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My research cars had automatic couplers that handled the "glad hand", air pipe and ECP electrical connections without human involvement. The auto-anglecocks, auto-cutlevers and auto-handbrakes would permit remote coupling or separation without putting a vulnerable human in the way of the mechanics.

Sounds exactly like what the Freight RRs need to improve their throughput.

My project cars were coal cars for the first pass to perform bearing vibration/temperature analysis as well as ride quality. The Timken bearing generator made the car self powered. GPS tracking. CDMA cell data connection. Wi-Fi with mesh networking to connect to the locomotive for emergency notification of derail or bearing burnoff.

2nd gen cars were container cars with the auto-cutlever, auto-handbrake, auto-anglecock, 802.15.4 gateway for DHS container monitor to cellular data network. CANOpen networked controllers to simplify wiring and cut costs. 2nd gen Timken bearing generator with ability add solar panel backup for extended non-movement. Digi-mesh 802.15.4 auto-configuration/auto-manifest with A/B orientation.

The 2nd gen cars had just been fitted with equipment and prepared for over the road testing when Obama arrived. His cronies moved into the FRA offices and the project died.

Sounds exactly like what the Freight RRs need to improve their throughput.

Part of the value proposition from the vibration signature analysis was the ability to perform predictive maintenance. The car owner could schedule maintenance in the company shops ahead of a failure where a fix "on the road" comes at unfavorable rates in a non-company shop. The basic signature analysis can identify 55 defect types and perform trend analysis to see when to repair. The temperature monitoring in the bearing adapters detected approaching bearing failures and assymmetry. The tri-axial accelerometors detected suspension problems.