What? Remote Control Trains?

[tallyho8]

We now have remote controlled trains operating in our area. Any in yours? I wonder how long it will be before they are all remote control.

 

[300UGUY]

Really, why not? It's not like they can stop. We had one hit a car here years ago, I remember from the news that it was going 42 mph, and it took over 1 mile to stop. And that was an emergency stop. The guy he hit died, he ran around the gates delivering a pizza.

 

[RoyJackson]

I have three concerns with remotely controlled vehcles of any sort:
1) If an operator is controlling more then one, he cannot devote his attention to both.
2) Operator inattentiveness...getting a coffee or pop, hitting the head...falling asleep
3) Lag...even "real time" data transfer can experience lag or interference.

Unfortunately, it will likely take a death or other disaster to prove any or all the above.

 

[Scooby074]

Is it a short run, like say between two plants?

Im not sure how much I's like RC trains on mainlines running all over the country.

 

[bcp]

Some train yards have remote controlled unmanned switchers, and freight trains often have remote controlled helpers. No freight trains are unmanned.

Distributed power - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bruce

 

[300UGUY]

I have three concerns with remotely controlled vehcles of any sort:
1) If an operator is controlling more then one, he cannot devote his attention to both.
2) Operator inattentiveness...getting a coffee or pop, hitting the head...falling asleep
3) Lag...even "real time" data transfer can experience lag or interference.

Unfortunately, it will likely take a death or other disaster to prove any or all the above.

I wouldn't be surprised if the first remote control would be in the railyards, making up trains. I think that as of now, a lot of the movement of cargo is done with software, with the computer telling the human operator's where to go, and how fast. I have seen matieral being moved around inside of factories using automated vehicles - they followed a wire buried in the floor, moved slow, and had a bumper system, that once triggered, had to be manually reset to allow it to continue. One thing i've noticed, is that if technology can eliminate jobs, it will.

 

[lockhaven]

i only worry about the origin of the software and electronics that control automated things especially large heavy things like trains. I do not like or trust China they could take over the train traffic and cause and millions in damage and deaths.

 

[RoyJackson]

i only worry about the origin of the software and electronics that control automated things especially large heavy things like trains. I do not like or trust China they could take over the train traffic and cause and millions in damage and deaths.

Or even some guy flying an RC model in a field adjacent to a rail yard!! Wouldn't that be a trip!!!

 

[bcp]

From:
UP: Railroad Terms Glossary

DPU
Distributed Power Unit, a locomotive set capable of remote-control operation in conjunction with locomotive units at the train's head end. DPUs are placed in the middle or at the rear of heavy trains (such as coal, grain, soda ash and even manifest) to help climb steep grades, particularly in the West.
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From:
https://www.bnsf.com/media/news/articles/2005/05/2005_05_23a.html May 23, 2005:

"The cabless hybrid locomotive is an important development for RailPower as we seek to go forward providing product for specific needs of our partners in the railroad industry," said RailPower President and CEO Jim Maier.

"This product, the first of its kind and based on our core hybrid design, is purely for remote control use. The operator will be able to control the locomotive from onboard or trackside using a portable RC system.

"Remote control is a growing trend in switching service as railroads seek to reduce costs and make yards even more efficient. At the beginning of this year, there were an estimated 1,500 systems in use by North American carriers, including 23 U.S. railroads," stated Maier.
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[RoyJackson]

From:
UP: Railroad Terms Glossary

DPU
Distributed Power Unit, a locomotive set capable of remote-control operation in conjunction with locomotive units at the train's head end. DPUs are placed in the middle or at the rear of heavy trains (such as coal, grain, soda ash and even manifest) to help climb steep grades, particularly in the West.

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Yeah, but those units are actually "slaves" to the manned locomotive...not really the same thing, eh?