Where I live there is no passenger rail service. The whole system
is devoted to freight. I don't think my idea would work well for
passengers.
Imagine a system where each frieghtcar (or goodswagon if you
like) has it's own engine built into it to push it along. The
destination for each
car is coded onto it when it is finished being
loaded and started on it's merry way.
The system works this way:
Each railcar can set the points it comes to whichever way it deems
correct. Each railcar would have to be programmed with a set of
rules for the right of way, with proximity detectors, etc. Perhaps
unloaded faster cars could calculate if an upcoming sideing was
long enough to pass a slower, heavier car. Maybe a broken-down
car could give a signal that would let other cars know it's ok to
give it a push to someplace to be repaired.
Anyway, where I live the vast majority of level crossings are the
uncontrolled variety, with just a simple crossbuck sign warning
you. The thought of unlit driverless railcars rolling by at any
random time without any sort of warning just makes me smile.
Also, just think of the added expense, the extra pollution, and
never knowing when anything might show up. Actually, not even
being able to figure out where that freightcar is adds to the
excitement.