GPS On Loco idea

Dont know if many of you read the wnxx forum, but a lad on their has managed to link into a GPS located on a DVT of an East Coast 225 set.

Its available at http://bbarker.co.uk/eastCoast/

Makes for fascinating watching as it shows speed, as well as location, and gives an idea of how many runs are done a day.

Question is, why does not somebody do this for a mainline loco, thought the A1 trust were threatening it at some stage..

Mods: May be in wrong forum, move if reqd.

 

Like the steam loco icon!

 

FOLLOW ME TO VALUABLE COPPER PIPEWORK!!!

 

We have a GPS system, ready to go, on either a Loco or carriage stock.

 

Yes I'm sure groups at least for some part of the time don't want absolutely anyone knowing where their loco is parked. A portable set someone could carry with them as a passenger on a tour would be a better than fixing it to a particular loco.

 

Which is what we do on certain tours, The GPS send information direct to our server. Which then displays that data on a map.

 

Think it would be fitted with an off switch..............

 

In which case these things tend to indicate where they last were before being turned off, in my experience.

 

In which case you turn it off before you reach your stabling point. Lets be honest most Stabling Points are in depots with security for main line locos anyway....

 

On every tour there must be at least 20 gps units sitting by the window. iPad / iphone can do it too.

 

On my PC something seems to be wrong. Train reported just north of Sandy station travelling at 121.1 mph but not moving!

 

K1 and 87 were fitted with GPS speedos for a time until the batterys ran out and nobody used them anyway. In the US for the last 3 years to my knowage Union Pacific have linked a GPS in their support car to their website to update where their steam locos are and SP4449 used a GPS speedo and location transmitter on its 2009 trip to Michigan. Last year the loco was about to be declared a failure as the battery had died on a fan trip on a Sunday when the shops were shut. A local enthusiast donated his car battery so the train could continue with a speedo working..........though I personally think they were a bit daft to have disconnected the only mechanical one.