I know we already have remote controlled locomotives in yards. Will freights be automated ?

Question

I am almost thinking this is where things are headed. Is machine intelligence approaching the point where crews on the head end will be a thing of the past?

Answer 1

I seriously doubt they will ever make road freights remote controlled, Main reason is they have not done so well with RCL switches, Last Year alone there were several hundred reports of rcl related derailments. Besides say the battery pack fails what will happen if there is not a crew on board?

Answer 2

At some point in time the carriers will make every attempt to shove this dangerous technology down our collective throats unless people speak up to prevent it.

The DPU's are already in operation and have been for quite some time, but, though remotely controlled, they are operated by the engineer on the head end. Call it "local management", if you will.

Electronic devices and contrivances can, will and do fail. Train handling is more dynamic than what today's technology can duplicate and can never be programmed for "seat of the pants" train handling, where the engineer can react to what he "feels' the train doing.  This doesn't show up an any gages on the control stand, either. It comes only from experience.

Answer 3

Not for many years. Remote control on a road engine would be as bad as a 747 with no pilot.