Which term describes a switch defined by a yellow switch stand?

• A. Automatic Safety Switch
• B. Derail
• C. Slow Speed
• D. Crossover

Answer: (C)

Slow speed through a turnout is indicated by a yellow switch stand. The color coding signals the engineer to reduce speed and proceed with extra caution because the turnout requires tighter control, tighter alignment, or conditions that demand careful handling rather than normal through-tracks speed. This helps ensure safe passage through the switch, especially where sightlines, alignment, or adjacent track situations could create a risk at higher speeds.

The other terms describe different concepts: an automatic safety switch is a device that automatically routes trains to a safe path under automatic conditions; a derail is a safety feature designed to deliberately uncouple a train from a track to prevent a derailment on a restricted piece of track; a crossover refers to a pair of switches that lets a train move from one track to another. None of those are defined by a yellow switch stand in the same way that slow speed through a turnout is.