Freight Rail Operators Bet Big on Automated Coupling

New automated coupling systems promise to cut freight rail dwell times and reduce yard worker injuries.Traditional coupling requires workers to walk between cars and manually connect air hoses, a task with a long history of injuries in rail yards. Automated systems, already standard in parts of Europe, handle the connection mechanically and can substantially shorten the time trains spend being assembled. Adoption in other regions has lagged due to the cost of retrofitting existing rail car fleets, though pilot programs are now underway.