A remote control locomotive (also called an RCL) is a

railway Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...

locomotive A locomotive or engine is a rail transport vehicle that provides the Power (physics), motive power for a train. If a locomotive is capable of carrying a payload, it is usually rather referred to as a multiple unit, Motor coach (rail), motor ...

that can be operated with a

remote control In electronics, a remote control (also known as a remote or clicker) is an electronic device used to operate another device from a distance, usually wirelessly. In consumer electronics, a remote control can be used to operate devices such as ...

. It differs from a conventional

in that a

system has been installed in one or more locomotives within the consist, which uses either a mechanical or radio transmitter and receiver system. The locomotive is operated by a person not physically located at the controls within the confines of the locomotive cab. They have been in use for many years in the railroad industry, including industrial applications such as bulk material load-out, manufacturing, process and industrial switching. The systems are designed to be

fail-safe In engineering, a fail-safe is a design feature or practice that in the event of a specific type of failure, inherently responds in a way that will cause minimal or no harm to other equipment, to the environment or to people. Unlike inherent safe ...

so that if communication is lost the locomotive is brought to a stop automatically.

History

United Kingdom

One of the earliest remote control locomotives was the

GWR Autocoach The GWR Autocoach (or auto-trailer) is a type of coach that was used by the Great Western Railway for push-pull trains powered by a steam locomotive. The distinguishing design feature of an autocoach is the driving cab at one end, allowing ...

, which replaced the

GWR steam rail motors The steam rail motors (SRM) were self-propelled carriages operated by the Great Western Railway in England and Wales from 1903 to 1935. They incorporated a steam locomotive within the body of the carriage. History In the first years of the twe ...

on both operational cost and maintenance grounds. When running 'autocoach first', the regulator is operated by a linkage to a rotating shaft running the length of the locomotive, passing below the cab floor. This engages (via a telescopic coupling) with another shaft running the full length below the floor of the autocoach. This shaft is turned by a second regulator lever in the cab of the autocoach. The driver can operate the regulator, brakes and

whistle A whistle is an instrument which produces sound from a stream of gas, most commonly air. It may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means. Whistles vary in size from a small slide whistle or nose flute type to a larg ...

from the far (cab) end of the autocoach; the fireman remains on the locomotive and (in addition to firing) also controls the

valve gear The valve gear of a steam engine is the mechanism that operates the inlet and exhaust valves to admit steam into the cylinder and allow exhaust steam to escape, respectively, at the correct points in the cycle. It can also serve as a reversing ...

settings. The driver can also warn of the train's approach using a large mechanical gong, prominently mounted high on the cab end of the autocoach, which is operated by stamping on a pedal on the floor of the cab. The driver, guard and fireman communicate with each other by an electric bell system.

North America

In North America remote controlled locomotives have been in use since the 1980s. In 1988, the US

Occupational Safety and Health Administration The Occupational Safety and Health Administration'' (OSHA ) is a large regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. Congress established the agenc ...

issued a hazard information bulletin regarding their use. By 1999

Canadian National The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I railroad, Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern United States, M ...

had 115 locomotives equipped with remote control equipment, covering 70% of flat-yard switching and all of its

hump yard A classification yard ( American and Canadian English ( Canadian National Railway use)), marshalling yard (British, Hong Kong, Indian, Australian, and Canadian English ( Canadian Pacific Railway use)) or shunting yard (Central Europe) is a railwa ...

operations. Canadian National estimated a savings of CA$20 million per year vs. traditional switching operations. The

Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) is a labor union founded in Marshall, Michigan, on 8 May 1863 as the Brotherhood of the Footboard. It was the first permanent trade organization for railroad workers in the US. A year late ...

expressed concerns about remote control locomotives. The union said that remote control locomotives were not as efficient as traditional engineer-in-cab switching operations while being more dangerous. In 2001, the US

Federal Railroad Administration The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966. The purpose of the FRA is to promulgate and enforce rail saf ...

(FRA) recommended minimal guidelines for the operation of remote control locomotives.

Union Pacific The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...

and

BNSF BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that ...

developed remote-control enabled locomotives referred to as control car remote control locomotives (CCRLs). A CCRCL is a stripped-down locomotive fitted with remote control equipment. A CCRCL has no motive power and must be coupled to a standard locomotive.

Present

Modern remote control systems are now based on digital signal technology, with most using

Time-division multiplexing Time-division multiplexing (TDM) is a method of transmitting and receiving independent signals over a common signal path by means of synchronized switches at each end of the transmission line so that each signal appears on the line only a fracti ...

transmission to cut-down on the number of cables or radio bandwidth required for integrated control. The UK's

InterCity 125 The InterCity 125 (originally Inter-City 125New trai ...

was the first passenger train to use TDM technology, introduced from 1976 to allow it to control up to eight carriages sandwiched between two Class 43

power car In rail transport, the expression power car may refer to either of two distinct types of rail vehicle: *a vehicle that propels, and commonly also controls, a passenger train, multiple unit or tram, often as the lead vehicle; *a vehicle equipped ...

Locotrol Locotrol is a product of GE Transportation that permits railway locomotives to be distributed throughout the length of a train ( distributed power). It is installed on more than 17,000 locomotives around the world, sending signals from the lead loc ...

is a product of

GE Transportation GE Transportation is a division of Wabtec. It was known as GE Rail and owned by General Electric until sold to Wabtec on February 25, 2019. The organization manufactures equipment for the railroad, marine, mining, drilling and energy generation ...

that enables

distributed power In rail transport, distributed power (DP) is a generic term referring to the physical distribution—at intermediate points throughout the length of a train—of separate motive power groups. Such "groups" may be single units or multiple consist ...

sending signals from the lead locomotive to the remote units via radio control. Locotrol is installed on more than 8,500 locomotives around the world. Users of the system include BHP Iron Ore,

Westrail Western Australian Government Railways (WAGR) was the operator of railway services in the state of Western Australia between October 1890 and June 2003. Owned by the state government, it was renamed a number of times to reflect extra responsi ...

and

Aurizon Aurizon ( ) is a freight rail transport company in Australia, formerly named QR National. it was the world’s largest rail transporter of coal from mine to port. Formerly a Queensland Government-owned company, it was privatised and floated o ...

in Australia.

References

{{Reflist, 30em Locomotives Radio control

History

United Kingdom

North America

Present

See also

References