Sure takes some of the romance out of railroading, doesn't it?
Romance and reality... What we want as railfans and what we want for the industry can be different things. For me...
As a railfan, I'm obviously pro-railroad. Politico-economically, I'm pro-railroad because it's the most energy-efficient way to travel over land.
Though I find the modern high-speed passenger trains of Europe and Japan uninteresting as a railfan, I definitely think it would be good for North America to have more of them.
I am a proponent of tighter air quality laws and independence from imported fuels. I generally favor big projects now if they'll save money in the long run. Thus, I support railroad electrification. I used to find electric locomotives unappealing as a railfan. Now, I like them... but mostly the older electrics.
As a general believer in advanced technology, especially automation, I support entirely crewless trains. I do not romanticize the engineer's job; it's not one I would want. Still, as a railfan, eliminating it seems weird.
I wonder how long it will be before robot trains become sufficiently common that dedicated locomotives are built new for them? That could mean the return of the cabless engine.