When the average person thinks about railroad workers, they probably think of someone shoveling coal into a fire while singing, “I’ve been working on the railroad.” However, railway work is essential, labor-intensive work that involves long hours. That begs the question: how did people do this work years ago? Luckily, there have been plenty of innovations in the railroad industry—continue reading to learn some of them.
Technology
Technology has significantly changed our personal lives. However, many people often forget about all the industries that have changed because of technology––the railroad industry being one of them. Today, many railways use sensors to gather data such as train speeds and the temperature of the tracks. In fact, many trains themselves are operated with a positive train control (PTC), a computer system that monitors the train’s activity. PTC reduces accidents and risk of human error.
Different power sources
Believe it or not, a shocking amount of people believe trains still run on coal. Some do, but most use alternative power sources such as steam, diesel, and electricity. In fact, there have even been efforts to develop solar-powered trains. Our ancestors couldn’t have guessed that trains would be running off electricity—let alone the sun.
Maintenance innovations
Of course, even with these technological advancements, many railroads still use the same materials as before—that is, railroad ties and tracks. Most railroad ties weigh around 100 to 200 pounds, and some can weigh even more. In other words, changing railroad ties require at least two people, and many of our ancestors laid tracks and ties by hand. Today, railroad workers can work efficiently with the help of heavy equipment and several different railroad attachments. These attachments not only save the backs of workers, but also make the job much quicker and get the train back on track (no pun intended). We can’t deny the many innovations in the railroad industry, many of which have changed the way we work, commute, and transport goods.
