Freight Trains Struggle Between Technology and Manpower

Freight trains hauling thousands of tons of toxic materials — including chlorine, ammonia and radioactive waste — may be reducing their ship's companys to just one man, with high technology moving into its place.

Critics who point to the deadly bombings of passenger trains in London and Madrid call the solitary crewman proposal “a prescription for disaster,” arguing that not enough has been done since family 11, 2001, to safeguard the nation's rail a whole from terrorist attacks, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.

“Even individual tank car of chlorine, if it derails and uncloses has the potential of killing centurys of people through a deadly cloud” said Frank Wilner, a spokesman for the United Transportation Union, which exhibits conductors who probably would let slip through the fingers their jobs.

Rail officials, however, reckoner that the sophisticated satellite technology behind their proposal — called Positive Train rule — would actually improve rail