I didn't know this and I'm not sure if anyone else does or not but last week I went to hang out with the club and play trains and one of our guys brought in afolded up laminated folded up card thing with KCS on it. I came to find out KCS is now running crewless trains. It started on the Meridian speed way. These trains are tracked by normal GPS and CTC systems but there is not a soul on board any of these trains, not even a guy with a RC pack on his chest to control it or ride to keep an eye on things. A system much like DCC is being used through the track and signals sent though the rail's are what controls the trains. Really neat how it works. Now they have to remove all grade crossing's and either make them go over or under the track sense no one is there to control the train therefore no accidents can happen except out of stupidity of playing on the tracks. If anyone has any other information on this please share. Thanks.
Hmmmmmmm............that's news to me, as I monitor the kcsnotes group in Yahoo, and I haven't heard of any crewless trains being run. While KCS may be trying out RC packs, I seriously doubt the Meridian Speedway has any crewless freights. Perhaps pics of moving trains on the Speedway (not parked, but moving) with no sign of crew onboard the lead locomotive would suffice as proof. Sounds more like a myth to me..............
This does not sound logical, especially out on the road with hundreds of miles of unprotected ROW where anything could occur. First, I doubt if the STB would ever approve this with today's technology, maybe after 10-20 years of testing. Second, it would open KCS to untold lawsuits, regardless if they were justified.
Are you sure he meant Kansas City Southern? This sounds more like the Kansas City Royals to me. Charlie
Big difference- KCS is hitting on all cylinders, business-wise. The Royals couldn't hit their collective rear ends with both hands.
Slightly off topic, I have seen MANY KCS's around the Denton and Frisco area as of late... where as in the previous 3 years, I haven't seen them at all. Did they get rail-rights recently?
