Recently, a video filmed at the Xinfeng Town marshalling yard in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, has garnered widespread attention. In the footage, two freight trains smoothly navigate the tracks in a flexible "snake-like" pattern, resembling a real-life version of the "Snake" game.

This "snake-like movement" is primarily made possible by the diamond-shaped switch system at the marshalling yard. Through a specialised point machine, the switch can quickly transfer trains from one track to another, allowing them to weave freely between tracks. This capability is particularly important in large railway hubs and marshalling yards where frequent direction changes are necessary.

Xinfeng Town marshalling yard, under the jurisdiction of the China Railway Xi'an Group, is a first-class station and one of the busiest marshalling yards in the country. It operates 24 hours a day, with a train departing on average every four minutes. During the Spring Festival travel rush, as of 5 February, the yard had handled 718,000 freight trains, averaging 32,600 trains per day.

The "snake-like movement" captured in the video highlights the efficiency and flexibility of train dispatching at the marshalling yard. Thanks to the application of diamond-shaped switches, trains can run smoothly through the complex rail network, ensuring efficient and safe cargo transport.