Freight rail accidents in the U.S. are now lower with two people in a locomotive crew — a conductor and an engineer — than 30 years ago when three or more crewmembers operated a train. How has this been accomplished? By a massive infusion in infrastructure and technology investments from the railroads, which in recent years has averaged well above $23 billion annually over the past five years. The Federal Railroad Administration cites five technological breakthroughs that have spurred the reduction of required crew members:

• The phase-out of steam locomotives, which meant that locomotives could be operated without a dedicated crew for keeping the engine fed with coal.
• The introduction of portable radios, which made it easier to transmit information from a crewmember at the far end of a train to the leading end.
• Development of the end-of-train device replaced the need for crewmembers to be at the rear of a train on a caboose to monitor brake pipe pressure.
• Advances in remotely controlled locomotive operations, which means that only one person is required for switching services in many instances.
• Advanced train control provides for automated operations in case of human error.

Railroads continue to introduce new technology — especially in a push for safety improvements. For example, in the last several years, drones (also known as unmanned aerial vehicles) have been introduced to inspect bridges and tracks in remote locations. Advanced sonar technologies ensure the integrity of rail track as they search for micro-fissures before they threaten safety. Specialized imaging devices detect defects on passing rail cars and allow ground crews to schedule preventative maintenance. Underground fiber optics cables listen to the sound waves of passing trains and monitor safety in real-time.

PTC drives the next big advancement in rail staffing.

One of freight rail’s most recent technological advances is Positive Train Control (PTC), a high-tech safety system that monitors the speed and movement of trains and can automatically stop a train to prevent certain human-error accidents. PTC consists of three main elements integrated by a wireless data communications system that moves massive amounts of information back and forth between back-office servers, trackside equipment and computers on board locomotives. These three elements include:

• An on-board or locomotive system monitors a train’s position and speed and activates brakes as necessary to enforce speed restrictions and prevent unauthorized train movements,
• A trackside system monitors railroad track signals, switches and track to communicate data needed to permit the on-board system to authorize train movement,
• Back-office servers store all information related to the rail network and trains operating across it, such as speed restrictions, train movement authorizations, train compositions, and transmits this information to individual locomotive on-board systems.

PTC is operating on 100% of those route miles designated for PTC, across the industry’s national network. This state-of-the-art system opens the door to a new era of safety and efficiency improvement.

PTC transforms the role of the conductor.

Redeploying conductors to new ground-based positions will safely meet the industry’s operational and service requirements while providing conductors with higher quality-of-life jobs. It is important to note that while conductors and engineers both occupy the cab of a locomotive, the conductor’s role is not akin to co-pilots of a commercial aircraft.

There is only one full set of operating controls in a locomotive, placed at the engineer’s stand, and a conductor is usually prohibited by law from operating a train (except in a circumstance where the conductor may also be a certified locomotive engineer who is qualified on the territory). Over the last 40 years, the conductor has served two primary roles in freight operations:

• First, as an in-cab observer/recorder to call out signals and record directives from the dispatcher in support of the engineer, who operates the locomotive,
• Second, as a ground service employee to assist with planned or unplanned work events along the train’s route.

Today, the PTC system can safely perform in-cab observer/recorder functions allowing conductors to focus on ground-based responsibilities. Furthermore, other long-existing technologies on board U.S. freight trains — sometimes called an “alerter” system — already guard against any potential incapacitation of the engineer by requiring the locomotive engineer to take specific action at set intervals.

More responsive service.

In many cases, a ground-based conductor will be able to service a train more promptly by positioning in advance or responding directly to the specific location where service is needed on a train. Presently, a conductor riding in the locomotive cab must walk back to the location on a train — sometimes long distances behind the locomotive — where service is needed. Trucks that drive on railroad tracks (a highway-to-rail or “hi-rail vehicle”) will also allow ground-based conductors to drive directly to a train’s location on the track.

A better quality of life.

A ground-based role produces a more predictable, consistent and higher quality-of-life position with many ground-based conductors assigned to specific regions and shifts, like other railroad employees such as signalmen and track maintenance employees.

Freight railroads put employee safety first.

The conductor’s role has evolved as rail technology has been developed, including migrating to the locomotive cab only when the caboose was eliminated. This new development, promoted by the implementation of PTC, is a natural continuation of that evolution. Freight railroads plan to thoughtfully initiate single-person crews only in the regions where such operations are best suited and on main lines only on those stretches of rail where PTC is operating.

Safety is the industry’s foremost responsibility. The safety technology to support single-person crews exists today, and freight railroads will continue to strive toward a zero-accident future while modernizing their operations to meet the nation’s economic needs.