From what I heard, they had an unscheduled train leave after the last scheduled train of the day, and the crew of 475 were not alerted properly, if at all.
For some reason I imagine both engineers getting out of the cabs, walking towards each other yelling aggressively like 2 Staten islanders who just had a fender bender, blaming each other for the accident. "Read ya ohdahs, I pass fuhst!" "No, how about you read dis foot up yuh bumhole, ya dunce!" "Who you callin' dunce, yuh dolt?" "You, yuh big lug!" " Why I outta...!"
The brakes along this train are held open by air (so in case of a failure and loss of pressure the brakes automatically come on), so usually when someone says dump the air or some derivative they mean fully apply the train brake
Back in 19th Century many a fatal collisions occurred when railroad employees made these same mistakes, but still happen today but thankfully much less often though ! Glad to see that 11-02-2022’s locomotive-Hi rail excavator collision was not more serious !
Wow... hard to believe something like this happened at Strasburg. Obviously someone wasn't paying attention at the safety meeting... or to his train orders. If I had been 475's engineer I would certainly have had something to say about that.
I cut out the cuss words from the guy walking up behind me, I cut out the Condutor throwing the switch for 475 to back in . I also cut out Two railfans talking and say Names of the fireman and engineer who was operating the 475. Now you know, Len.
1:18 if you look closely you'll see 475's bell moving which is not seen ever since it uses a hammer bell than a hand rung bell like the other locomotives on the Strasburg railroad have
475s bell moved during that time i think because its hammer had issues ringing so they had to hand ring 475s bell, and if you listen, the bell rings slowly than it normally does
nimrod4017, After I return to Strasburg, I heard from a few people that Linn wasn't to pleased. He's the Boss. and they got reamed another A-H. For not Reading their orders. A Conductor on the train pulled the E. Cord and stop the train. Len.
Was the E cord pulled? Cause right before you had to censor the soundtrack, it sounded to me like the fireman clearly shouted to the driver to stop the train- the fireman would have had the 7132 come into view while the driver's view forward was blocked by 475's boiler.
Wow! That was almost an accident for sure! Good thing both trains stopped at the "Cherry Hill" siding. Plus, I love the lil' flag on the front boxcar's coupler starting at 6:54.
i was there the day this happened....no engineer forgot there was two trains running....there was ohhh i didnt see them. strasburg has been running two train operations for decades. for this situation there was a misrepresentation and misunderstanding on a schedule. this was during their trains and troops event. #31 had the troop train and it was the end of the day. the train only ran untill 2pm but there was a misunderstanding about a possible 3pm train.
I also was there. I was on the train. This is the 2 pm train leaving Groff's Grove and the 2:30 is approaching. Don't try and kid two people who were there and say differently. It doesn't work.
@nimrod4017 Strasburg on most instances operates by timetable and train order. However, Groffs Grove is protected by signals at both ends. Never was sure if they were just for the crossing, switch position, or standard function.
Speaking from an experienced railroaders point of view, I wound not be surprised if somebody didnt get punched in the mouth when the two engines stopped next to each other on the siding
At 1:23 you can hear someone scream "Stop the train". If i was in the cab of either engine, it would have scared the crap outta me. And yea, I think the switch is permenatly set so the trains can pass each other and not have to mess around with switchin and all. Trains returning from Leaman Place are on the track closest to the grove, and trains heading from Strasburg are on the passing track.
@iceman977th You are not trained to stop if you see another train approaching, rather the stopping of the train in those circumstances is an act of self-preservation. You are trained to follow safeworking rules and to not get into this situation in the first place! No railwway safeworking system in the world relies on seeing an opposing train and then stopping. The stopping of the trains in this instance was the very last defence to a head on collision. It was a very serious incident.
Wow! Serious breach of operating rules. Lookin at all of the comments..."In the hole" means to take a siding. The upbound train was holding the main an Groffs and should have stayed their until the downbound train arrived at the station . The dowbound train would have gone in the hole for the meet. Surely the upbound engineer must have forgotten that the road was operating two trains at that time of day.
@iceman977th Exceeding an authority with the result being two opposing movements on the same section is NOT "doing exactly what they were supposed to do". In terms of safeworking breaches it doesn't get much more serious than this. Trains are driven in advance, once you have an authority (or proceed signal indication) you regard the section (or block) as being clear. Restricted speed or half range of vision has nothing to do with it..
robertgift , I was asked by the CEO of Strasburg Railroad to cut out a few senes. So that's why you don't see everything. the first time this video was up it did show every thing including the cuss words that I cut out in this version. Len.
Wow, kinda scary when you hear someone yell "Stop the Train!" at 1:23. I've been visiting Strasburg for 30 years and have never once had a bad experience. I'm so glad this was just the one time (and hope they fired that engineer!).
@radioditch I think that they run " in the dark" meaning that they do not have signals like NS or the worlds best railroad Union Pacific (that should generate some comments). NS had a line that went to Virginia Beach it was in the dark but it is now unused and might be one of the last class one railroads to have a spot like that. The Virginia Beach line might have trolleys on it one day but that is a new can of worms
@LMatters1 Actually it's being overdone. I'm not a railroad employee of any kind, but I'm almost positive they were doing exactly what they were supposed to do, restricted speed or half the range of vision. Both trains stopped how they were supposed to upon vision that the block wasn't opened, and stopped promptly. The boss just wants to show off and isn't appreciative that they did what they were supposed to do.
@LMatters1 I never said they were 100% right. They were wrong in moving in opposing movements. But at least they did what they were trained to do, stop if another train is approached and stop safely.
@@evanf1293 I was talking about its crash with the excavator, as far as I'm aware nothing has been published about it from the investigators and there's no way it would be legally allowed to rum until the investigation is done
@@haunted1659 It just had its smokebox destroyed all because the mow crew forgot to realign the switch. 475 is fine now as its smokebox has been repaired and she was running again today like she was last week.
Nice meet at the siding. Perhaps each crew was a little excited over doing a photo shoot, or which train had ( rights ) over the other. Everything turned out OK though.
Never say never but this is a most unlikely contingency on any British heritage or main line single line unless a driver goes past a signal at danger. The signals cannot be pulled off until the track is confirmed clear by the proceeding train’s driver handing the next signalman a token which is placed into an interlocking machine at the next signal box.
Ok I have a couple things here. First does the 7312 do passenger runs with the 90, 475 and 89? I've been going to SB RR fr since I was 5 and I've never seen that engine before. Also what were they doing with the freight cars. I know they use to have a little siding where they kept all those "abandoned" freight cars but now they're gone so what happened to them?
Yes. 475 should have stayed in place, but that section of the line is automatically signaled to prevent that from happening, must have been a an signal error, or a bad driver.
@Conrail6370 Correct me if I'm wrong, but did he also run a stop signal? I thought the automatic signals at Cherry Hill protected the approaches to the Grove. So shouldn't have someone had a stop signal also in addition to not reading their paperwork?
wander if the FRA ever looked at this? Do you have the tape of the conversation in the office later that day? you could imagine that the conversation after this was not too friendly. I think it would have went like talking to the dudes at boot camp. How many four letter words were used after that? What was the result of the drug test?
Why was the other train that it almost ran into why was the engine it look like behind it pushing the whole train instead of turned around frontwards was it pushing the it look like it's pushing the train or something attached to the back of the train?
All Strasburg engines face west, always. They don't have room for a turntable, and it isn't practical to keep turning them. So heading east, toward Paradise, they couple on and operate in reverse. At Paradise, they decouple, run around the train, couple on at the (former) end, now head, and go back to Strasburg - which makes for great visuals as the steamers bring their trains into the station.
#Karen Siegel it seems the one the line was built there would have been a turntable or something or when they built the engine shop and everything like that but I guess if there's not room there's not room surprised there's not a wye or maybe there is no room for a wye either I assume obviously not at Paradise?
@@bootsdocsandconspiracies6589 Nope. This was a very tiny railroad, always. They existed to connect the town to the Philadelphia and Columbia railroad. Efficiency mattered, and turning engines just to haul freight 4.5 miles is not efficient. They never had their own turntable. No need. Engines can pull perfectly well running in reverse.
I don't think Strasburg has signals anyway, other than switch position indicators. Fortunately they were moving at low enough speed to have stopping distance as soon as the other locomotive came into view.
@Conrail6370 I would think so. if those unit got damaged or totally destroyed that would go from 4 unit to 2 that would make for a lesser operation. if they went and used SD-40-2's or SD-90MAC's I do not think that i would be as popular of an attraction. although this will not happen I would like to see a DD40x or a big blow restored and running. UP"s 6936 would be more likely to happen then the latter. It would be cool to see one of the steam units pulling a train at speed on the main
Why did you not show them throw the switch and show the other train approaching and whistling for the crossing?? Instead you show "still life" of a train sitting there while we miss the action. You have a problem with showing colorful grade crossing signals operating while the train enters the crossing? Do over and show everything.
In the past you'd see trains doing over 100 on jointed rail. Before they even invented CWR. In modern times it's been reduced to around 60-70mph for most passenger trains, but this is still above 40.
@Conrail6370 Oh. Having to stop and back is nothing worth using profanity about. Sorry you could not have silenced the profanity and lethe video show as was. Why did the train move forward? I thought so they could clear the switch and back onto the siding. But instead, he just backstraighto histarting point and the other train diverts into the siding. None of this makesense. Thank you.
The siding switch is a 'spring switch'. It is lined towards the siding for trains heading towards it and trains headed away from it run through the points of the switch. The springs return the points to be lined for the siding after each wheel goes by. You have to go completely through the switch in order to line it straight with the switch stand.
From what I heard, they had an unscheduled train leave after the last scheduled train of the day, and the crew of 475 were not alerted properly, if at all.
Whoever didn't communicate the change to #475's crew better have gotten reprimanded for that one. That could've been BAD.
@@MiddleTennesseeRailProductions Bad Is An Understatement, Utterly Tragic Loss Of Life And History It Would Have Been.
@@casual_boredom7195 Damn straight.
For some reason I imagine both engineers getting out of the cabs, walking towards each other yelling aggressively like 2 Staten islanders who just had a fender bender, blaming each other for the accident. "Read ya ohdahs, I pass fuhst!" "No, how about you read dis foot up yuh bumhole, ya dunce!" "Who you callin' dunce, yuh dolt?" "You, yuh big lug!" " Why I outta...!"
1:20 - "DUMP THE TRAIN!!!" Not fun words to hear at all
I think they've meant stop the train.
The brakes along this train are held open by air (so in case of a failure and loss of pressure the brakes automatically come on), so usually when someone says dump the air or some derivative they mean fully apply the train brake
What a catch dude - I did not hear that first time i listened
Back in 19th Century many a fatal collisions occurred when railroad employees made these same mistakes, but still happen today but thankfully much less often though !
Glad to see that 11-02-2022’s locomotive-Hi rail excavator collision was not more serious !
Wow... hard to believe something like this happened at Strasburg. Obviously someone wasn't paying attention at the safety meeting... or to his train orders. If I had been 475's engineer I would certainly have had something to say about that.
:) Not so hard now, sadly.
I cut out the cuss words from the guy walking up behind me, I cut out the Condutor throwing the switch for 475 to back in .
I also cut out Two railfans talking and say Names of the fireman and engineer who was operating the 475.
Now you know,
Len.
Conrail 6370, I would have loved to see the condu for throwing the switch for 475. Good video otherwise though
Why did you cute the cam for the conductor throwing the switch
@@kingofmusicandpop Read my above comment.
@@LeonardFShanerJR oh ok sorry
“The record has been changed to protect the victims …”
1:18 if you look closely you'll see 475's bell moving which is not seen ever since it uses a hammer bell than a hand rung bell like the other locomotives on the Strasburg railroad have
475s bell moved during that time i think because its hammer had issues ringing so they had to hand ring 475s bell, and if you listen, the bell rings slowly than it normally does
nimrod4017, After I return to Strasburg, I heard from a few people that Linn wasn't to pleased. He's the Boss. and they got reamed another A-H. For not Reading their orders. A Conductor on the train pulled the E. Cord and stop the train.
Len.
Was the E cord pulled? Cause right before you had to censor the soundtrack, it sounded to me like the fireman clearly shouted to the driver to stop the train- the fireman would have had the 7132 come into view while the driver's view forward was blocked by 475's boiler.
yeah, someone yelled TRAIN!! then it came to a complete stop!
Someone feel a sleep at the throttle. lol.
Len.
Wow! That was almost an accident for sure! Good thing both trains stopped at the "Cherry Hill" siding. Plus, I love the lil' flag on the front boxcar's coupler starting at 6:54.
i was there the day this happened....no engineer forgot there was two trains running....there was ohhh i didnt see them. strasburg has been running two train operations for decades. for this situation there was a misrepresentation and misunderstanding on a schedule. this was during their trains and troops event. #31 had the troop train and it was the end of the day. the train only ran untill 2pm but there was a misunderstanding about a possible 3pm train.
Forgot is no excuse on a railroad.
@@davemick8620 they didn't forget. there was an unexpected train
I also was there. I was on the train. This is the 2 pm train leaving Groff's Grove and the 2:30 is approaching. Don't try and kid two people who were there and say differently. It doesn't work.
@nimrod4017 Strasburg on most instances operates by timetable and train order. However, Groffs Grove is protected by signals at both ends. Never was sure if they were just for the crossing, switch position, or standard function.
They're switch indicators.
Note to self: Avoid Strasburg Railroad in November.
Good thing it wasn't a backhoe
This is why here in the UK we have tokens for single line sections.......And signals controlled through the release of these tokens
Watching train movements at Strasburg Station it all seems rather casual
Speaking from an experienced railroaders point of view, I wound not be surprised if somebody didnt get punched in the mouth when the two engines stopped next to each other on the siding
At 1:23 you can hear someone scream "Stop the train". If i was in the cab of either engine, it would have scared the crap outta me. And yea, I think the switch is permenatly set so the trains can pass each other and not have to mess around with switchin and all. Trains returning from Leaman Place are on the track closest to the grove, and trains heading from Strasburg are on the passing track.
Is the dispatchers fault not the 475 crew or 7312s he prob forgot that 31 was out there and gave 475the clear to go
I've been there 4 times and it gets better every time. By the way have you noticed the smile 475 wears?
yes. Ithought i was the only one who noticed that.
Keaton0801 yess
She's pretty happy today
Lol when 7312 starts going back!!! Imagine the look on everyone's faces if they came back like that
@iceman977th You are not trained to stop if you see another train approaching, rather the stopping of the train in those circumstances is an act of self-preservation. You are trained to follow safeworking rules and to not get into this situation in the first place!
No railwway safeworking system in the world relies on seeing an opposing train and then stopping. The stopping of the trains in this instance was the very last defence to a head on collision. It was a very serious incident.
Wow! Serious breach of operating rules. Lookin at all of the comments..."In the hole" means to take a siding. The upbound train was holding the main an Groffs and should have stayed their until the downbound train arrived at the station . The dowbound train would have gone in the hole for the meet. Surely the upbound engineer must have forgotten that the road was operating two trains at that time of day.
This sure was a shock to see especially since 475 bell was hand rung instead of by air
Exactly! why isn't there any other footage?!?
@@trainlover123trainsrock Penn Rail Videos Trains & Troops 2008 has good footage on 475's bell being handrung
@iceman977th Exceeding an authority with the result being two opposing movements on the same section is NOT "doing exactly what they were supposed to do". In terms of safeworking breaches it doesn't get much more serious than this. Trains are driven in advance, once you have an authority (or proceed signal indication) you regard the section (or block) as being clear. Restricted speed or half range of vision has nothing to do with it..
after #475 whent through the crossing shes like..... what a minite....i didnt see you there!
475 yesterday: Hold my beer.
is nobody gonna notice 475's bell swinging instead of being stationary?
there was a problem with #475s hammer so it was hand rung at that time
@@aydenamaya7951 oh. I want them to do the swinging method again.
I forgot to add that they'll have a UP 4000, DM&IR yellowstone, and every other steamer in north america running...at the same time.
1:22 “DUMP THE AIR” Not good at all
What a beautiful classic train
the enginesound of #475 sounds like the polar express sounds tender i have anyways thumbs up! thats hopfuly where i want to work!
475 literally locked up the drivers to make that stop! Very impressive!
robertgift , I was asked by the CEO of Strasburg Railroad to cut out a few senes. So that's why you don't see everything. the first time this video was up it did show every thing including the cuss words that I cut out in this version.
Len.
OOOOO Thank goodness It stopped in time!
I can't tell, but I think that switch was set against the 475 in the first place.
That's true because, as comments showed, this loop has got self-returning switches.
Wow, kinda scary when you hear someone yell "Stop the Train!" at 1:23. I've been visiting Strasburg for 30 years and have never once had a bad experience. I'm so glad this was just the one time (and hope they fired that engineer!).
Well I guess the engineer on 475 or 7312 got fired! Lol
I belive dispatch would have, they didn't tell the crew 7312 was coming and gave 475 the clear
@@TheBestTrainsAreReal Never heard of 7312 at the straugburg. Was she listed by another railroad? Or was she used t run but got scarp?
@@Sonic.Mario.64 She's getting restored right now
@radioditch I think that they run " in the dark" meaning that they do not have signals like NS or the worlds best railroad Union Pacific (that should generate some comments). NS had a line that went to Virginia Beach it was in the dark but it is now unused and might be one of the last class one railroads to have a spot like that. The Virginia Beach line might have trolleys on it one day but that is a new can of worms
That’s impressive braking.
Thundertrain2930 is the emergency brake
i was on 475 when this happened so i was on the train
Shaun Nikolas what happens
The ghost whistle
So how did what happened? Was there a miscommunication between the dispatcher or something?
@@TrainsCatsOtherStories 7312
@LMatters1 Actually it's being overdone. I'm not a railroad employee of any kind, but I'm almost positive they were doing exactly what they were supposed to do, restricted speed or half the range of vision. Both trains stopped how they were supposed to upon vision that the block wasn't opened, and stopped promptly. The boss just wants to show off and isn't appreciative that they did what they were supposed to do.
You hear a guy yelling F??? F??? so I blanked it out.
Len.
475 Forgot 7312 Was Running
@LMatters1 I never said they were 100% right. They were wrong in moving in opposing movements. But at least they did what they were trained to do, stop if another train is approached and stop safely.
I bet no one was expecting to see 475 going out of service just a decade after this was recorded
Much less an accident that would take it out of service
@@haunted1659 it's already back and running.
@@evanf1293 I was talking about its crash with the excavator, as far as I'm aware nothing has been published about it from the investigators and there's no way it would be legally allowed to rum until the investigation is done
@@haunted1659 It just had its smokebox destroyed all because the mow crew forgot to realign the switch. 475 is fine now as its smokebox has been repaired and she was running again today like she was last week.
Nice meet at the siding. Perhaps each crew was a little excited over doing a photo shoot, or which train had ( rights ) over the other. Everything turned out OK though.
BNSFandSP, Your correct! they have spring switches.
Never say never but this is a most unlikely contingency on any British heritage or main line single line unless a driver goes past a signal at danger. The signals cannot be pulled off until the track is confirmed clear by the proceeding train’s driver handing the next signalman a token which is placed into an interlocking machine at the next signal box.
Ok I have a couple things here. First does the 7312 do passenger runs with the 90, 475 and 89? I've been going to SB RR fr since I was 5 and I've never seen that engine before. Also what were they doing with the freight cars. I know they use to have a little siding where they kept all those "abandoned" freight cars but now they're gone so what happened to them?
Well, you don't see this at Strasburg everyday
Con kindly explained belowhy things were cut out.
I'm pretty sure that the person said stop the train. and the real term is dump the air.
iammyantinerd , The speed limit on that "Junk Track" is 40 mph.
outbound train should of stayed in siding,till in bound train got in, am I correct?
Yes. 475 should have stayed in place, but that section of the line is automatically signaled to prevent that from happening, must have been a an signal error, or a bad driver.
yes!
Len.
id like too here the uncensored video
A Near Miss is a hit. If you nearly missed, you didn't miss.
@Conrail6370 Correct me if I'm wrong, but did he also run a stop signal? I thought the automatic signals at Cherry Hill protected the approaches to the Grove. So shouldn't have someone had a stop signal also in addition to not reading their paperwork?
Engineer forget about the other train?
iammyantinerd , Well just ask Doc Sellers he's the one who told Me. When I took my cab ride in No. 90.
Shit that was a close one!
@Conrail6370 That engineer sure hauled out of there though once 31 passed through.
They do haul freight but in modern cars
No, don't do over a thing. How about you just sit back and enjoy the video? You have the problem robertgift
wander if the FRA ever looked at this? Do you have the tape of the conversation in the office later that day? you could imagine that the conversation after this was not too friendly. I think it would have went like talking to the dudes at boot camp. How many four letter words were used after that?
What was the result of the drug test?
good shots len, nice work as usual. Do you know if they'll be anymore steam frieghts?
Why was the other train that it almost ran into why was the engine it look like behind it pushing the whole train instead of turned around frontwards was it pushing the it look like it's pushing the train or something attached to the back of the train?
All Strasburg engines face west, always. They don't have room for a turntable, and it isn't practical to keep turning them. So heading east, toward Paradise, they couple on and operate in reverse. At Paradise, they decouple, run around the train, couple on at the (former) end, now head, and go back to Strasburg - which makes for great visuals as the steamers bring their trains into the station.
#Karen Siegel it seems the one the line was built there would have been a turntable or something or when they built the engine shop and everything like that but I guess if there's not room there's not room surprised there's not a wye or maybe there is no room for a wye either I assume obviously not at Paradise?
@@bootsdocsandconspiracies6589 Nope. This was a very tiny
railroad, always. They existed to connect the town to the Philadelphia and Columbia railroad. Efficiency mattered, and turning engines just to haul freight 4.5 miles is not efficient. They never had their own turntable. No need. Engines can pull perfectly well running in reverse.
Well there is a signal there, shouldn't it have been red? And I know it works, don't tell me it dosent.
the best trains are real, that switch notifies the engineer about the switch position. Not if there is another train.
@@NOVARailfan ooh, that makes more sense, thanks!
I don't think Strasburg has signals anyway, other than switch position indicators. Fortunately they were moving at low enough speed to have stopping distance as soon as the other locomotive came into view.
Lillmatt31, You answered your own question. :)
What the heck happened?
I band Foamer , so there will no longer be comments coming from him.
Take care,
Len.
@Conrail6370 I would think so. if those unit got damaged or totally destroyed that would go from 4 unit to 2 that would make for a lesser operation. if they went and used SD-40-2's or SD-90MAC's I do not think that i would be as popular of an attraction. although this will not happen I would like to see a DD40x or a big blow restored and running. UP"s 6936 would be more likely to happen then the latter. It would be cool to see one of the steam units pulling a train at speed on the main
Little did you know it would go to only 2 functioning locomotives 12 years later
Did the engineer say he was sory he didn't see him?
can somebody plz tell me exactly what happened 'cause i don't get it
Omg
Looks like they are going to battle.
well put sir. But don't worry they'll fun railroads of their own to show you....HAHAHAHAHA
what happened?
I don't understand what ahppened.....
Why did you not show them throw the switch and show the other train approaching and whistling for the crossing?? Instead you show "still life" of a train sitting there while we miss the action.
You have a problem with showing colorful grade crossing signals operating while the train enters the crossing?
Do over and show everything.
was the engineer fired?
I say yes
Rule 55! y*OUCANTDOIT*
How stupid do you have to be to not see a train coming at you. From the 475 perspective
...well I'm not movin'!!!
i think then need the uk staff and ticket meathered
anna jeannette Dixon we are not in fucking Britain
2:56 WHEELSLIP!!!!!
2:56
1:20
Hello
Wow, after reading these comments, Im starting to realize how annoying foamers can get
Couldn't be an unscheduled frieght since it was passenger cars. But goes to prove, even shortlines need working signals.
Lmao, I surely hope Doc waz not on #475
I think the crew that day might of either lost his position as engineer or his job
A far cry from a near miss, about a half mile between them
......
Don't you mean a near hit? A near miss would be an accident...
A collision is a near miss! -George Carlin
cdizzle282 , lol They sure do.
What does "dump the train" mean? Doesn't sound good....
Drop the brake psi to be in emergency
This appears to be a very serious incident which could have led to a very serious accident. I hope it was investigated by the appropriate authorities.
@Conrail6370
I find it hard to believe that they run 40mph on jointed rail.
In the past you'd see trains doing over 100 on jointed rail. Before they even invented CWR. In modern times it's been reduced to around 60-70mph for most passenger trains, but this is still above 40.
Probably an unscheduled freight run that no one told the engineers of 475 about.
@Conrail6370 Oh. Having to stop and back is nothing worth using profanity about.
Sorry you could not have silenced the profanity and lethe video show as was.
Why did the train move forward? I thought so they could clear the switch and back onto the siding.
But instead, he just backstraighto histarting point and the other train diverts into the siding.
None of this makesense.
Thank you.
The siding switch is a 'spring switch'. It is lined towards the siding for trains heading towards it and trains headed away from it run through the points of the switch. The springs return the points to be lined for the siding after each wheel goes by. You have to go completely through the switch in order to line it straight with the switch stand.