The self-contained, push-pull, unit freight train is seen as a difficult to achieve futuristic concept in Europe but it's a reality in China, with steam traction. JS 6436 propelled a loaded spoil train out of the pit on 21 November 2009.
The pilotman in the cab on the leading wagon signalled to the driver using a state of the art semaphore signal connected directly to his brain via an ingeneous piece of bio-engineering. Signals from the brain stimulated the muscles of the arm and hand to pull a high-tech bit of bent wire that operated the signal. Technology doesn't come more cutting-edge than that!