I came across this, this morning.
http://rail.h5mag.com/future_rail_oct18/understanding_the_impact_of_railway_drones_with_thales
Some of the links in the article are worth following, too.
S.
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Interesting article. I work for the rail industry and have used my own drone numerous times (once for a potential murder victim) and just this week for a suicidal person.
It saved hours of searching and train delays but just as important, it saved untrained civil police officers going onto the track to locate the person, putting them at risk in a highly dangerous environment.
Yesterday I had to attend 1 fatality, 1 attempt and 1 stoned out of his skull on track in front of trains. It was deemed unsafe to run trains towards the stoned guy so they all stood, causing massive disruption, delays and frustration from passengers. Many who might be travelling to time critical things such as hospital appointments, catching a plane etc.
The overview I have from my drone is invaluable sometimes and saved anyone having to search near the overhead wires which carry 25,000 volts and can zap you from 3 metres away.
I’m a little worried that the railway will take a dim view of drone activity and lag behind forward thinking companies. (I hope not). We did trail the use of motorcycles a few years ago to get through the traffic but this was thought to be dangerous so it was quietly abandoned. Now we need them more than ever on our congested roads.
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That’s really interesting Brian. I’m sure we’d like to have a look at the sort of work your drone does on the railway - if you fancied hitting the record button when appropriate.
SB.
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I’m currently recording signalboxes for the National Railway Museum project with the catchy title of FARSAP. There are a number of Victorian era boxes that will be demolished in the next few months and replaced with modern signalling controlled from a central control centre.
If there are any around Worcester you are lacking let me know! 
I will ask the director in charge of the project. I don’t think they have a drone pilot in that area.
Anyway it’ll be out with the old levers and in with computers and tracker balls to control signals from Nov 26th
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Is it progress?
Progress in a fashion. It allows many more trains to be on a section of track. (Increase capacity) controlled by just one signaller sat at an air conditioned control desk (decrease in overheads, wages, etc). In August a lightning strike blew the whole of Leeds and York workstation so trains came to a stand until yours truly and a couple of other guys could battle thro the traffic and manually operate and secure points and level crossings to provide a through route towards Scotland.
I love how the mouse and keyboard are pushed out of the way to allow a notepad and pen to take centre stage on that desk 
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That’s the training simulator desk, it’s not switched into the live railway so the trains are just running on a simulator, the signaller as part of his or her training will take notes.He or she will complete a training plan which will be signed off by a manager as competent to operate that particular desk.
I love how two of the screens are showing the windows ‘blue screen of death’.
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LOL guess we can all look forward to more late trains then,if nothing else,i think we should all go back to steam locos and levers in the signal box,much nicer ,and a joy to see on the tracks:+1:
.
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I’m amazed at the stupidity of the average ‘joe public’. if it wasn’t for their idiocy then we’d be zooming around in flying cars years ago (remember Tomorrow’s World?) They can’t even be trusted on 2 dimensional roads so what they’d be like in the air, heaven knows, they’d be dropping like flies. It’s no wonder we have to have draconian regulations to try and save us from stupidity. 
