# "Do Not Hump"



## Amfleet (Mar 6, 2003)

On most equipment I have seen signs saying "DO NOT HUMP". What's this mean?


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## Viewliner (Mar 6, 2003)

Amfleet said:


> On most equipment I have seen signs saying "DO NOT HUMP". What's this mean?


Good Question, I'm curious as to the answer myself. ( :lol: )


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## AlanB (Mar 6, 2003)

Well I could give you a very naughty reference, but I won't.

Simply put it means that the car shouldn't be humped. There are two ways that freight RR's build their trains. The first is called "Flat Switching", where you have a switch engine that moves the cars around from track to track as necessary to put the cars in the proper order.

The second way is through a hump yard. Cars are pushed over a small hill and are allowed to roll down the hill one at a time. Meanwhile a worker sitting in a tower throws the necessary switches to allow the cars to roll onto the proper tracks for classification.

So if a car says do not hump, then it should always be flat switched and not humped.

I seem to recall that there was an article about 3 or 4 months ago in Trains discussing the types of yards and classification methods.


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## tp49 (Mar 6, 2003)

I remember that article but can't remember what month it was...maybe November?


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## battalion51 (Mar 7, 2003)

> On most equipment I have seen signs saying "DO NOT HUMP". What's this mean?


 Hmm, well they may not want to use the jacking pad that Viewliner's have then. :lol:


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## Amfleet (Mar 7, 2003)

Railroading...so entertaining. :lol:


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## Viewliner (Mar 7, 2003)

Amfleet said:


> Railroading...so entertaining. :lol:


Makes me proud to be a Railfan :lol:


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## Amfleet (Mar 7, 2003)

In all seriousness, what is a "jacking pad"?


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## Viewliner (Mar 7, 2003)

Amfleet said:


> In all seriousness, what is a "jacking pad"?


Raises the wheels maybe?


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## battalion51 (Mar 7, 2003)

I haven't the slightest clue. But I believe when they are jacking a car up off of its wheels they use the jacking pad, I hope.


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## Metroclub (Mar 7, 2003)

Jacking pads on railway cars are similar in function to the points where one places the jack while jacking up an automobile.


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