And here is the UP yard office where all of this was taking place. Sorry for the stupid question, but is this how all yard switching works? I always thought that they would back the cars up into position, unhook, then move forward, switch tracks, back the cars up into position, unhook them, etc, etc.
I am amazed to see the engines gaining some limited momentum, then literally pushing the cars off the locos onto the tracks free-wheeling. I'm not sure how they unhooked them -- maybe they unhooked them before they started backing up then stopped the engine all of a sudden which would send the cars rolling on. I'd be curious what others have seen around their yards.
Anyway, here is the UP yard office.