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French Train Engineering Giant Alstom Testing Automated Freight Train (bbc.com)
French train engineering giant Alstom is to test automated freight trains in the Netherlands this year. From a report: The automated train prototype can travel for about 100km (60 miles) without driver intervention. Automation will free the train driver to focus on supervising the train's progress. The test's purpose is to provide a live demonstration that the train and the signal system can communicate effectively to drive the train. Alstom signed an agreement with the the Dutch infrastructure operator ProRail and Rotterdam Rail Feeding (RRF) to carry out the tests along the Betuweroute -- a 150km double track freight railway line connecting Rotterdam to Germany.
At the commuter train/LRT level, there are many systems that are completely automated - no drivers at all. Granted, the switching isn't too complex, but they can be commanded to switch tracks and manage themselves with supervision done at a central control station.
Operating at the full size train level is only a slightly more complex problem, mostly because now the tracks are owned by many people and you really need to get them all to install a common communication an d signalling system. (Right now trains can be monitored remotely).
The problem with Amtrak is also been solved - the technology has long existed and it's nowadays called Positive Control. The train will periodically beep and the driver has to hit a button. If the driver fails to hit the button, the train is brought to a stop automatically. This helps catch distracted and sleepy drivers.
Even speed limit enforcement has been automated away - if the train is coming too fast for the speed limit, the train automatically slows down. The unions generally hate this as it reduces the driver to a monkey. OTOH, the safety record of these systems is quite stellar, and most rail lines only experience it once before the system is rolled out on all the rolling stock.
Though, the Shinkasen drivers of Japan, where they not only have these systems in place but also very rigorous protocols and how they act (they lift their arms up as if to salute, then point at the control they are going to adjust, then adjust it - it looks like part of a military march) don't seem to be monkeying around, but seem to be very professional about it. Even though there is speed limit enforcement, they still can control the speed of the train, and still can get the train to be within a minute of the stated arrival time, even if weather conditions make it so the train has to slow down (it snows in Japan, too, and the trains have to operate in it at reduced speeds).
I recall talking to a retired mechanical engineer who could not stop complaining about the unions. One example he gave was of an automated system to start the train engines. One might think that turning on a train engine isn't more complicated than starting a car but that's because we've automated starting cars for a long time. Apparently it takes quite a few steps to start a train and because of this the union got it as part of their contracts that all engineers would be paid for this time.
The time to start an engine can vary but the union has stated that despite this varied time the engineer would get paid for the worst case time, and would not be required to move the train until this time has passed. Because of this the rail operators are reluctant to turn off a train engine, preferring to let it sit idle (and burning fuel) than pay an engineer to sit in the cabin to start the engine. So, his company develops a means to cut down the time to start an engine to essentially nothing and they could not sell it because installing this device would upset the union.
That was the reaction to little more than a push button start on a train. Think what kind of fit the unions would throw if any other part of their job was automated.
I used to think that unions were a good thing. I believe that they still can be a good thing. What happens though is unions get rotten, like bread set out too long, and need to be thrown out. If unions could keep things in perspective then they would not have earned the bad name they've made for themselves.