Hand Tied Flies

Why do trains still have engineers?

I know they're there for safety, but can't what they do be automated somehow? I mean, we've got computers flying unmanned airplanes these days. Railroad companies could save millions in salaries and benefits. You'd think they'd look into it. Unless there's a union tying their hands... What do engineers do that computers can't? Any insight would be appreciated.

Despite telemetry and gages to monitor the various systems incorporated on both rolling stock and locomotives, train handling is still very much a "seat of the pants" operation. Unless on board and in the moment one cannot "feel" what the train is doing, which often imparts the most important information that will never be collected by any kind of telemetry or computer.

Often times people develop the impression that since the train needs no steering to stay atop the rails no one need be on board, and that one need only to operate a minimal amount of switches, knobs and levers to run the train. I can assure you that safe, effective and efficient train handling is far more complicated.

Programming is wonderful stuff and lends itself well to automation of many facets of our life. But one must keep in mind that no two trains handle the same, just as no two snow flakes are the same, even though they may have identical tonnage, horse power and number of cars. Once the terrain is learned, one can anticipate what trains tend to do in a certain spot, but it is very general in nature and yet it almost always dictates varying actions to maintain control of the train. And, there are those pushy trains that fight your every action and before the trip is over you must pull all your tricks out of the bag. Those are the trips where an engineer really earns his/her pay.

There is a railroad in Australia that is automated, but it hauls only ore from mining operations, on a railway dedicated to that purpose alone, that is 1000 miles long across the inhospitable, sparsely populated out-back, with fences to keep the track clear, as well as straight as an arrow and flat as a pancake. It is these attributes that allow it to be done in that instance.

And I echo Andy's sentiment. Although the drawbacks are many for railroaders, being a locomotive engineer isn't what you do, it is what you are. It is hard to explain beyond that, but it does get into your blood, and the benefits far exceed the pay. If you've never done it, you cannot appreciate the personal as well as instant gratification felt when you've gotten an uncooperative train that has tested all of your skills to its destination. Even though now enjoying retirement, I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the job.

And, it is a pretty exclusive club when considering that in all north America there are no more the 35 or 40 thousand of us, out of the hundreds of millions in the general populace.

Automation may happen one day but as Andy has said, I'm glad I'll never see it...

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