Contents 1 Indian Railways ......................................................................................................................................... 4

2 Objective .................................................................................................................................................. 5

3 Proposed Outcome .................................................................................................................................. 5

4 About Loco pilots ..................................................................................................................................... 6

4.1 Assistant loco pilots .......................................................................................................................... 6

5 Understanding: ......................................................................................................................................... 7

5.1 Loco cabin Operation and Dashboard .............................................................................................. 7

6 User Study: ............................................................................................................................................... 9

6.1 Operator - Ramesh ........................................................................................................................ 10

7 Health Concerns due to improper working conditions .......................................................................... 10

7.1 Fatigue ............................................................................................................................................ 10

7.2 Sound Pollution .............................................................................................................................. 10

7.3 Temperature and Pollution ............................................................................................................ 11

8 DASHBOARD COMPONENTS .................................................................................................................. 13

1 VISIBILITY SITTING .................................................................................................................................. 14

2 FROM SEAT ............................................................................................................................................. 14

8.1 Difference between Diesel and Electric Engine in terms of Ergonomic Factors ............................ 15

9 USERSTUDY ANALYSIS AND RESULTS ..................................................................................................... 16

9.1 Very High Temperature: ................................................................................................................. 16

9.2 Sound Pollution: ............................................................................................................................. 16

9.2.1 Seats: ......................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

9.3 Accessibility of operational controls .............................................................................................. 16

9.4 Visibility .......................................................................................................................................... 16

9.5 Interpretation of signal. ................................................................................................................. 17

9.6 Coherence of warning systems ...................................................................................................... 17

9.7 Poor Feedback on operations/actions ........................................................................................... 18

9.8 Gears & Knobs ................................................................................................................................ 18

9.9 Knobs Detached ............................................................................................................................. 18

9.10 Changing Interfaces ........................................................................................................................ 18

9.11 Unclean working environment ....................................................................................................... 19

9.12 Parallax Error .................................................................................................................................. 19

9.13 Inadequate provisions for placing items ........................................................................................ 20

9.14 No basic amenities ......................................................................................................................... 21

INTRODUCTION

1 Indian Railways Indian Railways are the largest rail network in Asia and the world's second largest under one management. Criss-crossing the country's vast geographical spread, Indian Railways are a multi-gauge, multi-traction system covering over 1 lakh track kilometres,300 yards, 2300 goodsheds and 700 repair shops. Its rolling stock fleet includes 8300 locomotives, 39,000 coaching vehicles and 3.5 lakh freight wagons. Its work force is 1.65 million and it runs some 11,000 trains everyday, including 7,000 passenger trains. Freight traffic on Indian Railways has registered an impressive growth in the last four decades. Increase in the last few years have been particularly striking. From a mere 93 million tonnes of originating freight traffic in 1950-51, Railways carried nearly 376 million tonnes in 1992-93, an increase of 304%. This has been despite the ever increasing pressure of passenger traffic which increased during the same period from 1.28 billion passengers carried to 4.2 billion to make an Indian Railways (IR) a leading passenger carrying railway in the world. Over the years, Railways have built up an elaborate and well established manual information system to help them monitoring their moving assets. Supported by a dedicated voice communications network, it collects and transmits information from the remotest corners of the country to control centers, at the highest level. The size and complexity of their operations, growing traffic and changing technologies, placed inevitably a heavy burden on this manual information system. Need for its modernization was therefore felt for sometime. Indian Railways is the state-owned railway company of India, which owns and operates most of the country's rail transport. It is overseen by the Ministry of Railways of the Government of India. Indian Railways has more than 64,015 kilometres of track and 7,083 stations. It has the world's fourth largest railway network after those of the United States, Russia and China. Indian railways uses a number of different Diesel and Electric locomotives, Steam locomotives were once very common but are now only used on heritage routes Indian railways uses four gauges, the 1,676mm broad gauge which is wider than the 1,435mm standard gauge; the 1,000mm metre gauge; and two narrow gauges, 762 mm and 610 mm . Track sections are rated for speeds ranging from 75 to 160 km/h. Many railway stations are in gross disrepair, dirty, outdated and overcrowded, especially when compared to stations in developed countries. Sometimes passengers are seen on trains hanging out windows and even on the roof creating safety problems.[43] The interior of many train compartments are poorly maintained from rust, dirt and common wear and tear. As, Railway network is the most preferable and one of the cheapest form of transport affordable by most of the classes in the society, there is huge demand for designing an ergonomically efficient and fool proof system which includes safety in terms signal interpretation, operations and the working conditions of the Locomotives.

2 Objective To study the Railway Locomotive Engine Cabin, from an ergonomics point of view, in relation to the Dashboard and Operations of the Loco-pilot and to analyze and identify the scope for design and propose solutions

3 Proposed Outcome To propose an ergonomically efficient design for Dashboard based on the current operational issues faced by the Loco-pilots in Indian Context. A dashboard design in relation to the signal reception, understanding, distance indication, comfort and efficient in operation and performance.

An Ergonomic study on Working conditions of Loco Pilots

This study is aimed at understanding and analyzing the current scenario of railway engine operation in the cabin, to identify the various challenges involved and the cognitive behavior of drivers while performing their daily operations and provide design solutions.

4 About Loco pilots • Operation of Railway engine is more than mere riding. One has to know to read,

remember and interpret all kinds of signals with high level concentration and alertness.

• They are usually trained for 6 months to a year in signal interpretation and engine operation. And later they have an exam for evaluation of our capabilities.

• They usually work for 8-13 hrs. They work in alternate shifts. They usually rest in the running room which is present in all the major junctions.

• The teaching techniques which are being used in imparting railway rules and operations is the same which that are coined by the British. 82 amendments have been made so far.

4.1 ASSISTANT LOCO PILOTS

Duties to perform

• The assistant driver has to convey signal to the pilot.

• He has to operate the horn

• He has to put his head out at curves because the visibility is very less at curves. This

results in chronic neck pain.

• As the dashboard is placed behind the assistant loco pilot they have to twist their body

quite often to perform their duties.

In AC engines they have to perform checks of the engine parameters every one hour.

• This involves walking through the generator section inside the engine

He is exposed to:

• Loud noise produced by the generator

• High temperature of the engine every one hour

• And comes in contact fumes & grime

In case of any faults in the engine operation, charge apply equally on Loco pilot and Assistant loco pilots.

5 Understanding:

5.1 LOCO CABIN OPERATION AND DASHBOARD

• Diesel and electric engines are major types of engines in use. Basic operations include checking the brake power, oil level , sharp look out wile on run & must observe all permanent & temporary speed restrictions

• Direct view is not mandatory to be able to drive the locos; side view is mostly used to capture the signals. They just read the signals for which they need to bend a bit. Based on the signals given by the Central Signal Unit which is present in every major junction they operate the engine.

• The entire conversation with the Signal Unit happens over a Walkie Talkie. In case of urgency they use our mobiles. Mostly mobile conversation is prohibited while operating the Loco.

• The Walkie Talkie operates within 3-4 km reach of the arriving/departed station. After they rely only on the signals.

• While running the engine in the curves especially when the signals are located on the curves, they have to bend and see. Otherwise they are visible from the seated position.

• Mechanical Failures could be due to break down of the cooling system, lack of lubrication. It is a fool proof safe signal network; failure could be only due to human errors.

• In case of natural calamities they would stop the engine few km prior to the location of disaster as they would continuous workers to monitor the condition of the track, the climatic condition and inform the nearest station from where they would be getting the signal.

• In case they are unable to get any signals, say they are no stations nearby the track monitors would explode dynamite whole vibrations could be detected by the loco when its few km away. In that way they could prevent any severe damage.

• There is a digital setup which records the all the actions during a particular journey. The Loco pilots have to just fill in their profile details and the engine operations will be automatically recorded.

• Sand is being continuously filled in every station so that incase of rains or slippery surfaces, pouring sand on the tracks gives friction thereby reducing slippage.

• Pole signal operation

• Station to station signal operation – say a train is leaving from station A to Station B, It has

successfully reached the station B and got a clear signal from the station master and has left station B and is heading towards Station C. In between station B and C somewhere in between 20 km away, if there is a failure of the engine, the loco would be stopped. One can use a mobile or a walkie talkie to communicate this to the Signal Unit. In case of absence of network, the loco pilot or his assistant has to stop the train there and go to the nearest signal pole where there is a communication network box through which they could send the signal indicating the failure. Later the Signal Unit would receive this message and locate the train using GPS and would do the required repair. A new train would start from station B only when the old train which left from station B has successfully reached station C. No two trains can go in the same track within small time difference.

10 km 2 km

Signal regarding failure sent

Station A Station B Station C

Failure Pole Signal regarding failure reached C

Arrow pointing refers to this track

Signal communication box in case of emergencies when communication through Walkie Talkie is not possible

6 User Study: Conducted at Bangalore Central, South Western Railways. Supervisors Training Center, Bangalore. Yeswanthpur Railway station, Bangalore. Operator – T. Venkatesh

• Has 23 years of experience and has operated both diesel and electric engines.

• A basic graduation or diploma or ITI is required prior to the training given in railways for

Loco operation.

• There is absolutely no room for entertainment, 365 days of work, the shifts keep on

changing every day. In case of leave we have to apply months before. Its not easy to get

leave when there are emergencies.

• There are no toilets, water, food readily available when its required as a result of which

we have ulcers and piles.

• No emotional strings attached, irrespective of whatever their state of mind we have to

give full concentration and attention to work. Even in case of inevitable accidents we have

to be strong. We are subjected to psychometric tests during trainings.

• Working atmosphere is a permanent deficiency. We are subjected to high temperature

and sounds. The sound we are subjected to is 80% higher than the normal hearing. There

is pupil dilation due to stress and varying light conditions.

• Also we are continuously working in vibrating environment which is subjected to magnetic

flux for 5-6 hours, this could result in memory loss.

• The cushioning and suspension is not so comfortable, also bending and leaning to read

signals has resulted in spinal chord related issues.

• Smoke and dust also causes nuisance. Sitting for long hours has resulted in knee pain

• There are 8 kinds of diesel engines and 8 kinds of electric engines. Most of us trained to

use all kinds of engines.

• There are retiring rooms where we take breaks to sleep, eat and wait for the next shift.

• There is continuous health check ups. Upto 45 years its once in 4 years, upto 55 years its

once in 2 years and after 55 years its once a year.

• In case of applying sudden brakes due to accidents, minimum distance the train would

move after application of brakes varies from 500-1000m. When the train is travelling at

the speed of 110 km/hr, a distance of 1km is required for the train to completely suspend

its motion after application of brake.

• After working for 23 years we have also become one among the machines.

6.1 OPERATOR - RAMESH

• Sitting is a problem. There is a stool on which we sit for a long time hence there is back

pain. It’s difficult especially if one is old.

• One has to peep a lot to see the signals. Especially when it is sunny, there is a lot of glare

• My experience has helped me, guided and given me confidence to operate.

• I have been a gauge operator, then an assistant and now a shunting engine operator.

• No markings or color differentiation is present on the dashboard.

7 Health Concerns due to improper working conditions

7.1 FATIGUE

Through the field study its observed that poor body posture, inadequate seat support and muscle fatigue as the body had to twist for most of the operations it is causing musculoskeletal disorders of the spine in operators/drivers. High prevalence of back pain, early degenerative changes of the spine, disc problems, diabetes, hypertension and piles has been consistently reported among the loco pilots.

• Knee pain due to insufficient leg space.

• Lack of toilets in long distant trains is one of the main reasons behind many loco pilots

having diabetics.

7.2 SOUND POLLUTION

Loco pilots like many other drivers are exposed to a lot of noise pollution. But the intensity of sound is much high in case of a train due to the standards followed. Prolonged and excessive

exposure to high intensity sounds is considered a general physical and mental stressor and is associated with a variety of occupational health disorders.

7.3 TEMPERATURE AND POLLUTION

They are exposed to high temperatures, smoke and dust from the rail engine.

8 DASHBOARD COMPONENTS

TRACTION

LIGHT

INDICATOR

BATTERY

INDICATOR

SPEED , BRAKE PRESSURE AND LUBE OIL INDICATORS

ACCELERATOR

HORNS REVERSE

MOTION & BRAKE

SPEED

WARNING INDICATORS

CONTROL

SWITCHES

EMERGENCY SWICHES USED FOR MONITORING

LUBE OIL

INDICATOR

SPEED INDICATOR BRAKE PRESSURE

INDICATOR

1 VISIBILITY SITTING 2 FROM SEAT

8.1 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DIESEL AND ELECTRIC ENGINE IN TERMS OF ERGONOMIC FACTORS

Diesel engines Electric Engines

Accessing controls The controls and the viewing window are in perpendicular directions. - The pilot has to turn his head

thru wide angles while he looks at the controls and while he looks at the track.

Viewing window and the controls are aligned in the same direction.

- Hence lesser strain for the pilot.

Communication between the pilot & assistant pilot

The control board separates the pilot and assistant pilot: - Communication between

them becomes very difficult

There are no partitions between the pilot and assistant pilot. The controls are right in front of them

- Easier communication

Driving positions Not possible to stand and drive. Have to sit continuously .

Flexibility of sitting and standing while driving

Position of viewing windows

Window at the sides of the engine: - The pilot and the assistant

have to stretch their heads outside the window to spot signals at curves.

- Only side view of the track

Viewing window in front of engine at the centre

- The pilot & assistant have full view of the track.

- No strain for neck. - More cognitively

sound

Seating Seat mostly does not have back rest, or height adjustments. Few have rotation

Seats have back rest and height adjustment and rotation. Few are foldable. - More comfort for back

9 USERSTUDY ANALYSIS AND RESULTS

Engine wheel is much heavier and harder as compared to the wheels of the coaches. Due this it has very less shock resistance. High levels of vibration.

- High levels of discomfort experienced by the pilots.

9.1 VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE:

During summers the temperatures become very hot inside the cab- hotter than the temperature outside. And during the winters very cold breeze enters the engine- this happens because the the doors are not air tight, because of which the Engine blowers suck in the air from the windows in the cab rather than from outside. This forces air into the cab.

Working in extreme temperature affects the pilot physically and mentally- his efficiency and performance gets affected, undoubtedly.

9.2 SOUND POLLUTION:

Loco pilots like many other drivers are exposed to a lot of noise pollution. But the intensity of sound is much high in case of a train due to the standards followed for various reasons. The sound they are subjected to is 80% higher than the normal hearing. Prolonged and excessive exposure to high intensity sounds causes physical and mental stress and is associated with a variety of occupational health disorders, including early deafness.

9.3 ACCESSIBILITY OF OPERATIONAL CONTROLS

- Poor body posture, inadequate seat support and muscle fatigue have been described as

co-factors in the pathogenesis of musculoskeletal disorders of the spine in

operators/drivers. High prevalence of back pain, early degenerative changes of the spine

and herniated lumbar disc problems have been consistently reported among

- The current model of loco wdp4- is designed quiet biased towards the pilot. Although assistant loco pilot is equally held responsible for any mishaps that arise, the engine is not designed well for him.

9.4 SEATS

- need to be more comfortable - though they are adjustable the threads get worn out and the seat keeps sliding. - The knob for controlling the rotation also comes off after a while and the pilots “keep

dancing” on the seat - Few seats don’t have height adjustment

9.5 VISIBILITY

- Although this loco being the latest model, this too suffers from poor visibility. - The cabin is present at only one end and the pilot is expected to view thru a tiny window

at the side of the cab- the track ahead is completely hidden - Visibility of signals at curves are minimum - The assistant loco pilot suffers much more because he has to face in one direction to view

the track and has to twist his body tin the opposite direction to press the horn.

9.6 INTERPRETATION OF SIGNAL.

High cognitive load on the operator. Interpretation is dependent on the operator’s mental alertness and involvement. Thus the safety of the system is highly dependent on the mental alertness/ performance of the operator. The system should be designed in such a way that its dependency on the individual performance is as minimum as possible. A more direct communication of critical information is recommended.

9.7 COHERENCE OF WARNING SYSTEMS

Proactive decisions at emergency situations demand coherence of the warning signs. A coherent model would reduce the cognitive load in trying to make sense of the situation in an already panicky state. It has been observed that the Warning indicators are quiet disconnected from its Meaning and Magnitude indicators. A manual mapping of the warning and its cause needs to be done.

Recommendation:

9.8 POOR FEEDBACK ON OPERATIONS/ACTIONS

A more logical/ coherent mapping between the Warning Signals and the cause and Magnitude indicators are recommended

It was observed that for conformation/feedback of an action like turning ON a switch, the operator mainly relies on the sound produced by that particular equipment when it works, and no other visual conformation/feedback. For those equipments that donot produce the sound while its working, the operator must assume that his action has be registered and that the equipment has started functioning.

It is recommended that the switches be provided with visual feedback (probably lights) that indicate the reception of the action(orange light), and the outcome of the action(green/red light corresponding to functioning well and not functioning).

Recommendation:

9.9 GEARS & KNOBS

- In the new models the gears Respond Finger touch- high sensitivity , they have to be careful, a little extra application will either male it full acceleration or fully break.

- In certain models the gear lever is in the form of a “Steering Wheel”- it does not afford “acceleration” but “direction change”- this is not a problem in normal conditions as the drivers have got used to it, but during emergencies a more natural interface would ease the cognitive load on the pilot and can support proactive decision making

9.10 KNOBS DETACHED

To prevent the engine to be mishandled by unauthorized users the knobs are detached from the engine and placed there it. Or the driver carries the knobs with him when he gets out. This can lead to many hazardous situations- If the knobs are loosely fit and if it falls down, the operator’s attention may be diverted towards the knobs while attempting to search for it. During this period the system’s security is compromised.

9.11 CHANGING INTERFACES

There are more than 18 types of engines that the drivers are supposed to drive. Although the controls are the same, the location and placement of the controls vary from engine to engine. Each driving a different engine, the driver has to adapt to the different placement- which may take some time and effort- this aspect can reduce the response time, or induce errors when the operator encounters an unexpected situation and has to act quickly. For eg) Some locos have accelerator on right hand side and the break on the left hand side, and some have it vice versa. When some emergency situation arises the driver, instead of applying the brakes might end up

applying the accelerator – due to the confusion created by the changing position of the controls in different engines

9.12 UNCLEAN WORKING ENVIRONMENT

- The viewing window in many engines have been observed to be unclean. Although the drivers are able to all the major details through it, it is a strain for the eye to see thru the dust/dirt. Constantly viewing thru it can cause a strain to the eyes and nerves associated and can affect the eye sight of the operator in the long run.

- The sand sacks are placed within the engine itself- it is not only a barrier to the movement of the pilots, but it was observed the sand sacks tear and dirties the already tiny cab with sand.

- The engine components which the drivers come regularly in contact with are not cleaned often. Their hands always get dusty and grimy.

9.13 PARALLAX ERROR

“Error in reading an instrument employing a scale and pointer because the observer's eye and pointer are not in a line perpendicular to the plane of the scale”

- The Pilot has to view the window ahead of him and has to turn to look the speedometer. - Since views the speedometer at an angle, he does not get accurate readings due parallax

error.

Parallax Error:

9.14 INADEQUATE PROVISIONS FOR PLACING ITEMS

- Important items like the Walkie-talkie which are a necessary part of the driving.. are not given any provisions.

- Generally they place it on the control board which poses many difficulties: o There is an open window next to the controls, the walkie-talkie may slip and fall

out o While taking/ placing the walkie-talkie on the control board, there is high chance

of accidentally affecting the switches/knobs nearby o In a particular engine where the stand for the walkie-talkie was given- its

placement was such that it hit the pilot’s knee. - They use a pen and have to maintain a record and a few papers throughout the journey-

basic provision for pen and paper should be provided because they are important items and have to be maintained.

- They are kept cluttered on top of the controls sometime- this increases the number of visual elements within his area of sight and increases the strain in focusing on the meters.

Where to Focus?

9.15 NO BASIC AMENITIES

- None of the Locos have toilets! - Loco pilots have to wait for a station to arrive to go to the toilet - They don’t have facility/table to eat properly. - Many pilots wait for the station to arrive to eat comfortably. This may not suit the health

of many as many of them suffer from diabetes and other age related issues

A Very Important Paper. But no safe place for it

10 CATEGORIZATION OF ISSUES

Organization Of Dashboard:

• No naming or indication of various meters • No explicit Fuel Indicators in many Locos • No uniform dashboard design

Operational & Signal Related • Parallax error in viewing meters in bright sunlight • No recon_rmation of signals and internal signal indicators • One has to look out to view the track and the read the

signal • High Intensity Light causes Glare while reading signals

Issues due to Improper Ergonomics of the Cabin • No leg space and Improper • Seating Excessive noise due to horns and vibration • No clear visibility of the track from the dashboard • No hand rest and Leg rest

PROBLEM ANAYSIS

BrainStorming ofUser Study

Categorisationof Issues/Problem areas

Design Concepts/Proposals

Final Design

Brainstorming of User study

CATEGORISATION OF ISSUES/PROBLEM AREAS

ENGINE CABIN

Dashboard Organisation

Signal Related

Issues due to Improper Ergonomics of the Cabin

Operational Issues

ENGINE CABIN

Dashboard Organisation

Signal Related

Issues due to Improper Ergonomics of the Cabin

Operational Issues

Closely Related

In Short the entire Railway Cabin is not designed for the user who is the Locopilot andis lacking ERGOMICS in large scale

Dashboard Organisation

Operational & Signal Related

Issues due to Improper Ergonomics of the Cabin

Key Issues in each area

Improper Organisation of Controls

No naming or indication of various meters

No explicit Fuel Indicators in many Locos

Controls are scattered, unless one is experiencedits di�cult to know the exact usage and Location

No uniform dashboard design

Parallax error in viewing meters in bright sunlight

No recon�rmation of signals and internal signal indicators

One has to look out to view the track and the read the signal

High Intensity Light causes Glare while reading signals

No leg space and Improper Seating

Excessive noise due to horns and vibration

No clear visibility of the track from the dashboard

No hand rest and Leg rest

Light Controls

Engine room lights

Front Class lights

Back Class Lights

Guage Lights

Emergency Controls

Engine Brakes

Coach Brake

Dim Front

Bright Front

Dim Rear

Bright Rear

Signal and Position Indicator Screen

Fuel Indicator is not thereat present. Fuel Indicatoris a requirement

Prepare to find next signal

displaying red

Approaching Signal 700m 3 minsaway

Prepare to Stop

Crossed Signal 200m 5 minsago

Prepare to find next signal displaying red

Sound Horn: Approaching Gate Crossing

700m 3 minsaway

Ack Send

Sent Ack

Msg from Station Master CBE:

Stop the Train Immediately- Terrorist Threat at CBE station

Position Indicators

Signal Indicators

Live View

Msg from Control Room

Selected Areas for Design Intervention

1. Sound Pollution2. Communication reinforcement3. Real time view4. Accessible Operational systems5. Public awareness

Sound Pollution due to HorningLoco pilots like many other drivers are exposed to a lot of noise pollution. But the intensity of sound is muchhigh in case of a train due to the standards followed for various reasons. Prolonged and excessive exposure to high intensity sounds is considered a general physical and mental stressor and is associated with a variety of occupational health disorders.

Possible Solutions1 Horns being operated from the signaling poles. Railway horns are to be blown at every signal. CAN A WAYSIDE HORN REPLACE A TRAIN HORN2 Varying intensity of horn As the horns are manually operated, driver must be allowed to decide on the intensity of the horn to be blown. This helps in decreasing the noise pollution3 Sound Proo�ng for engine cabins4 Quiet zones - in which train crews are instructed not to sound their horns, except in case of emergency. Night time quite period for people staying in colonies by the railway lines.

Communication ReinforcementThe ease with which a person can recall information impacts the level and intensity of judgment related to the topic. In the current scenario, the communication has been Indirect. (Through Control room& Flags, except near stations and few places where walkie-talkie is used) and One Sided – only from the control room to thesignal en-route. There is no direct acknowledgement of receiving & acting upon the signals.

SolutionIt is recommended that the driver must send an acknowledgement of the signal received. Based on the feedback the next signal can be generated, or other measures can be taken in case a driver has failed to acknowledge it. Such an acknowledgement is necessary, because it makes accommodation for human error, and increases the chances of avoiding a disaster that may have been caused if a signal is missed.

Interpretation of Signal & Retaining it in memory

Interpretation is dependent on the operator’s mental alertness and involvement. Thus the safety of the system is highly dependent on the mental alertness/ performance of the operator. Being in an environment with extreme physical conditions and discomfort, in addition to the added psychological pressure of the responsibility demanded of a pilot- the pilot is rarely in relaxed and peaceful state of mind- Due to which there is a good probability that he may misinterpret the signal at some point, or probably fail to remember the previous sign crossed, or get confused. Thus system should be designed in such a way that its dependency on the individual performance is as little as possible.

SolutionFor this it is recommended that - The Signal’s interpretation also be made available to the driver

- A log be maintained of the most recently crossed signal

- Alert/Reminder to take a particular action

Track Visibility

Many a times it is possible for the pilot to avoid an accident if he gets clear view of the track, and better even so if he gets the information earlier. Pilots and Assistant pilots both complain of lack visibility. They have to adopt very incontinent body postures to get a clear view of the track.

Image: Loco Pilots seating position while viewing in reverse direction

Image: Assistant drivers seating position while operating the train in running

Possible Solutions

1. Mirror Technology2. On Screen Live Satellite/Schematic View of track (for long range view of the track ahead)

3. Live video of the immediate track ahead

Public AwarenessPublic Awareness and creating a sense of responsibility is very important. The public need to be aware ofinterpretation of the signals at the crossings and behave responsibily. Human errors could be on any sideIt could be with the train operation or signal operation or with the common man.

Possible Solutions

Posters, Videos, Banners, Digital Displays are good methods of creating awareness among public

Focused Group Analysis A crude design of the dashboard was made and tested on the users - ast Locopilots during the focused group and their feedback was considered for the �nal design

Most of them were happy with the idea that one need not look outside to see ssignals and track. Theywere happy that they would be able to sit inside the cabin and operate at the dashboard itself

They were also okay with the fact that the new dahboard would have space to keep some of their important documents and bottle

They felt mere signal deatils wouldn’t help, they wanted the breaking speed indicator on the screen which would indicate how far they are from the nearest station and when will they have to brake to stop at the station

RESULTS

Final Design Proposals

Combining all the elments discussed above, an e�ort has been made to design a new dashboardwhich is ergonomically as well as functionally e�cient

Main Controls

Categorisation of ControlsBrakes - (Reverse, Engine Brake, Coach brakes)

Accelerator (10 knotches)

Warning Controls

Horn

Engine Siren

Indicators

Speed

Lube Oil

Brake Pressure

Battery Indicator

Traction

On, O� Buttons

Indicators

Horns & Lighting Controls

Signal/Position Indicator

Space for Bottles and Writting Pad

Walkie Talkie for Communication

Fuel Indicator