A collection of tracks used for switching or storing cars. There are different types of yards:
- Classification yard – used for sorting cars into blocks to build trains
- AD yard – arrival-departure yard, used primarily to receive inbound trains or build outbound trains
- Industry support yard – yard primarily used to supply cars to local industries, generally does not originate through freights.
- Storage yard – used to hold cars in non-movement status
- SIT yard – Storage In Transit yard, tracks are leased by customers to hold cars awaiting billing. A warehouse on wheels. Commonly used for plastics.
- Staging yard (model) – a yard representing connections to other railroads or the rest or the rail network