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Yeah you can. RRs are the one transportation mode that can mostly operate crewless given the current state of the tech. Camera in the cab, remote locomotive operator at the management level handling multiple trains over the road through AI assist. It's doable.
From a technology point, yes. But you are overlooking the other components needed to run trains -- track, signals and PTC, a network backbone, locomotives that work, freight cars that are safe to run. Who maintains, inspects, installs, repairs and tests those? Not AI.
This is true, but most of the economy - including vast swaths of the federal government - have outsourced the analogous functions over the last 2 decades. BNSF would love to have a firm fixed price contract for this rather then having to hire and train and run these operations. It makes the accounting easier - and lowers liability costs for the railroads because any failure can be pawned off on contractors.
^^^^^Then think of all the money that will be saved when lineside signals become our generation's steam engines. Tech isn't just supplanting trained staff in the cab.
I was just looking at an article the other day where they were PTC testing functionality where a trains signal was the train ahead EOT position. Basically the railroad equivalent to adaptive cruise control.
... This isn't as cut and dried as you outsider guys think. ...
In my opinion the only thing stopping an agreement is the punitive attendance policy.