Hump Yard in ACTION at BNSF's Northtown Yard! How It Works, and Switches Rail Cars-

Hump Yards use gravity to help automate, and speed up the process of switching and sorting railcars. In this video, we'll get an in depth view as to how they work, function, and are an asset to railroads.
BNSF Railway has a large yard in Minnesota named Northtown Yard. This type of yard is called a Hump Yard, and uses gravity to quickly switch, and sort out cars. Entire trains are pushed over a small hill, crest, or hump, and then are switched out into various tracks with the use of gravity. This process speeds up classifying trains, and makes the entire rail network work more efficiently. This is a VERY cool operation to watch.
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Copyright 2023 Douglas Hildebrandt, all rights reserved.

[@Bob.W.]

Back in the 70s we would get a cold cut sandwich at Krymarceks, a bottle of wine at Surdyks, and sit on the hillside over the North town yard, watching trains being made up for the west. Thanks for the video.

[@SD457500]

Sounds like some solid memories, and time well spent! One used to be able to get a nice view just by the diesel shops by Northtown at the Bluff. However, they put up a fence, and its all grown in now. :/ Thanks for watching!

[@danburkland]

I have been driving by this yard almost every day for 3 years and always wondered how this works. Thank you for sharing this!

[@SD457500]

Great to hear that you enjoyed it, and the video provided a good explanation of how it worked. Thank you for the comment!

[@fredcarlson5775]

I enjoyed this very much I've been by this yard many times the overhead views were great I knew it was a hump yard but you described how it works so well my wife grew up just blocks away I have been near this yard for 60+ years your videos brings back memories since I moved away 3 years ago. Thank you

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed it, and that it brought back some good memories! Thank you for watching!

[@airios4356]

I cheered when I saw 655 come up towards the end, I work near here and every day watch it taking cars to this yard, or just idling in the siding waiting

[@SD457500]

Glad to hear you enjoyed the video! Northtown always has something going on, the locomotives they use are pretty neat too.

[@jeremiahshoemaker9512]

I know one of the yardmasters at Northtown in the hump tower. He usually works the night shift. He's got some interesting stories, and even showed me some cases where there was a collision or derailment...

[@SD457500]

Me as well; solid and good guys that work out of Northtown! :D

[@dhdisprsmith2296]

A good instructual type video for the novice fans out there! It sure is a big yard, sometimes I'll sit at the side of the road and just watch the hump job switching a cut of cars, but this video shows the whole yard like I've never seen it before.

[@SD457500]

Thank you for the kind words, and glad that you enjoyed it! The drone does WONDERS and provides such a unique view that otherwise wouldn't have been possible. Thanks for watching!

[@jchausler]

I quite enjoyed this video as back in 1974 I was one of the computer programmers then working for GRS who designed and installed the original computerized system and then in 1993 working for another company replaced it with a second computer control system. My last visit to the yard to do some software upgrades was in 2004. It was an interesting 30 year interaction with this yard (and many others :-) and the railroad business in general. Since then I believe the control system has been twice replaced. But for the last 14 years have been happily retired ;-)

[@jeremiahshoemaker9512]

1:29-1:49 You even managed to find GN 400 and GN 192! Good catch!

[@SD457500]

Spot on! I was hoping someone would notice and comment on that. Thanks for watching!

[@BNSFRailProductions]

Great stuff! Always so interesting to watch operations within hump yards!

[@SD457500]

It sure is, and something is always going on in them. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@otho03]

Cool video! I’ve driven over this yard countless times, had no idea that’s how it works.

[@SD457500]

Glad it helped explain how Northtown Yard works! That place always has something going on, and is BIG. Thank you for the comment, and watching.

[@MrSw9guy]

I like Rail Yards. Thanks for doing this video.

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed it! These is a neat operation to see happen.

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

Fantastic video from the air. Enjoyed watching the cool action. Have a wonderful rest of your Monday.(Steve)

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for the kind words! The drone really puts it all into perspective as to how large of an operation it is. Thank you for watching, and have a great day too.

[@StormySkyRailProductions]

@@SD457500 Your very welcome and yes it sure does. Thank you very much also.

[@RLKRAILTIES]

My grandfather and father brought me to this yard in 2008 when I was 6 years old

[@SD457500]

I bet you have some great memories from that visit. Thank you for watching!

[@55VickyV]

I would like to see more hump yard action. I find it fascinating! 🇨🇦

[@SD457500]

Can do! Are you seeking video of the cars going over the hump, the pull out jobs, or switching in general? Thank you for watching!

[@lexpo181]

So cool video my Douglas! This is very informative and pretty nice so see at a bird view perspective. Thumbs up friend ;) From Canada👍

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for watching! The drone helps to provide such a different, and unique perspective.

[@rubinabegum3968]

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[@rubinabegum3968]

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[@BNSF1458]

Neat!

[@SD457500]

Sure is! Thank you for watching!

[@Nethanel773]

Great video and explanations! Thanks for putting this together.

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed it, and thank you for watching! :D

[@mackdoyle8673]

Nice

[@SD457500]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@steventurner820]

Hump yards are neat to watch, a great explanation on how it works. What exactly are the screens at 5:15 showing though, looks like track assignments?

[@NW611]

You do know that YOU COT TWO GREAT NORTHERN LOCOMOTIVES in the background on there way to a museum?!!!! At 1:31

[@SD457500]

Very aware of it! That's a key reason why its in the video, a nice little extra so to speak. :D

[@isaax713]

DUEL spotted🙌🏽

[@SD457500]

Duel spotted?

[@isaax713]

@@SD457500 1:52 DUEL is a pretty well known freight train graffiti writer. He mainly does rollers (roller and bucket paint) on hoppers so that they're big and legible. I spotted him in Sioux City, IA last week, it was pretty sick.

[@davewallace8219]

Bustin the hump!

[@gatorgator3942]

For the retarders they are known as Master Retarder the first one, then the group retarders. The retarder is set up to control the speed based on the weight and the distance it has to travel to the next car it’s to couple to. Reason for the scale before the retarder but also used weight the car. Even tho the yardmaster knows what cars are loaded and empty the scale helps determine the amount of pressure the retarder needs to apply. Track seniors knows where the last car is at in the class track and sends a signal to the group retarder to base the speed to 4mph once the car reaches the coupling. I worked as a hump conductor for 5 years before becoming an engineer. I learned how to run the old manual system before the computer system came along.

[@williamclarke6613]

Does that mean the cars couple automatically as they roll down into the car in front of them? What happens if they come up short?

[@mr.sooline6602]

Fabulous video! Great quality video and information. Love the drone footage. Very professional all-around! I'd love to see a video dedicated to the locomotive shops and sanding facility and how tracks the facility connect to each other!

[@SD457500]

Great to hear that you enjoyed the video! This was a fun one to make, and it had lots of moving parts. Perhaps that can be in a future video.

[@hongs8867]

How do they move all the snow and where would they put it?

[@user-yg8oi5om2q]

Is there a video that breaks down the logistics of freight trains ? E.g., Who determine the schedules , loads , etc. ?

[@SD457500]

That is in the works, and on the to do list in the future. More on that later this summer!

[@user-vf7en4ll1w]

You did a wonderful job... marvellous... So, which type of retarder is it use on this video.

[@tanneranderson1161]

Is this yard by the university of Minnesota?

[@SD457500]

This one is not, the large yards by the U of M could be one of two. Either BNSF's Union Yard, or Union Pacific's East Mpls Yard. The yard east of Raymond Ave is the Minnesota Commercials Yard, but the name of that one escapes me. Both of those are flat switching yards, not hump yards like Northtown. Thank you for watching!

[@jeremiahshoemaker9512]

I think that's the Midway Intermodal Yard if I remember correctly...

[@Cprailf]

Make a Close up on the 3Way Switch plz for me like a drone fly over it with a close up Much Thanks

[@SD457500]

I might be able to in the future! I don't want to fly too close to moving freight cars while they are working. Thank you for watching!

[@Cprailf]

Make sure.theres no trains please

[@user-yn8do4px8e]

Everyone always gets the Slug meaning wrong always, more times fans say there only full of concrete as they are but there is a lot more to a Slug as you know of. Retired Hump Master I'm and I ask a simple question what keeps the Slugs Traction Motors from Over Heating 🤔 if their just full of Concrete Slabs for weight!?! Most yard Fronts have (Retarder Pins) on the Receiving Hump Bowl tracks at the front of the yard as a Safety insurance, so cars don't roll off on to active tracks even when the bowl itself fails to keep them in the yard as it does happen more times than you know. (Retarder Pins) are located on the inner side of each track looking like 3 Giant size nails that keep the Car wheel from rolling out of them, controlled by air when used they extend out when Not used they suck in, just something Fans don't know about when working a Yard. Todays Yard units have No talent especially those RCO (Radio Controlled Operator) or RCL (Radio Controlled Locomotive) units Talent is when a 1980's Yard Crew would do a Domino kick which took skills to notch up and down while braking to Kick only the Last car off the Rear without moving the Train at all, YES kicking the last car OFF the rear of the Train that Never moved any of the other Freight Cars, Dying art it is. Coupler slack helped a lot when preforming this at hand, ask why because sometimes Couplers just don't UNCOUPLE and you need to hit them hard and a Domino kick is one of the Hardest hits you can do on a Car.

[@SD457500]

I appreciate the great information, and insights on the video! GREAT point about the slugs, and keeping things cool. One thing I've seen fade away is the use of hand signs. Once used all over the place, it is also a dying art. :/