After posting the Train Tornado video, there were a couple questions about the dash mounted camera.
I did a quick Scroogle search and here is a link to one answer.
http://www.bnsf.com/media/news/articles/2005/05/2005_05_18a.html
I forgot to check the archives first as the article is quite old. Might have been posted here before.
Rich
A lot of the GEVO’s and SD70ACe/M-2’s are being delivered with cameras in the front window. An eye witness at grade crossing incidents.
Effective video technology for railroad use became available on the market in approximately 2005. The Class I carriers are having all new locomotives fitted with the equipment and are in the process of retrofitting the existing fleet to have the technology.
It’s capture and use are being used in the same manner as the previously existing event recorders when it comes time to detail the events surrounding an accident investigation.
The equipment records to a continuous loop of (I believe but am not sure) 72 hours duration.
NS had cameras in locomotives in 2000.
Bacl in 1999 there was a lot of discussion about cameras in the Cabs, not only on NS but to some extent on CSX as well ( This was during the time frame of the School Bus Crash on the Ga/Tn State Line. Driver apparently tried to beat the train across a rural crossing). AS I recall most of the fear was that the cameras would record in cab conversations, and be used as evidence to punish the individual crews for rules transgressions.
Remember, at this time there were very few cameras installed, and the rumor mills were really ginning up paranoia among the crews who had no first hand experience with a mounted camera on their engines.
Now that approx ten years experience is under their belts, the camers have proved their worth in recording what happens at the crossings, and that the crews have a witness to back up their actions.
The microphones were mounted in the cab and did record conversations this is why the unions worked so hard to have the mics removed from the cab I have talked to officials and claims agents and watched and heard the conversations from the video. the same ones they wanted to use in court but could not because of what was on them. they originally wanted to have in cab conversation along with the horn blowing to prove in court the human factor involved, what they got was a conversation of that no good moth**** he gonna get his (BEEP blank) kick and trainmaster so and so no good ( !!!%%%% ) standing behind him. Just look at this god ********* idot trying to beat us oh S***$$$$ You alright ----yea you ---- Im ok go check for survivers and then it goes on from there. not real impressive in court. And yes some cameras were used against crews for disipline also such as before the cell phone things a engineer was busted for using a laptop on the engine how they know the reflection off the windshield showed him