Laird Controls, a unit of global technology leader, Laird, has launched a new portable remote control system that enables rail operators to use a handheld remote controller to move locomotives with ease and confidence throughout their operations, the company announced today.
The new quick connect system -- Transport QC -- enables a single worker to use the wireless remote control system to pilot a locomotive through a rail yard, as opposed to three people in a work crew.
Using the new remote control system simultaneously bolsters worker safety, boosts productivity, and enhances rail operator profitability. And, because it is a quick connect system, Transport QC can be easily moved from locomotive to locomotive, improving operational efficiency.
Transport QC -- which is manufactured in Warren, Ohio, USA -- is a lightweight, compact system that securely contains all hardware and components in a single enclosure. Its portability enables greater flexibility when planning for maintenance, and it improves rail operators’ capital investment by eliminating "per locomotive" cost requirements, Wooten added.
The system can be configured for various options, such as radio frequency communication, proportional train brake control, digital talkback, wireless 4G capabilities, two-way RF communication, and enhanced safety alerts. A number of self-monitoring features also are built in to minimize the reliance on operator intervention, Wooten said.
