Which of the following best describes a Yard?

• A. A facility for fueling locomotives.
• B. A system of tracks used for making up trains and storing of cars.
• C. A signaling center.
• D. A location for overnight storage.

Answer: (B)

A Yard is a network of tracks used for making up trains and storing cars. In operation, arriving cars are moved onto classification and switch tracks, then placed onto outbound tracks to form trains in the correct order. This switching and storage function is the defining purpose of a yard, not fueling locomotives or serving as the main signaling center. While a yard may be used for staging or overnight storage, those are consequences of the yard’s role in assembling and holding trains and cars.