Menu
Home
People
Places
Arts
History
Plants & Animals
Science
Life & Culture
Technology
Reference.org
Switcher locomotive
open-in-new
<p>A switcher locomotive , shunter locomotive (<a href="/facts/British_English/ymJR5Rnd">British English</a>), station pilot (<a href="/facts/British_English/ymJR5Rnd">British English</a>), or shifter locomotive (<a href="/facts/Pennsylvania_Railroad/ajhjU4KH">Pennsylvania Railroad</a> terminology) is a <a href="/facts/Locomotive/C9YV7wrQ">locomotive</a> used for maneuvering railway vehicles over short distances. Switchers do not usually move <a href="/facts/Train/0mkFQDg9">trains</a> over long distances. Instead, they typically assemble trains in order for another locomotive to take over. Switchers often operate in a <a href="/facts/Railyard/QRc4HtLB">railyard</a> or make short transfer runs. They may serve as the primary motive power on short <a href="/facts/Branch_line/uIDBV68X">branch lines</a> or <a href="/facts/Switching_and_terminal_railroad/u07HjBMx">switching and terminal railroads</a>. A hybrid type known as a <a href="/facts/Road_switcher/mvReBj7k">road switcher</a> can both shunt and haul trains. </p><p>Switchers are optimized for their role, being relatively low-powered but with a high starting <a href="/facts/Tractive_effort/8ws6qyt3">tractive effort</a> for getting heavy cars rolling quickly. Switchers are geared to produce high <a href="/facts/Torque/KcrcvNtV">torque</a> but are restricted to low top speeds and have small diameter <a href="/facts/Driving_wheel/9wTdcnDf">driving wheels</a>. Switchers tend to be durable and to remain in service for a long time, such as the <a href="/facts/SJ_U/ebzxl4yj">Swedish class U</a>. </p><p>American, Russian, Indian and Chinese switchers tend to be larger, with <a href="/facts/Bogie/Q5060jts">bogies</a> to allow them to be used on tight radiuses. Western European shunters tend to be smaller and more often have fixed axles. They also often maintained <a href="/facts/Coupling_rods/DLWu16Rq">coupling rods</a> for longer than other locomotive types, although bogie types have long been used where very heavy loads are involved, such as at steelworks. </p>