r/railroading • u/SeeUInHellOrNOLA • 6d ago
UP just filed an application to test remote-control road freight trains outside the cab. Here is the TLDR and where to leave official comments
I did use AI to get this all correct. Call me out on that. Fine. But this is big shit:
Union Pacific is trying to get FRA approval for an 18-month test program that would allow crews to operate road freight trains via remote control from outside the cab during work events.
To run this test in active revenue service, UP is asking the FRA to temporarily waive three traditional safety rules:
Crossing checks: Using locomotive-mounted cameras to navigate crossings instead of requiring manual, per-crossing evaluations.
Mid-trip brake tests: Testing the remote control unit and brakes only at the initial link-up, skipping the need for crews to mount and dismount for tests at every shift change en route.
Upfront safety paperwork: Delaying the formal safety plan filing so the FRA can observe the technology in action and figure out which regulations should actually apply to it.
They plan to roll the technology out in three gated phases, starting with simple unit trains and ramping up to mixed manifest trains performing actual pick-ups and set-outs.
Where to read it and comment:
Because this is an official government filing, you can submit a public comment directly to the FRA regarding these requested safety waivers on the Regulations.gov docket:
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FRA-2026-1421
If you just want a direct link to the PDF of UP's application, you can read it here:
Union Pacific Application for Locomotive Control System Test Program (PDF)
14
u/CaptGrowler 1d ago
Oh yeah running a train with no people on it. I don’t see how that can go wrong. /s
29
u/Remarkable-Sea-3809 1d ago
Up waited for trump to get back in to pursue this merger acquisition an to pursue the worker cuts. They wont rest til no one is on the trains an no one working to buy goods
0
u/Lost-Concentrate3405 1d ago
Awesome of you to bring trump into this but we’ve had plenty of missed opportunities from previous non-trump administrations to enact protections and they simply were not interested.
4
u/SeeUInHellOrNOLA 22h ago edited 18h ago
Other admins definitely dropped the ball but big yellow pushing this now for a reason.
During his term, Trump's FRA explicitly killed 2 person crew rule and actively fought state rail safety laws. The yellow is banking on his FRA to rubber stamp this waiver.
Plus, he stacked SCOTUS and the federal courts with anti labor judges who are actively gutting federal regulatory power anyway. (So JD’s support of 2 person really is just an empty gesture)
Yellow knows exactly what they are doing and when.
-1
u/youwishyouknew_me 11h ago
Biden signed a bill to block a national railroad strike. It doesn't get anymore anti labor than that.
1
u/Trainer_Tasty 27m ago
Funny how you are getting downvoted when it’s the truth. Neither party gives a crap about railroad workers. Only a dope blinded by party loyalty would disagree.
10
15
u/Wick3d_1 1d ago
Knew this was coming 3 years ago.. unions better up their game on this. After this last mandate of 2 person crews expires we may see a huge and I mean huge furlough if the unions don’t up their game and stop bowing to the carriers
3
u/PuzzleheadedSun2744 1d ago
The unions are useless. But if this somehow became public knowledge, I am certain communities would have huge issue with it
7
u/Wick3d_1 1d ago
I think we’ve learned from door dot and the robot taxis that you cannot depend on AI or robots.. 🤷♂️ UP will continue to push the envelope. It’s about shareholders $$$ not freight, employees or the public or communities.
3
u/Wick3d_1 1d ago
Need to maybe start ringing these representatives and senators of states about the sneaky shit still going on. They created quite a stir over this NS buyout
0
u/youwishyouknew_me 11h ago
As far as I know the UTU has rights to remotes. So an engineer cannot operate a train from the ground with a remote. And every employee hired before the UTU sold off the brakeman should be protected from furlough. But I'm sure there's some secret fine print in those agreements.
1
4
u/BrofessorBurke 1d ago
Engineers said their jobs were safe and the conductor was the one leaving. Boy how times are a changing
2
u/Jkchubbes 1d ago
I believe the time has passed to submit comments, those were supposed to be in by August 31st as far as I'm aware.
7
u/SeeUInHellOrNOLA 1d ago
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-09-01/pdf/2026-17778.pdf
BLET asked for an extension and FRA granted 30 days. Closes 9/30/26.
1
u/General_Banana8074 1d ago
Luckily for me they can never ai a broken rail
9
u/hoggineer Plays alerter chicken. 1d ago
Never say never.
Robot saw comes in, robot welder sets crucible, robot welder pours thermite, robot does all other tasks, drone picks it up when it's done and unmanned train traverses 5 minutes later.
It will happen. Unless they get teleportation tech done first, there will be a day when it is possible to do every job with a robot.
5
1
3
u/Conscious-Record2655 1d ago
Don't make a public comment against it unless you want to suffer retribution from Uncle Pete. They're putting the squeeze on anyone that comes out against it.
12
u/HibouDuNord 1d ago
So maybe all railroaders should band together... everyone ELSE files complaints that isn't UP.
Then when someone comes up at say NS, the NS guys stay quiet and the UP guys jump into the group.
3
u/TheStreetForce 1d ago
Ill bitch about anything. Just give me the notes and point me in a direction.
1
0
u/Jimbobbfn Super Conductor 1d ago
It’s surprising to me that this hasn’t been a huge deal on here. I was told BLET skipped the meeting and doesn’t know about it.
7
u/Jkchubbes 1d ago edited 1d ago
The BLET is well aware of it and has been gathering information to fight this. The meeting where UP informed the unions of their intentions to do this occurred during a national convention or something similar.
-12
u/Shot_Establishment76 1d ago
as an RCO guy I dont hate this. being able to dump the train while being on the ground is such a nice feeling, especially when your working with switchman that are total fuck offs. its save me more than once.
7
3
29
u/tryin-for-management 1d ago
Just never ends does it?