International Railway Journal - January 2008 - (Page 35) Simulation KMW is First-class solution First Capital Connect, Britain, plans to use driver simulators to train a wide range of staff. Photo: railimages.co.uk KMW, Germany, is one of the biggest suppliers of simulators, offering everything from fullmotion cab simulators to simulation of signalling systems. Andrew Roden reveals the rationale behind its latest installation. F ROM April this year, British commuter rail operator First Capital Connect (FCC) plans to phase-in driver training simulators from KMW to allow staff to get used to the training environment and to simulation operation. By April 2009, it hopes to integrate the simulator into its driver assessment programme. A key aspect of this simulator is cutting the time taken to train new drivers, and to improve their standards. At present, British rules prevent new drivers from operating cab controls for at least 14 weeks, but with a full-cab simulator, they can gain experience from the start of the programme, and learn to drive in a controlled and safe environment. It also allows them to be introduced to rail infrastructure which they may not be familiar with. KMW’s advanced graphics technology means FCC will be able to give drivers experience in varying conditions, from darkness to bright sunshine, rain, snow and fog - or varying combinations. Rail conditions can also be simulated, providing training for low adhesion, which typically becomes a major issue in Britain in the third quarter of the year when leaves fall from trees. Increasingly, however, attention is being paid to energy efficiency, and the FCC simulation takes this into account. Energy-saving driving techniques can vary from traditional methods, and when this is the case, it is much easier for railways to train new staff in the correct manner from the start. The simulator will also provide new drivers with training in degraded and emergency working, route risk awareness, and safety-critical communication. More than drivers It’s not just new drivers who will benefit from the new simulator however. Qualified drivers will receive annual training. This refresher training will focus much more on reinforcing skills, and on training drivers after incidents. When it comes to training driver instructors, driver trainers and inspectors, the benefit of the simulator-based training is improved communication between instructor and trainee. The key question in real-world training is: should the instructor intervene to avoid safetycritical incidents such as station overruns, and signals passed at danger. The simulator offers advanced route risk training so instructors can learn when to intervene. Coaching and assessment can be trained using role-playing, and training staff can also use commentary driving and introduce hazards. For driver managers, the advantages are perhaps more profound as they can assess performance and knowledge using the simulator rather than a whiteboard or other media. It means their abilities can be improved, raising driving standards across the railway as a whole. Of course, one of the most important uses of simulators is route learning, and this can be of special importance when signalling changes, either because of a resignalling scheme or because of issues affecting signal sighting. It could also be used to learn diversionary routes if there are issues which prevent FCC drivers physically driving over it in advance of its use. Depot drivers, who tend to get little use from simulators, will receive new and refresher training in coupling and uncoupling, depot driving and shunting - and are likely to receive suitability assessment on the simulator before promotion to main line driving. FCC plans to extend the use of its simulator by getting non-driving staff to use it. It believes that maintenance staff will get a better understanding of the driver’s role when faults occur, and of the pressure they are under. It should help drivers and fleet maintenance staff improve traction training, fault finding, and rectification. An issue of vital importance is communication between signallers and drivers, and this can be assessed on the simulator. Just as important, believes FCC, is ensuring that drivers and signallers appreciate each others’ roles. Handsignallers, mobile operations managers and pilotmen can also receive some training using the simulator. It’s a sign of how flexible simulators have become that all of this is possible in one unit. First Capital Connect plans to get the most out of it once it is finally installed. IRJ IRJ January 2008 35 http://railimages.co.uk
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