science

Remote control locomotive

Remote control locomotive is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Remote control locomotive rather than just read about it. In short: A remote control locomotive (also called an RCL) is a railway locomotive that can be operated with a remote control. It differs from a conventional locomotive in that a remote control system has been installed in one or more locomotives within the consist, which uses either a mechanical or radio transmitter and receiver system.

Key takeaways

Remote control locomotive belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Remote control locomotive to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Remote control locomotive from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A remote control locomotive (also called an RCL) is a railway locomotive that can be operated with a remote control. It differs from a conventional locomotive in that a remote control system has been installed in one or more locomotives within the consist, which uses either a mechanical or radio transmitter and receiver system. The locomotive is operated by a person not physically at the controls within the locomotive cab. They have been in use for many years in the railroad industry, including industrial applications such as bulk material load-out, manufacturing, process and industrial switching. The systems are designed to be fail-safe so that if communication is lost the locomotive is brought to a stop automatically.

History

United Kingdom

One of the earliest remote control locomotives was the GWR autocoach, which replaced steam rail motors on both operational cost and maintenance grounds. When running 'autocoach first', the regulator is operated by a linkage to a rotating shaft running the length of the locomotive, passing below the cab floor. This engages (via a telescopic coupling) with another shaft running the full length below the floor of the autocoach. This shaft is turned by a second regulator lever in the cab of the autocoach. The driver can operate the regulator, brakes and whistle from the far (cab) end of the autocoach; the fireman remains on the locomotive and (in addition to firing) also controls the valve gear settings. The driver can also warn of the train's approach using a large mechanical gong, prominently mounted high on the cab end of the autocoach, which is operated by stamping on a pedal on the floor of the cab. The driver, guard and fireman communicate with each other by an electric bell system.

North America In North America remote controlled locomotives have been in use since the 1980s. In 1988, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a hazard information bulletin regarding their use. By 1999 Canadian National had 115 locomotives equipped with remote control equipment, covering 70% of flat-yard switching and all of its hump yard operations. Canadian National estimated a savings of CA$20 million per year vs. traditional switching operations. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen expressed concerns about remote control locomotives. The union said that remote control locomotives were not as efficient as traditional engineer-in-cab switching operations while being more dangerous. In 2001, the US Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recommended minimal guidelines for the operation of remote control locomotives. Union Pacific developed remote-control enabled locomotives, referred to as control car remote control locomotives (CCRCL). A CCRCL is a stripped-down locomotive fitted with remote control equipment. A CCRCL has no motive power and must be coupled to a standard locomotive.

Present

Modern remote control systems are now based on digital signal technology, with most using time-division multiplexing transmission to cut down on the number of cables or radio bandwidth required for integrated control. The UK's InterCity 125 was the first passenger train to use TDM technology, introduced from 1976 to allow it to control up to eight carriages sandwiched between two Class 43 power cars. Locotrol is a product of GE Transportation that enables distributed power sending signals from the lead locomotive to the remote units via radio control. Locotrol is installed on more than 8,500 locomotives around the world. Users of the system include BHP Iron Ore, Westrail and Aurizon in Australia.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Remote control locomotive

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Remote control locomotive claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Remote control locomotive before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Remote control locomotive ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Remote control locomotive

In research: Remote control locomotive appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Remote control locomotive in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Remote control locomotive is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Locomotives, Radio control, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Remote control locomotive outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Remote control locomotive in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Remote control locomotive means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Remote control locomotive out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Remote control locomotive in simple terms?

Why does Remote control locomotive matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Remote control locomotive?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Remote control locomotive.