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US mulls 2-man rail crews while researching driverless trucks
US RAILWAYs and US railway unions are divided on freight train manning scales with labour organisations wanting a minimum of two men aboard each train while rail operators would be happy with one or none.
"We should allow technology to take us where it will," said Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz, who said it would be happy with one man or none one day.
Labour makes a plea for safety. John Risch, of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation union says it is important to have someone double-check work and keep colleagues alert.
"I've worked as an engineer for 30 years and there ain't no way I'm going out there by myself," he said.
Big on safety, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) wants a two man rule on freights and plans public hearings on the proposed regulation on July 15.
Many local governments support them, reports Bloomberg. The Georgia Municipal Association also wants two man crews.
But the freight rail industry says the safety argument is bogus, saying there's no data linking crew numbers with safety.
Train accidents fell 78 per cent since 1980 as railways reduce crews from five to two, according to the rail association. Many European freight railways use one man crews, and Rio Tinto in Australia has automated trains.
Ironically, while federal rail authorities are mulling a two man minimum, the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration has embraced the concept of autonomous vehicles.
This will include trucks hauling freight and plans to spend US$3.9 billion over a decade to foster driverless technology.
"If that's happening in one mode, why are they coming out with the regulation that locks us into two people in the cab?" said Association of American Railroads president Ed Hamberger.
"We should allow technology to take us where it will," said Union Pacific CEO Lance Fritz, who said it would be happy with one man or none one day.
Labour makes a plea for safety. John Risch, of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation union says it is important to have someone double-check work and keep colleagues alert.
"I've worked as an engineer for 30 years and there ain't no way I'm going out there by myself," he said.
Big on safety, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) wants a two man rule on freights and plans public hearings on the proposed regulation on July 15.
Many local governments support them, reports Bloomberg. The Georgia Municipal Association also wants two man crews.
But the freight rail industry says the safety argument is bogus, saying there's no data linking crew numbers with safety.
Train accidents fell 78 per cent since 1980 as railways reduce crews from five to two, according to the rail association. Many European freight railways use one man crews, and Rio Tinto in Australia has automated trains.
Ironically, while federal rail authorities are mulling a two man minimum, the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration has embraced the concept of autonomous vehicles.
This will include trucks hauling freight and plans to spend US$3.9 billion over a decade to foster driverless technology.
"If that's happening in one mode, why are they coming out with the regulation that locks us into two people in the cab?" said Association of American Railroads president Ed Hamberger.
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