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| Re: Automated Trains Coming (1166381) | |||
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Re: Automated Trains Coming |
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Posted by Jersey Mike on Fri Jul 13 07:44:23 2012, in response to Automated Trains Coming, posted by WillD on Fri Jul 13 02:23:49 2012. *Yawn* Been there, done that.. Captive mining railroads have special operating circumstances that regular railroads do not enjoy. Train weight is not what makes automating freight trains difficult, it is train inconsistency. A 75 car fully loaded ore train will behave the same way day in, day out just like a 75 car empty ore train. The Hamersley & Robe River railway is completely isolated, it carries only these massive ore trainsets back and forth between the mines and the docks. You won't have trains with 15 loaded oil cars, 23 empty hi-cube box cars, 4 autoracks, 6 intermodal flats, 45 municipal waste cars, etc.The signaling technology isn't what is at issue here. Ansaldo STS = US&S and most of this "technology" was probably developed in Pittsburgh. If a train has consistent handling characteristics when it is absolutely not a difficult task to automate. In addition to an even car loading profile you need consistent braking, which is why they are fitting Electrically Controlled Pneumatic braking. Unfortunately ECP is not practical for a general purpose freight network as seen in both the United States and the rest of Australia. ECP is very expensive and requires more advanced maintenance which will be hard to carry out anywhere you have cars being interchanged between railroads and sitting around rusting on industrial sidings. Second these ore trains are in a very high margin service. They roll 24/7 transporting goods that are seeing unprecedented demand on global markets. A hi-cube box car hauling newsprint to a local publishing facility is not in a high margin service that can justify the expense of ECP braking. Also don't forget that the Hamersley & Robe River railway, in addition to the QNS&L run through Max Mad country with few grade crossings and few local residents. Because ore trainsets are never uncoupled while in transit you don't need a second crew-member. Anyway, why don't you go learn how trains work before you go spreading your "let's make everything rapid transit" gospel. Let's see what happens when one of your light weight DMU's mixes it up with a (potentially) driverless freight train. Oooo, not so great. |
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