Switcher facts for kids
A switcher (in the United States) or shunter (in the United Kingdom) is a special type of locomotive. These smaller train engines are used for important jobs in railway yards and stations. They help to organize and assemble railway trains.
Switchers are built to be very powerful at slow speeds. They have special gears that give them a lot of pulling force, known as torque. This power helps them push and pull heavy train cars easily. However, because they are designed for strength, they have a low top speed compared to other locomotives.
What Do Switchers Do?
Switchers are like the busy workers of a train yard. Their main job is to move individual train cars or small groups of cars. They connect different cars to create new trains, or they move cars to different tracks for loading, unloading, or storage.
For example, if a long freight train arrives, a switcher might take some cars off and move them to a different part of the yard. It can also bring new cars from a factory to add to a train that is about to leave. They make sure everything is in the right place before a train starts its journey.
Types of Switchers
Switchers come in different shapes and sizes, and they can be powered in various ways. Many are diesel-electric, meaning a diesel engine generates electricity to power the wheels. Some older ones were steam-powered, and a few modern ones can even be electric or hybrid (using more than one power source).
No matter their power source, all switchers share the common goal of efficiently moving train cars within a limited area. They are essential for keeping railway operations smooth and organized.
Images for kids
-
A modern US switcher, an EMD MP15DC
-
A switcher once used on military premises
-
Light dual-mode (electric and diesel) shunter SBB Tem 346
-
A typical British steam shunter, GWR 9400 Class
-
DF7G-0056 shunter at Nanxiang Classification Yard in Shanghai, China
-
Armstrong Whitworth 0-4-0DE No.2 (D22/1933), regular pilot locomotive on the Tanfield Railway.
-
E55 Tracktronic Unilok, operated by Israel Railways at Lod, Israel
-
ChME3 is a Czech built diesel–electric switcher, operated by Ukrainian Railways
-
RailPower Railpower GG20B Green Goat
-
Wabtec EMD GP20D Switcher
-
A China Railways DF7G shunting the carriages of Beijing–Kowloon through train at Beijing West railway station
-
British Rail 08833 in "Liverpool Street Pilot" duties
-
Class Y Hunslet Diesel Shunter Operated By Sri Lanka Railways
-
A China Railways HXN5B in Liuzhou South Railway Station.
-
SM48/TEM2 locomotive at the station Skawina in Poland
-
DF5 Diesel Shunter Operated By Korean State Railway
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Locomotora de maniobras para niños
