Spur Tracks

railroad tracks that connect a station of a main railroad line used for all purposes to an industrial or agricultural enterprise or other organization. In a broad sense, spur tracks may include the sidings located within the area of the enterprise that are called industrial spur tracks.

In a large enterprise, such as a metallurgical combine, spur tracks may be several hundred kilometers long and may include not only the connecting tracks but also the sidings of railroad stations located on the enterprise that are used for several purposes, such as transfer stations, marshaling yards, and loading stations. About 80 percent of all railroad cars that travel along general-use railroad lines are loaded on spur tracks of various enterprises and organizations. In addition, much work related to the production processes is carried out on the industrial spur tracks. As of 1974 there were more than 23,000 points in the USSR where spur tracks connected to general-use railroad stations.