But the article mentions that the maximum utilization of a rail line is currently limited by how close trains can follow one another safely.
Back in the 90's, Wisconsin Central was a major freight railroad in the midwest (I don't know if it still is), and was trying really hard to be allowed to automate most of its freight lines.
Part of the problem was that for legal reasons, it had to convince every little town along the way to buy into the idea of automated freight trains rolling through their towns. I went to a bunch of public hearings about it.
At the time, WC had already reduced its trains to one or two humans (I think just one), and it was really easy for local politicians to envision a voter's car being struck by a train at a crossing and dragged for 500 miles, since there was no engineer to see it happen.
WC's response was that it was already running automated freight trains in New Zealand with no problems because they had cameras on board.
It then mentioned that with automated trains, it could run more trains closer together. If you've ever lived near a railroad, whether small town or big city, stalled freight trains blocking grade crossings are a major problem. So the little towns didn't like hearing that automation meant more trains.
I don't know what the status is today, but by the time I left the midwest, WC had instead shelled out the money to upgrade the tracks and grade crossings through the little towns so that it could plow trains through without slowing down, achieving the efficiency it was looking for, without resorting to automation.
Wisconsin Central was my local railroad growing up, and they've since been bought out by Canadian National (in 2001). When I look at documentary footage from the 90s or before of trains coming through my town it's obvious how much effort they put into upgrading the tracks and removing as many grade crossings as they could. Driving a few extra blocks to get to a crossing was annoying when I lived on the other side of the tracks, but I can definitely appreciate the improved safety and increased speed of the trains compared to when Wisconsin Central originally took over the rickety old Chicago Nortwestern (/Fox River Valley RR) and Soo trackage. CN can speed trains through town at 35MPH so it's not usually too long of a wait.
Back in the 90's, Wisconsin Central was a major freight railroad in the midwest (I don't know if it still is), and was trying really hard to be allowed to automate most of its freight lines.
Part of the problem was that for legal reasons, it had to convince every little town along the way to buy into the idea of automated freight trains rolling through their towns. I went to a bunch of public hearings about it.
At the time, WC had already reduced its trains to one or two humans (I think just one), and it was really easy for local politicians to envision a voter's car being struck by a train at a crossing and dragged for 500 miles, since there was no engineer to see it happen.
WC's response was that it was already running automated freight trains in New Zealand with no problems because they had cameras on board.
It then mentioned that with automated trains, it could run more trains closer together. If you've ever lived near a railroad, whether small town or big city, stalled freight trains blocking grade crossings are a major problem. So the little towns didn't like hearing that automation meant more trains.
I don't know what the status is today, but by the time I left the midwest, WC had instead shelled out the money to upgrade the tracks and grade crossings through the little towns so that it could plow trains through without slowing down, achieving the efficiency it was looking for, without resorting to automation.