X-Received: by 10.200.57.91 with SMTP id t27mr8239882qtb.15.1513902266836; Thu, 21 Dec 2017 16:24:26 -0800 (PST) Path: csiph.com!weretis.net!feeder6.news.weretis.net!feeder.usenetexpress.com!feeder-in1.iad1.usenetexpress.com!border1.nntp.dca1.giganews.com!border2.nntp.dca1.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!m31no110533qtf.0!news-out.google.com!v55ni22qtc.0!nntp.google.com!peer02.iad!feed-me.highwinds-media.com!news.highwinds-media.com!post02.iad!fx28.iad.POSTED!not-for-mail From: krw@notreal.com Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design Subject: Re: OT: Muppets Message-ID: <0rjo3d19ffuqa5o7hbciffjsces9gtbj90@4ax.com> References: <0kgi3d1l8egjt07upcc9dl7f446efmgm15@4ax.com> <9kgj3d9njom7lbp3igaf087m5im1tu3mpi@4ax.com> <8j9l3d18ugbpk5pf219ui74umfog76p64l@4ax.com> <6q0o3d1pu7cl6iectn0bdcot69sn73mu70@4ax.com> User-Agent: ForteAgent/8.00.32.1272 MIME-Version: 1.0 Lines: 80 X-Complaints-To: abuse@easynews.com Organization: Forte - www.forteinc.com X-Complaints-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly. Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2017 19:24:23 -0500 X-Received-Bytes: 4781 X-Received-Body-CRC: 2344747615 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Original-Bytes: 4637 Xref: csiph.com sci.electronics.design:489001 On Thu, 21 Dec 2017 10:56:44 -0800, John Larkin wrote: >On Wed, 20 Dec 2017 21:52:59 -0500, krw@notreal.com wrote: > >>On Wed, 20 Dec 2017 13:19:20 -0500, rickman wrote: >> >>>John Larkin wrote on 12/20/2017 1:08 PM: >>>> On Tue, 19 Dec 2017 20:53:35 -0500, krw@notreal.com wrote: >>>> >>>>> On Tue, 19 Dec 2017 12:20:31 -0500, rickman wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> John Larkin wrote on 12/19/2017 11:53 AM: >>>>>>> On Tue, 19 Dec 2017 08:37:25 -0600, amdx wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On 12/19/2017 6:00 AM, bitrex wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> $800 million spent on the project you'd think they could spend a few >>>>>>>>> bucks on a crew that knew how to slow down going around a curve. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> The MBTA has been doing the public transit service/private contractor >>>>>>>>> outsourcing thing now for several years and service has never been >>>>>>>>> worse; couple weeks ago GF and I were waiting for a train which blasts >>>>>>>>> by a scheduled stop at about 70 mph leaving everyone on the platform >>>>>>>>> scratching their heads, and then comes sheepishly backing up the tracks >>>>>>>>> about ten minutes later. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> In Japan an engineer would probably be fired and imprisoned for 60 days >>>>>>>>> for making an error like that. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Bunch of lowest-bidder muppets >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> It does seem silly that if you know the speed limit on a corner is >>>>>>>> 30Mph, and computer technology ten steps ahead of such a simple command >>>>>>>> as, "you must slow down now to go 30Mph around the corner ahead", it is >>>>>>>> not part of the system. (F'ed/up sentence) >>>>>>>> There have been too many train speeding accidents. It's time. >>>>>>>> Trains could be run by computer with an engineer forced to stay at the >>>>>>>> seat with continuous computer questioning that must be answered, just in >>>>>>>> case human control is needed. (keep the union happy) >>>>>>>> Mikek >>>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The Positive Train Control system is gradually being introduced on >>>>>>> some runs. It's complex and fabulously expensive. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> An ipad or smart phone, with GPS and a fairly simple program, could >>>>>>> alert the driver to speed problems, ring a giant bell, maybe apply >>>>>>> brakes. That's too easy. >>>>>> >>>>>> It's also too stupid to do the job that needs to be done. >>>> >>>> GPS can navigate a car block-by-block in any city in the USA, so >>>> surely it could track train speed and location. >>> >>>GPS isn't reliable. I've seen my GPS report location some significant >>>distance from my true location because of the surrounding terrain. >> >>So it's useless because it's not perfect? Utter nonsense. > >Trains are big, accelerate and decelerate slowly, and their path is >entirely predictable. You could put a GPS receiver and iPad on both >ends of a mile-long train. There are lots of opportunities for >algorithms. Agree 100%. You could put one on every car and have it jump up and down and bitch if it detected anything dangerous. Maybe *someone* would notice and fix the problem (slow down, in this case). It wouldn't even need positive control, with all the histrionics that entails. If cars can go autonomous on open highways and compete with real people drivers, controlling a train that's restricted to well known tracks without other moronic drivers seems like kindergarten script-kiddie stuff.