H.R.2843 - remote control locomotives and hazardous materials

[The Straight Story]

To prohibit the use of remote control locomotives to carry hazardous materials

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:

(1) In issuing remote control railroad operation guidelines in 2001, the Federal Railroad Administration noted that its `first priority . . . is to ensure that these operations pose no threat to railroad workers or the general public'.

(2) The Nation's freight rail system is relatively open to outside access when compared to the aviation system. Security is provided almost solely by private railroad carriers, and terrorists could easily gain access to a remote control locomotive or an operator control unit and then operate a remote control transmitter controlling a remote control locomotive.

(3) Remote control locomotives carrying hazardous materials in urban areas could be sabotaged or remote control locomotives could be used to cause intentional accidents with other trains, causing loss of life, release of hazardous materials, and the disruption of interstate and international commerce.

(4) Therefore, the risk of terrorists hijacking remote control locomotive operations is far too great in situations where remote control locomotives are carrying hazardous materials.

http://www.congress.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.2843:

[koopie57]

1. I've been in the yard while these remote control engines

were operating and I could not believe what I saw. It frightened me to see this train moving around and no one in the engine itself, watching what was going on in front of it. They do go slow, but I don't know how the operator can possible see everything going on around it. Plus there is only one guy out there. He could get clunked on the head accidently or on purpose. The train hits a downhill stretch and it could quickly gather speeds to make it dangerous. Or someone could throw a switch and the trains derails with who knows what is all aboard.

And now they only have the Freddies at the end of the train, no cabooses. No one can watch for hot boxes, fire, what you hit and they are thinking about only having one engineer and no conductor. What if the engineer has a heart attack or something and the train is going 60 mph. It is just really stupid, IMHO.

[Debs]

3. I have been a conductor on the Railroad for 28 years

I obviously dont want to see conductor only, I think it is a ways off yet. As for no one looking for hot boxes that is true however every 15 miles or so along the route there are machines that measure the temperature of each wheel that goes by. If an engineer were to have a heart attack, the engine would stop if something isnt done like a change of throttle position of blow the horn or hitting a certain button the air brakes automatically set.

[koopie57]

4. you have way more faith in the railroad

than most. Good luck!

[Dr.Phool]

2. It's not as easy as it sounds

You have several different channels on both the locomotive and the box that have to be synchronized. If the receiver on the locomotive picks up 2 signals, the emergency brakes apply.

Also, the units I used had a range of approx. 27 car lengths, or about 1300 feet. Exceed that, and the brakes apply again.

on edit: Also if the remote control box is tilted more than 60 degrees, the brakes apply. And you can work your train brakes (on the cars)through the box.