Switcher

The shunting locomotive is a locomotive that is in contrast to the mainline locomotive normally not used for covering the movement of trains, but for trips within a station ( shunting ).

Shunting locomotives are specially adapted for their use, and thus usually have a central cab and brakeman on which co-moving shunter can stop them. The drive is often by a diesel engine, so that overhead conductor track sections of a station such as loading tracks can be cycled. The driving of vehicles is often primarily designed for high starting tractive effort, not necessarily on a high top speed. Depending on the range of different sized vehicles are used, the spectrum ranges from small locomotive to large diesel with over 1,000 kW engine power (about DB Class 291). Shunting locomotives have for their size often a very high weight, since a higher friction weight allows for greater starting tractive effort.

In order to simplify the time-consuming domes of the European screw coupling, many shunting locomotives have special shunting that attach to the tow hitch on the wagon. Many modern shunting locomotives feature a remote control, which allows the Lokrangierführer can occupy the top of the rake of wagons throughout the trip. Two-way vehicles are used for maneuvering on industrial lines and sidings of companies instead of shunting locomotives often.

In addition to fully equipped locomotives there are also Rangiergeräte. These do not have a driver's cab and consist only of the drive unit and coupling unit. Often these are designed as two-way vehicles and are operated by remote control by the shunter. This type of vehicles is mostly used in industrial plants for shunting or less of individual cars. Here it would be uneconomical to operate a full-fledged switch engine.