juniata guy posted:Sam:
I’m not sold on a single crewman even if it’s something like a coal train. My main concern is task overload of an engineer.
With the proliferation of distributed power now, an engineer has to juggle two and sometimes three different sets of power located at different points within the train. Add to that the tasks currently being handled by the conductor such as calling and recording signal indications; keeping track of speed restrictions or MOW; and copying and repeating any track warrants and it is placing too much on a single individual to deal with during a 12 hour shift - day or night, in all kinds of weather. Throw in a stuck brake, pulled knuckle or parted air hose - things a conductor would ordinarily walk the train to locate, identify the problem and make a repair and you’ve got the perfect way to tie up the railroad.
And I realize Trip Optimizer and PTC will in theory address some of the train handling issues as well as the need to call and record signals or keep track of speed restrictions but; PTC is not required on every mile of railroad in this country and I’ve heard too many anecdotal comments concerning the shortcomings of Trip Optimizer to believe either can overcome my concerns.
The main reason given by the railroads for wanting to reduce crew size to a single individual is to reduce cost and stay ahead of the possible loss of business to lower cost autonomous trucks. Personally; I think this is a specious argument. Spend any time trackside or viewing Virtual Railfan and you see countless very long double stack trains. I would conservatively guess that a 10,000 foot double stack train carries the equivalent of around 300 containers. Now imagine putting 20 or 30 times that number of additional trucks on the road and the congestion on our interstates right now would quickly shift to gridlock.
In my mind, the ONLY way autonomous trucking can work is if these trucks are restricted to dedicated rights of way. And we already have those dedicated rights of way - they are called railroads.
And I apologize for the digression into rail economics.
Curt
