Next Generation Locomotive Cab Task 5 Summary Report: Control Stand Design

摘要

This report discusses the development of a user-centered control stand for the Federal Railroad Administrations Next Generation Locomotive Cab Demonstration Program. A modified Association of American Railroads 105 side-mounted control stand was used as a starting point to facilitate bidirectional locomotive operation. Researchers applied a variety of qualitative human factor methods, including literature review, naturalistic observation, computer modeling, and heuristic evaluation, to design the improved control stand. Final design includes a decluttered side control stand, a short desktop and three-panel front touch-screen display that can accommodate and integrate current and future locomotive and train technologies, and an overhead ceiling panel that replaces, in part, controls and displays traditionally located behind the engineer on the back wall. Other controls and displays traditionally found on the back panel have been integrated into the touch-screen displays. A mockup of the revised control stand design was fabricated as part of this program to demonstrate the human factors and ergonomic improvements. Researchers also developed several interactive scenarios to use with the touch-screen displays. The mockup and scenarios can be used to demonstrate the control stands user-centered design and collect user feedback.