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> Won't be popular opinion but, one benefit of driverless subway is: decreased risk of industrial action disruptions. Very true, though equally the increased r

by Zenst 5y ago

> Won't be popular opinion but, one benefit of driverless subway is: decreased risk of industrial action disruptions. Very true, though equally the increased risk of automated safety system stopping the train in the middle of a long tube tunnel because one of it's sensors got dirty or a rat triggered a sensor as it went splat on the tracks are things drivers can work around easier. So if a perfectly safe and working train stops due to a sensor getting dirty quickly (which for the London tube is more likely than most places), with a driver there they could see and know that issue and safely carry on. Automation will go into health and safety mode and stop that train in the middle of nowhere needing human attention. So delays become longer. I'd rather deal with planned outages, than longer drawn out automated random ones.

mschuster91 5y ago
> Automation will go into health and safety mode and stop that train in the middle of nowhere needing human attention. So delays become longer. In Germany, trains have a system called "Notbremsüberbrückung" / NBÜ. This system overrides the passenger emergency brake in tunnels... basically (i'm shortening it a bit here), as soon as the last carriage leaves the platform (in an underground) or the train can't fully stop before entering a tunnel, the e-brake is disabled, and only re-enabled when the train enters a platform / exits the tunnel. There's nothing preventing automated trains from using the same principle. Additionally, tunnels can be retrofit with cameras or motion detectors, to further prevent something larger than a rat from getting in a dangerous position.
- Jenk 5y ago
  A number of tube lines in London also has this. Central Line, (parts of) Jubilee Line, both do if I recall. Those lines are "semi-automatic" where the driver is providing oversight and operates the doors whilst the train will automatically drive. Driver can override easily.
Mauricebranagh 5y ago
And a driver can when some one is blocking the doors not proceed and get the blockage removed quickly. Pre covid in the rush hour this was very common.
- cjrp 5y ago
  That's more a job for the platform staff isn't it? Apart from making (several) announcements I've never seen a driver fix this.

by Zenst 5y ago

mschuster91 5y ago

> Automation will go into health and safety mode and stop that train in the middle of nowhere needing human attention. So delays become longer. In Germany, trains have a system called "Notbremsüberbrückung" / NBÜ. This system overrides the passenger emergency brake in tunnels... basically (i'm shortening it a bit here), as soon as the last carriage leaves the platform (in an underground) or the train can't fully stop before entering a tunnel, the e-brake is disabled, and only re-enabled when the train enters a platform / exits the tunnel. There's nothing preventing automated trains from using the same principle. Additionally, tunnels can be retrofit with cameras or motion detectors, to further prevent something larger than a rat from getting in a dangerous position.

Jenk 5y ago
A number of tube lines in London also has this. Central Line, (parts of) Jubilee Line, both do if I recall. Those lines are "semi-automatic" where the driver is providing oversight and operates the doors whilst the train will automatically drive. Driver can override easily.

Mauricebranagh 5y ago

And a driver can when some one is blocking the doors not proceed and get the blockage removed quickly. Pre covid in the rush hour this was very common.

cjrp 5y ago
That's more a job for the platform staff isn't it? Apart from making (several) announcements I've never seen a driver fix this.