sivupolulle

Sivupolulle is a Finnish railway term that describes diverting a train to a sidetrack or siding rather than continuing on the main line. The word is formed from sivu meaning side and polulle, the illative form of polku meaning path or route, literally “onto the sidetrack.” In practice, sivupolulle refers to a controlled routing instruction issued by a dispatcher or automatic signaling system to move a unit to a parallel track.

Usage and context

Sivupolulle is used in situations where it is necessary to separate traffic for safety or efficiency. Common scenarios include passing maneuvers in yards, maintenance work on the main line, trains blocked by an incident, or when storage of rolling stock is required. The operation relies on proper signaling, switch alignment (vaihteen asento), and appropriate speed restrictions to ensure safe entry to and exit from the siding and to prevent conflicts at junctions with the main track.

Relation to other terms

The concept corresponds to the English phrase “divert to a siding.” In Finnish railway practice, sivupolulle often appears in dispatcher instructions, driver communications, and operational manuals. It is closely linked to related concepts such as sivurata or sivukisko, which refer to the physical siding itself, as well as general rail traffic management and yard operations.

See also

Siding, rail operations, railway signaling, dispatcher communications, turnout switch.