Let’s Be Clear About Switch Position Indicators
Written by Dana Haake, President- Industrial Track Solutions.
Over the past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to present SwitchPath Lights to many people in railroad operations.
Without exception, those with real-world experience immediately recognize the problem we’re addressing. Run-through switches are not theoretical. They happen. And the consequences range from inconvenient to catastrophic.
During nearly every discussion, I hear the same response:
“You’re supposed to check the points, not the targets.”
That statement is absolutely correct.
You must visually determine that the switch is lined for the intended route and that the points fit properly. Period.
FRA rules and railroad operating procedures are clear on this.
No indicator — traditional targets, SwitchCubes, SwitchRite, or SwitchPath Lights — should ever replace visual confirmation of point position.
So if that’s true, why use switch position indicators at all?
Because human beings are not perfect.
Even the best-trained crews get distracted.
They get fatigued.
They get complacent.
It’s not a character flaw — it’s human behavior.
FRA incident data consistently lists run-through switches among the most common human-factor events in yard operations. We’ve invested heavily in training and discipline across the industry, yet the problem persists.
Removing indicators does not remove human error.
It removes redundancy.
Think about modern vehicles. My family recently upgraded from a 2008 SUV to a newer model with forward-collision alerts. The system warns if we’re following too closely — with alarms, dashboard alerts, even steering wheel vibration.
Do I rely on that system as my primary method of judging safe distance? Of course not.
I rely on decades of driving experience and the 3-second rule.
But when the alert activates, it’s valuable.
It’s redundant protection.
Switch position indicators serve the same purpose. They are not the standard operating procedure. They are an added layer of risk mitigation when human performance falls short.
If we can agree that layered safety reduces risk, then the real question becomes:
What is the most effective form of redundancy?
That’s a conversation worth having.
I’ll explore that in my next post.
In the meantime, if you’re interested in how SwitchPath Lights differ from traditional indicators, you can read more here:
https://www.industrialtracksolutions.com/our-solutions