FULL TURNKEY RAIL SWITCHING SERVICES FOR INDUSTRIAL RAIL YARDS
PSC Group offers everything you need for safe and efficient rail switching in the most challenging and complex sites. We manage more than 75 rail switching sites throughout the U.S. using our own fleet of advanced locomotives and mobile railcar movers, proven safety methods, and highly skilled personnel. We work closely with our customers to tailor our services to their unique needs utilizing over 70 locomotives, 40 mobile railcar movers (Trackmobiles and Shuttle Wagons), and more than 1,000 skilled employees to enhance safety, decrease cycle time, prevent derailments, and optimize railcar utilization.
How railroad
switching works
Upon arrival at your facility, PSC Group rail switching crews disassemble and classify the inbound train and switch the railcars to the locations in your facility where they are needed next for inspection, cleaning, repair, loading, or storage. When it’s time to load, PSC Group spots railcars for loading and builds the outbound train for shipment to your customers. We use locomotives and mobile railcar movers, Trackmobiles, and Shuttle Wagons, tailored to the size and layout of your facility.
Everything in the rail switching process has to be carefully coordinated to ensure seamless operations and prevent delays, especially when the site requires multiple crews to operate simultaneously. When PSC Group also operates loading, railcar repair, and railcar inspection for you, we are ideally positioned to streamline your entire rail logistics operation.
Rail switching
service teams
PSC Group’s rail switching service teams consist of three employees: a locomotive engineer who operates the locomotive or railcar mover, and two switchmen who manage the movements, connecting and releasing the railcars. We cross-train personnel in all positions to ensure the highest operational awareness on every switch.
Our teams also analyze your operation to optimize your track usage and rail switching plan, and significantly reduce total costs by preventing damages.
SAFE RAILROAD SWITCHING OPERATIONS
Railcar switching is extremely dangerous, especially inside the largest petrochemical and refining facilities. Each railcar can weigh 280,000 pounds, and a single train may include dozens of railcars. Since the enormous weight is usually in close proximity to personnel and critical processing equipment, there is simply no room for error.
PSC Group’s in-house recruitment, training, and oversight program for rail switching operations has been developed and honed during over 50 years of activity in the field at more than 70 leading facilities. Our protocols leave nothing to chance—a switchman’s every movement, the reflective clothing they wear, how they communicate on the radio, and how they couple and uncouple railcars, set and release hand brakes, and connect and disconnect air hoses are all determined by best practices, and carefully trained and regulated.
Our 2021 Total Recordable Injury Rate stands at 0.21, marking the fifth consecutive year with a rate under 0.3.
Thank you for your leadership and commitment to working safely every day. Milestones and records don’t just happen. They are earned one hour and one job at a time. Your concern and focus for your people working safe is appreciated.
David. S, Channelview, TX
Need to talk to PSC about rail switching right away? 
SAFETY AWARDS
