You may have often seen railroads in operation, cars being switched back and forth in busy yards, and trains rolling over the main line, stopping and starting in obedience to mysterious rules and signals. But have you ever stopped to think why these operations are
performed and how the railroads do their lob of delivering freight and passengers on time to their destination?
Someday you may take part in operating a military rail yard or terminal. While it is not likely that this subcourse alone can qualify you to operate either, it does introduce you to the procedures and practices you will find in use there. After studying the reference text to the subcourse, you should be able to identify the types of yards and their distinguishing characteristics; to
describe the operations and the clerical work involved in breaking up and making up trains and in getting them ready for the main line; and to identify the personnel who perform yard work and describe their duties. Finally, you should know some of the rules governing safety in rail yard operations and what things to guard against while working on and around moving engines and cars.
Because commercial railroading is more familiar than military, civilian practice is taught; and because the great majority of rail traffic is freight, classification yards and road trains are discussed from the standpoint of freight operations. But, military or civilian, passenger or freight, the principles are the same, and they apply as well in a theater of operations as on commercial
railroads in the United States.
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