1955

The shunting work at larger rail yards has been rationalized through automatic shunting facilities: From a so-called switching hill – a small incline – the cars are allowed to roll down towards one or more track groups. Using high-speed switches operated from the rail yard interlocking frame, the carriages are directed onto their respective tracks.

To ensure that the carriages enter the classification tracks at the correct speed, they must be braked – with varying force depending on entry speed, weight, wind conditions, etc.

Until 1984, so-called beam brakes were used; the wheels' flanges were squeezed with sturdy beams along the track. The beam brakes were operated from the interlocking frame.

They were replaced with spiral brakes, which consist of a drum with spiral flanges. Several spiral brakes are mounted in series and adjusted for braking to increasingly lower speeds.

This rail yard interlocking frame from Ånge was built in different stages. The first part was put into operation in 1955. The facility was supplemented in 1960 with tracks 33-37. High-speed electric switches were used until 1984 when they were replaced with pneumatic switches.