ABSTRACT
In a recent effort to reduce operating costs and increase safety and efficiency, U.S. Class I freight railroads (line haul railroads with gross operating revenues above US$277.7 million; Association of American Railroads, 2005) have begun to implement RCL (remote control locomotive) operations in and around railroad switching yards. An RCO (remote control operator) wears a portable operator control unit (OCU; see Figure 8.1), usually by means of a vest (see Figure 8.2), and controls the movement of a locomotive while on the ground or riding the locomotive or rail car. The OCU sends commands via radio frequency to an onboard control computer (OCC) mounted on the locomotive. The OCC, in turn, instructs the locomotive to actuate locomotive functions such as braking, acceleration, and blowing the horn.
