Cab Technology Integration Lab (CTIL) Head-Up Display Study

FRA is proposing a study which will focus on railroad engineer performance. Distraction is a common problem in locomotive cabs and preliminary research suggest that the dispatch radio may have significant negative effects on crew workload and performance. FRA seeks to ascertain whether an alternative and newer technology -- a Head-Up Display (HUD) using a locomotive simulator as a test method-- communicating the same information electronically with overhead letters as radio dispatch reduces distraction and improves the performance of locomotive engineers. Note: This collection is voluntary. The respondent universe is comprised of 40 individual locomotive engineers who will take part in a simulator exercise and then answer two questions on the two forms included in this submission. The frequency of collection is on occasion and one-time. The purpose of this information collection is to learn about radio distraction, how affects human performance, and how we can leverage technology to reduce those distractions and improve rail safety. FRA will be collecting quantitative information to evaluate engineers abilities. Primary users of the information to be collected will be staff within FRA's Research and Development Office who will have access to summarized data in an effort to inform a research agenda in support of minimizing radio distraction and the risks associated with such use. Data from the study will provide formative research to show that there is an alternative technology to communicate information otherwise conveyed over the radio.

The latest form for Cab Technology Integration Lab (CTIL) Head-Up Display Study expires 2021-01-31 and can be found here.