=//images.wisegeek.com/train-rolling-by-on-track.jpg> <figcaption class="tk-ff-meta-web-pro txt-small txt-light desktop">Train engineers are taught to look at railroad switches to determine their positions.</figcaption> </a></figure><p>Most of the railroad switch positions in any railroad are locked. This prevents any unwanted rail changes from being carried out. An employee riding in the locomotive has a special key that fits every lock on every rail; this employee is called a switch-man. When plans call for a rail change, the switch-man climbs down from the locomotive as it rolls slowly along and runs ahead to the switch. Once the lock has been removed and the railroad switch has been thrown to the right track, the lock is replaced and the switch-man climbs back aboard the locomotive and it continues on its way.<div class="ad-block center"><ins class=adsbygoogle data-ad-client=ca-pub-8290526608142878 data-ad-format=auto data-ad-slot=9332062945 data-full-width-responsive=true style=display:block> </ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({params: {google_ad_channel: "297+8078638711+9522010566+2304292734+9332816861+5143456316+90+28+126+197+8917920950+9057521750"}});</script></div><figure class="fright txt-center"><a class=popup-open-but data-popup=#slider-image-3 href=#imagePopup> <img alt="Most of the railroad switch positions in any railroad are locked."src=//images.wisegeek.com/railroad-tracks.jpg> <figcaption class="tk-ff-meta-web-pro txt-small txt-light desktop">Most of the railroad switch positions in any railroad are locked.</figcaption> </a></figure><p>The railroad switch is equipped with a special reflective marker showing which way it is thrown. This alerts engineers on all trains as to the direction of the tracks. Engineers are taught in their training to not only look at the railroad switch to determine its position, but to also look at the tracks themselves to verify the switch is in fact in the proper position. This prevents a thrill-seeker from dismantling the switch and placing an improper sign on the switch that could lead to a <a href=//www.wise-geek.com/what-is-a-derailment.htm> derailment </a> .<div class="ad-block center"><ins class=adsbygoogle data-ad-client=ca-pub-8290526608142878 data-ad-format=auto data-ad-slot=9592110917 data-full-width-responsive=true style=display:block> </ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({params: {google_ad_channel: "297+8078638711+9522010566+2304292734+9332816861+5143456316+90+28+126+197+8917920950+9057521750"}});</script></div><p>Most railroads have reduced speed limits on areas of the track that incorporate switches. This not only reduces the chance for a derailment from running through the switch gates or tracks too fast, but it also gives the engineer a better opportunity to eye the tracks and verify the direction of the switches. The switch is a very durable piece of railroad equipment, however, it will sometimes become bent or otherwise damaged, making it very difficult to change. In this case, a railroad repair or maintenance crew will repair or replace the damaged switch with a new one.<div class="ad-block center"><ins class=adsbygoogle data-ad-client=ca-pub-8290526608142878 data-ad-format=auto data-ad-slot=6965947570 data-full-width-responsive=true style=display:block> </ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({params: {google_ad_channel: "297+8078638711+9522010566+2304292734+9332816861+5143456316+90+28+126+197+8917920950+9057521750"}});</script></div></section><section class="also-like other brd-dark hidden-snippets"><h2 class=txt-large>You might also Like</h2><div class="ad-block center"><div id=contentad694828></div><script>(function(d) {
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popup-close-but"data-ico=close-tiny></button><div class=slider id=PageArticleOffsite-imageSlider_id><button class="ico but-right grey"data-ico=row-right id=PageArticleOffsite-imageSliderNextBut_id></button><button class="ico but-left grey"data-ico=row-left id=PageArticleOffsite-imageSliderPrevBut_id></button><div class=scroller><ul class="flex txt-tiny txt-bold"><li id=slider-image-1><figure class=flex><div class=img><img alt="A railroad switch is a device used by railroads to allow a train to change tracks."src=//images.wisegeek.com/metra-train-leaving-ogilvey-station-in-chicago.jpg></div><figcaption class="tk-ff-meta-web-pro txt-small txt-light txt-center"><div class=attr>By: rudi1976</div> A railroad switch is a device used by railroads to allow a train to change tracks.</figcaption></figure><li id=slider-image-2><figure class=flex><div class=img><img alt="Train engineers are taught to look at railroad switches to determine their positions."src=//images.wisegeek.com/train-rolling-by-on-track.jpg></div><figcaption class="tk-ff-meta-web-pro txt-small txt-light txt-center"><div class=attr>By: Mikhail Ulyannikov</div> Train engineers are taught to look at railroad switches to determine their positions.</figcaption></figure><li id=slider-image-3><figure class=flex><div class=img><img alt="Most of the railroad switch positions in any railroad are locked."src=//images.wisegeek.com/railroad-tracks.jpg></div><figcaption class="tk-ff-meta-web-pro txt-small txt-light txt-center"><div class=attr>By: Gerald Bernard</div> Most of the railroad switch positions in any railroad are locked.</figcaption></figure></ul></div></div></div></section></article></main><footer class="brd-dark bkg-grey"><section class="col-1 flex center"><div class="col-3 flex"><div class=logo><a href=//www.wise-geek.com> <img alt class=size-fix src=/res/common/img/public/logo.svg> </a><span class="slogan txt-tiny tk-ff-meta-web-pro txt-darkblue 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(function(){ var c = ControlsManager.getInstance();  c.addControl('02daf3526ce95854ec172e376bd2c3e5',new PageArticle({"url":"\/what-is-a-railroad-switch.htm","cdnChannelName":null,"postSuccessfull":false,"postError":false,"scrollToPostBox":null,"customImages":true,"tab_5min_fallback":"18","tab_5min_categories":"18,134,165","baseWgDomain":"wise-geek.com","defaultDomain":"wisegeek.com","isAllowedCountry":false,"isDLUser":false,"articleContent":"A railroad switch is a device used by railroads to allow a train to change tracks. When the train is destined to travel on a set of tracks that are split off of the current set of tracks the train in operating on, the switch-man on the locomotive or another employee in the railroad yard will turn the switch and line the train up on the correct set of tracks. The railroad switch is activated by moving a long arm from side to side and moving the train tracks to the desired position. While most railroad switch activation is accomplished by hand, some are electronic and can be changed by an employee in an elevated office in the railroad yard.\r\n \r\nMost of the railroad switch positions in any railroad are locked. This prevents any unwanted rail changes from being carried out. An employee riding in the locomotive has a special key that fits every lock on every rail; this employee is called a switch-man. When plans call for a rail change, the switch-man climbs down from the locomotive as it rolls slowly along and runs ahead to the switch. Once the lock has been removed and the railroad switch has been thrown to the right track, the lock is replaced and the switch-man climbs back aboard the locomotive and it continues on its way.\r\n \r\nThe railroad switch is equipped with a special reflective marker showing which way it is thrown. This alerts engineers on all trains as to the direction of the tracks. Engineers are taught in their training to not only look at the railroad switch to determine its position, but to also look at the tracks themselves to verify the switch is in fact in the proper position. This prevents a thrill-seeker from dismantling the switch and placing an improper sign on the switch that could lead to a derailment.\r\n \r\nMost railroads have reduced speed limits on areas of the track that incorporate switches. This not only reduces the chance for a derailment from running through the switch gates or tracks too fast, but it also gives the engineer a better opportunity to eye the tracks and verify the direction of the switches. The switch is a very durable piece of railroad equipment, however, it will sometimes become bent or otherwise damaged, making it very difficult to change. In this case, a railroad repair or maintenance crew will repair or replace the damaged switch with a new one.\r\n \r\n","noAds":"0","printArticleLinkId":"PageArticleOffsite-printArticleLink_id","printArticleFormId":"PageArticleOffsite-printArticleForm_id","crossDomains":{"PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain1_id":"www.wisegeek.com","PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain2_id":"www.wisegeek.net","PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain16_id":"www.wise-geek.com","PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain17_id":"www.easytechjunkie.com","PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain18_id":"www.delightedcooking.com","PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain19_id":"www.practicaladultinsights.com","PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain20_id":"www.smartcapitalmind.com","PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain21_id":"www.allthingsnature.org","PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain22_id":"www.infobloom.com","PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain23_id":"www.beautyanswered.com","PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain24_id":"www.homequestionsanswered.com","PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain25_id":"www.mylawquestions.com","PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain26_id":"www.thehealthboard.com","PageArticleOffsite-noAdsDomain27_id":"www.pillowguide.org"},"crossDomainsLightbox":[],"_actions":{"saveQuizResults":"action[PageArticleOffsite:saveQuizResults]","suggestArticleEdit":"action[PageArticleOffsite:suggestArticleEdit]"},"quiz":"[{\"id\":\"4\",\"name\":\"quiz 1\",\"question\":\"On average, how long do koalas sleep per day?\",\"answer\":\"2\",\"answer_text\":\"Koalas sleep on average 22 hours per day.\",\"background\":\"\\\/\\\/images.wisegeek.com\\\/images\\\/quiz\\\/quiz.jpg\",\"option\":[\"4 hours\",\"12 hours\",\"22 hours\"]},{\"id\":\"5\",\"name\":\"quiz 1\",\"question\":\"Which was the official language of England in the 1200s?\",\"answer\":\"2\",\"answer_text\":\"French was the official language of England from 1066 to 1362, or about 300 years.\",\"background\":\"\\\/\\\/images.wisegeek.com\\\/images\\\/quiz\\\/quiz.jpg\",\"option\":[\"German\",\"Welsh\",\"French\"]},{\"id\":\"6\",\"name\":\"quiz 1\",\"question\":\"There are nearly 200 countries in the world. 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