Photograph of the back of a freight train. A worker wearing a high visibility vest is standing on a ladder on the rear of the train car next to a sign that says in large red all caps "DO NOT HUMP"
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[–] 10 points 2 days ago (2 children)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classification_yard#Hump

In case anyone was actually confused. It's a way of sorting through large amounts of rail cars by pushing them over a hill and letting their momentum roll them through rail switches.

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  • [–] 9 points 2 days ago (1 child)

    why can't you hump this one? what happens if you do?

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  • [–] 12 points 1 day ago

    It is apparently because either the car itself or the freight that is loaded on them cannot handle the impacts of shunting and jolting from gravity sorting.

    It is kinda fortuitous that I saw this today. I was right at a track a few hours ago and saw 4 fully loaded cars with no engine attached rolling free towards the neighboring train yard. Now I know the two track guys standing next to it were humping.

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