Llandudno railway station

[Ian]

    The same way automated landing systems cope with foggy airports.

I can't see how that is a correct analogy. How can a driver-less train detect, say, a sleeper placed on the line half a mile away and be able to slow down in time to avoid hitting it? Some trains do travel considerably faster than coaches, after all.

Through radar on the train. Pretty simple tech, actually.  Oh, and Planes travel a tad faster than trains... 

[Ian]

I thought you did need some form of licensing to carry paying passengers?

Checked it out, and it seems that it's insurance you can't get if you don't have  some form of nautical qualification.

[DaveR]

    The same way automated landing systems cope with foggy airports.

I can't see how that is a correct analogy. How can a driver-less train detect, say, a sleeper placed on the line half a mile away and be able to slow down in time to avoid hitting it? Some trains do travel considerably faster than coaches, after all.

Through radar on the train. Pretty simple tech, actually.

It would seem not, really:

The radar-based adaptive cruise-control systems fitted to most luxury cars these days could conceivably be adapted to trains, but the massive time and distance needed to slow the train means there’s no effective way such a system could see far enough ahead to react in time. And there are just too many things that can obstruct the track.

“You don’t have rights-of-way that are completely sealed,” Dr. Clarke says. “There are no grade crossings, there’s no pedestrian access. It’s hard to detect a car stuck on the rails or a pedestrian on the tracks. You really need a human operator to deal with those systems.”

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2013/04/why-arent-trains-autonomous/

[Ian]

Yet, curiously, the article is headed "It’s Not a Lack of Technology That’s Keeping Trains From Going Driverless".  But the article writer takes a simplistic view, talking only about radar-based adaptive cruise-control systems fitted to most luxury cars these days and not the highly sophisticated radar and algorithmic software used in aircraft and Maglev trains. and has failed to take into account the ultra high speed train systems, such as Maglev, TGV and even HS1 where the speed of the train is far too great to be left in the hands of a human, whose reaction time is simply too slow.  Quite a few of those commenting at the end of the article also take issue with the writer, as I'm sure you noticed...

Back in 2011 the International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research published papers on FIS (Fuzzy Inference Systems) and EM (Environment management). Radar software can be employed which 'reads' the track clearly for much further ahead than a human and can discern differences between rubbish dumped on the line and the clean track.   Additionally, all high speed tracks currently operating are highly maintained, separated from roads and other 'risky' areas and devoid of crossings and most points.  If you isolate the tracks and ensure they're highly maintained and exhibit a distinctive radar and electro-mechanical profile, then trains can run autonomously.

And don't forget: at 130 mph the average human driver is covering almost 200 feet per second and certainly can't see detail as far ahead as a top-rated radar system. The human eye is sensitive, but the brain is easily fooled and we can only judge distance up to about 60 feet, without something on which to base scale, and even then we're easily fooled.

Finally, don't forget that we see everything upside down and depend on our brains to rectify the inversion. But, as I've shown, brains are easily fooled...

[Michael]

    Your last sentence. Is that why I stare into my half empty glass of beer? Upside down it might be full

[Bigmurph]

Well after all this talk about buses,coaches trains and even boats I am sure they all offer different challenges and skills to drive and steer, mike u really did start something here I wouldn't mind I only mentioned floodlights just a quick update there will be no night shifts this week our new steelwork will not arrive till next week .

[hollins]

Bigmurph, It is so kind of you to keep everyone updated the way you do. You are a credit to the company you work for.
Good luck with the work. We passed by yesterday and saw what an enormous job it is.

[Cambrian]

Thanks for getting us back track Hollins (!).  I too am grateful to Bigmurph and SDQ for their useful and sensible comments to keep us up-dated on the project.  What we need now is for the operators to stop reducing the services year by year.

[Bigmurph]

Thank you both for your kind words its a  team effort ,we will get there in the end and it will be nice when its finished.

[Michael]

   And please don't forget Mollys Cafe outside.

   They have had a tough time whilst this work has been going on.  Yes, they gained a lot of customers from the site workers who used it. On the downside they lost virtually all their limited parking space, and an awful lot of their daily customers used to arrive in a car. Including the most important one ---- ME   Mike

[Ian]

I'd add my thanks to you, BM:  good of you to take the time and keep us up to date.

[Bigmurph]

1st nightshift was worked last night all went to plan we erected 2 main columns and also 2 new lattice beams tonight 2 large sections of the steelwork will be erected if the wind isn't to strong.

[Bigmurph]

Nightshifts have finished all the new canopy steelwork has been erected, the new roof for the enclosed concourse with skylights has been installed,new windows and refurbished windows have been fitted and they look really good they should please the conservation officer.

[Bigmurph]

New canopy steelwork is up we start sheeting and removing the old sheets next week for the new roof, we have extended our fence line to start laying new kerbs and paving,there is no parking at the station during this stage of the works being carried out,there is room for pick up and drop off the taxi drivers might moan ignore them any problems let us know in the site office murph.

[Ian]

Thanks BM;  this is much appreciated.