UP GP38-2 812Kansas City KS Kansas City

New Zealand has radio controlled shunting engines, but much smaller size locos. One went for an unexpected swim not so long ago ending up in Picton Harbour! Also Rio Tinto mining in Western Australia, the guys who had the BNSF loco. They’re trains are supposed to be completely automated wth a driver minder I think.

@Kempy72 - In this case, the engineer stays outside the fence and throws turnouts, while the conductor goes inside the industry and does the uncoupling and directing of what goes where, thus saving on crew members needed. At this time, only yard and industry service jobs are using remote control box/packs such as is being used here. Very few totally automated trains exist in the US, and those are only seen in remote areas with little if any contact with the public.

Sounds reasonable. Sydney has a new driverless metro where at the moment there is only 1 line working but more are being constructed. The sad thing is one of the lines soon to be affected is a heavy rail one. The shunting locos in the yards have an Radio controlled operator and several shunters. If the loco has to go any distance then it’s driven from the cab. The Pilbara here in Australia is in the middle of nowhere and each company has its own stand alone network.