Extended Hump Lead Increases Capacity at Indianapolis Yard

CSX has completed an infrastructure upgrade at its Avon Yard in Indianapolis, Indiana, commissioning an extended hump lead that increases processing capacity, reduces dwell time, and improves the fluidity of freight movements through the terminal.

Infrastructure upgrade and scope
The project involved adding approximately 3,500 feet of new track, extending the hump lead to a total length of 8,000 feet. The longer lead allows full-length trains to be handled in a single cut, eliminating the need to break trains into shorter sections during classification.

This configuration improves operational efficiency by reducing intermediate switching moves and enabling more effective use of remote-control locomotives. The extended track also provides additional operating margin for crews, supporting smoother yard workflows.

Measurable operational impact
With the extended hump lead now in service, Avon Yard can process an additional 200 to 300 railcars per day. The ability to classify complete trains in one movement shortens processing cycles and directly reduces railcar dwell time within the terminal.

Higher throughput and faster classification improve railcar velocity across the network, helping shipments move more quickly from origin to destination. These gains also support more consistent service levels for customers whose traffic flows through the Indianapolis terminal.

Role of Avon Yard in the network
Avon Yard is a key classification yard within CSX’s Midwest network, handling a mix of manifest freight destined for regional and long-haul routes. Improvements at this node have network-wide implications, as delays or congestion at major yards can propagate across interconnected corridors.

By increasing classification capacity and reducing handling time, the upgrade strengthens the yard’s role as a high-performance terminal supporting customer growth and schedule reliability.

Construction and safety performance
From planning through execution, the hump lead extension was delivered without incidents or injuries. This outcome reflects CSX’s emphasis on embedding safety into construction engineering, worksite practices, and operational design.

Completing complex track work in an active yard environment while maintaining safe conditions is a critical requirement for infrastructure projects that must be delivered without disrupting ongoing rail operations.

Strategic investment context
The Avon Yard project forms part of CSX’s broader infrastructure investment program focused on terminal performance, network resilience, and long-term operating efficiency. Rather than capacity expansion alone, the upgrade targets specific constraints that affect car handling speed and yard fluidity.

For freight rail operators, such targeted yard improvements are a key lever for improving service reliability and maximizing the value of existing assets without large-scale network expansion.

Application perspective
Extending hump leads to accommodate full-length trains addresses a common bottleneck in classification yards designed for shorter consists. The Avon Yard project illustrates how incremental track extensions, aligned with operating practices such as remote-control switching, can deliver measurable gains in capacity and velocity.

In the context of rising customer expectations for transit time and reliability, infrastructure upgrades that reduce dwell and simplify yard operations play a central role in improving end-to-end freight performance.