I bet we don't see that ruling on UP's home page...
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The Rio Tinto Australian ore train runs one specific route in the middle of nowhere. Can you name a train in the US that never goes through populated areas? The comparison between the US and Australia are very different. Computers run on programs, not instinct. The track that the Rio Tinto runs on is closely monitored and maintained with the highest of standards. I do agree with you on the fact that there are safety considerations. The assumption that this will be the "norm", in 10-15 years is pretty bold. The locomotives in the US would need similar systems that passenger jets use. That's probably the best example of how the automated trains will be in 10-15 years. Passenger jets can fly themselves from point A to point B, but the US still requires pilots to be on-board for intervention purposes. Trains have the ability to level cities if they leave the rails. I'm not trying to argue with anyone, but unmanned trains are not going to happen as soon as you think or "read" about.
Fully automated trains will be here when autonomous truck are on the road. This technology is closer than you might think. This will be the norm in 10-15 years. If you don’t think so research the technology and what Google and others are doing in this field. In Australia they run some trains remotely already in the outback area. There are many safety considerations in the US to be addressed, but if trucks are on the highway without drivers the politicians will allow trains to do the same.
So does this mean that the train crew is going to stop screwing other crafts when the contracts are up? Ya right
Need 1 man crews.. Conductor maybe does 30 min of work, on a 12 hr trip?
I cannot believe some of my comments were approved for the StraightUP articles hehe. But if the company was smart they'd listen to a lot of the commenters, there was some damn solid information in many of them. A real ground level reality check if they were smart enough to learn from it...but they ain't
Yeah probably not. I'm still waiting to hear about the What'sUP articles that were supposed to be coming out and never did. They should bring back the StraightUP articles though. It was incredibly entertaining reading the comments that verbally abused management in every way possible. That was some good f—ng reading.
Even if the UP wants full automation, then there's going to be significant investments needed to achieve what will more than likely be required. A fully automated rail industry is still years away from happening, regardless of opinion or what the news is reporting. It's not going to be as simple as installing another computer on the locomotives, pulling people off, and away they go. This posting title proves that. If they denied the RR's one person crews now, then I doubt they're going to give the go ahead on unmanned trains.
Within a couple agreements? Try next agreement. Company will offer something nauseating, guaranteeing two person crews only for hazardous materials trains, and the union will strongly suggest to sign it because it could be much worse.
Dispatch the HR and legal teams for public relations cleanup!!
Nothing to celebrate this article is where they all are going. Within the next two agreements
https://www.post-gazette.com/business/tech-news/2021/02/21/North-Shore-Wabtec-full-automation-railroads-safety-positive-train-control-human-error/stories/202102180186
When is the straight up truth article coming out explaining UP wanted two man crews all along?
Thanks California.
That's great news! The only problem I see now, is what will they do now that they were denied that move? They'll figure out how to bone the rest of the employees to get their way. That leadership needs to go, and get ANYONE in that chair who actually knows what railroading is all about. Find someone who cares about the employees, customers, and the business. I would've included the shareholders, but I have zero respect for them. They made their money at the cost of people's jobs. The employees are p-ss-d off, the customers are p-ss-d off, and the company is falling apart. I seriously thought that it never would've gotten that bad there. Maybe now the right people will open their eyes and see how bad it really is
Good news folks. This is a win for blue collar people!
Uh oh Lance gonna cry himself to sleep