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.
------------------
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.
--------------

 

[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.

--------------

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

 

[Cub 7274]

remote control Locomotives are controlled by remote boxes carried by both men usually a "yard" crew who have control over the engine
They are usually used in yards to make up trains but can also be used in industrial switching
They cannot exceed 15mph and will only move when instructed by the box
I used these Locomotives for several years while working for CN they are pretty fool proof but things can happen
Just a way to reduce money as no Engineer is required but it takes MUCH longer to do the same switching without one

 

[Travelover]

That's nuthin'. I've seen cars operated by teenagers that have to get their driving instruction via text - or so it seems.

 

[chucko]

How does it differ from an autopilot on a boat or a ship? Everyone seems fine with them. Where are they made?
Just telling to go from one GPS waypoint to the next and at what speed

 

[300UGUY]

That's nuthin'. I've seen cars operated by teenagers that have to get their driving instruction via text - or so it seems.

yep!!!

 

[Localmotion]

The Docklands Light Railway in London has been automated for years. Most services still have an attendant on board - but they rarely "drive", instead wandering the trains and the only thing I every saw them do was to control how long the doors stayed open!

Docklands Light Railway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Seem's to make sense to me - as long as the safety systems are in place, it should be safer than manned trains - less chance of driver error...?

 

[Localmotion]

Volvo tests driverless cars on Spanish roads - YouTube

Driverless cars - now that does worry me! What happens when the lead veicle decides to overtake, or some muppet does a u-turn?! :confused2:

 

[bcp]

Driverless cars may already be operating in Nevada:

Eric Schmidt: Google Self-Driving Cars Should Become The Predominant Mode Of Transport In Our Lifetime | TechCrunch

Although, Schmidt says the cars are not ready for productization. Part of the problem involves the legality of the cars, themselves. So far, Nevada is the only state in America to approve the cars.

Schmidt was blunt about another technicality involving the problems of getting the cars on the road, stating: The current biggest problem is that it runs at the speed limit and nobody drives at the speed limit. Although Google has cars that don't worry about that at all, having produced self-driving race cars and racing them on their own track in an undisclosed location, where the car would race human-driven cars, and win.

Bruce

 

[weedpharma]

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.

At a crossing in Port Hedland (north west Australia), there was a sign sayng "Our trains take 5 minutes to pass this point, if your car is there or not." This was at the port iron ore train unloading site.

Weedpharma