Historically steam locomotives have a bad record with actual use of safety systems. IIRC accident investigators found that one locomotive retrofitted with the current minimum allowable safety equipment (TPWS) was routinely being operated in a "cut out" mode intended only for service use but in passenger service. In this mode no actual safety is achieved, the locomotive can (and does) for example pass danger signals without action - which is why accident investigators were looking at it, it had been involved in an accident which should have been impossible because it simply sailed through red lights like a distracted driver playing Candy Crush as their SUV rolls through a busy intersection.<p>On a typical "modern" (ie late 20th century) train like the mainline EMUs I would normally catch when I was a commuter decades ago, the equivalent "cut out" is a glass sealed MCB in the cab, a driver who wants to get rid of this safety feature has to destroy a tell-tale glass seal and company regulations will make them write up why it was necessary then replace it - and of course the automation records each occurrence because why wouldn't it. The paperwork is a faff, so is getting a new unique numbered seal, so drivers actually choose the non-risky option when it's available.<p>On the steam loco, that "cut out" is operated by cutting a cable tie. The cable ties aren't unique of course, and so investigators found countless broken ties littering the dirty cab of the steam locomotive, because you just cut the tie, do what you want and before signing off try to remember to fit a new cable tie. No actual safety delivered.
> We had to test whether or not you can even use a touchscreen while you’re hurtling along at up to 75mph<p>Who cares? This is a <i>fucking train</i>! DO NOT use a touchscreen!! Have we not learned anything from modern cars??
> Since the privatisation of the railways, steam trains have been free to roam the national network subject to there being “white space” in the timetables around service trains.<p>This is a nice quirk that I would definitely someone to have strategically forgotten about during the privatisation process.
In some sense I'm more surprised that someone spend time and money on building a new steam locomotive, rather than the fact that you can fit ETCS on one.<p>Sure, fitting modern signaling equipment on a steam train isn't easy, but it also doesn't feel impossible. Building a brand new steam locomotive, again, sure you can probably do it, but it seems like a lot of expensive work, requiring skills that hasn't been employed in decades and it's probably not really worth doing, financially speaking.<p>Edit: Apparently it is not uncommon to build steam locomotives: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_locomotives_of_the_21st_century#Traditional_steam_construction" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_locomotives_of_the_21st_...</a>
Caught a steam train that operates on the mainline in NSW, Australia last year.<p><a href="https://www.picnictrain.com.au/" rel="nofollow">https://www.picnictrain.com.au/</a><p>We had to stop & wait at various points on our return day trip for other passenger services to pass us. Had to wait for some freight services to clear a block at a few places too.<p>There was an auxiliary diesel unit not actively used apart from for power AFAIK (and additional emergency mobility should things go kaboom/excess wheel slip).<p>Maybe that has some the extra safety systems on it though.
Related: Union Pacific fitted 4014 with Positive Train Control, the US version of this tech <a href="https://www.up.com/aboutup/community/inside_track/big-boy-technology-it-240613.htm" rel="nofollow">https://www.up.com/aboutup/community/inside_track/big-boy-te...</a><p>They are/were also planning on adding it to 844 too.
The <i>Green Signals</i> (UK rail) podcast had an episode/segment on this:<p>* <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T962HGvN_Q4" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T962HGvN_Q4</a>
I’m unable to figure it out - is this just a screen that tells you what the status of the next signal is? Or does it control the train?<p>Also couldn’t they just retrofit a battery somewhere instead of a new steam generator? It also seems like they reinvented the wheel making it rugged. Seems like they’re spending too much money on this project, but it seems to be private money so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯<p>Edit: presumably the rest of the train also has power? Is the power draw from this system so intense it needs a new generator? Or does it need the resilience maybe?
How does this cost 9m£? I mean, sure, it was exploratory, but come on, how do you spend that kind of money on sealing some components, adding an alternator and some sensors? What am I missing?
Realistically I have no idea of the scope required for this project and I'm armchair-project-managing... but I feel like "put the ETCS in a different part of the train" would've been my first go-to. Give the driver a 2-way radio headset and have someone in the guard van operating the touchscreen.