Consideration of human factors during the construction or modernization of a line

Summary
I-
A.
B.
1. Bellegarde remote control centre
2. Catenary switching device
3. Catenary power supply feeder
II-
A.
1. Bellegarde remote control centre
2. Catenary switching device
B.
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I- A Very Challenging Line to Operate
Built
1876
Closed Renovated
1990 2007- 2010
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AEnvironmental Features

Several curves of radius below 300 m
 Risks of runaway
Source: Dossier de sécurité - Rénovation de la ligne du
Haut Bugey V3 du 10/11/2011 – Annexe 02
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AEnvironmental Features
 Difficult climatic conditions :
120 rainy days per year,
65 days of frost,
27 days of thunder,
heavy snow,
ice formation in tunnels
 Large rock walls along platforms
 Large number of detectors and protection nets from rock falls
Risks of wheel-slip, wheel-lock, track shift.
High risks of false alarms due to weather conditions
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AEnvironmental Features
 Numerous and imposing structures :
10 tunnels of different lengths,
49 railroad bridges,
5 viaducts,
 Presence along the line of 42 level crossings located in :
high traffic areas,
tourist zones,
areas of difficult track geometry
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AEnvironmental Features
 Central platforms including one :
located just at the end of a tunnel,
at a gradient of 22 ‰
and of a curve of 300 m making access to TGVs difficult,
 Boarded track crossings
 High passenger number in winter
Risk of unauthorized presence on tracks
 Numerous tourists during summer
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BSpecific Installations
If each of these features taken individually can be easily handled ; once gathered together they lead to real and important operation and maintenance risks including some which are linked to human factors .
1.
A remote control centre in Bellegarde station
2.
A unique type on the French national railway network of catenary switching device from 1500 V dc to 25 kV ac linked to the route in Bellegarde station
3.
A rare 25 kV ac catenary power supply feeder to be used in case of emergency
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BSpecific Installations
1Bellegarde Remote Control Centre
 Necessity to adapt to a new mode of rail traffic control and to a new technology
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BSpecific Installations
1Bellegarde Remote Control Centre
An inadequate adaptation of staff to new technologies could lead to incorrect application of procedures i n case of disruption, to immobilization of trains and to the presence of passengers on tracks.
Source: translated from Dossier de sécurité - Rénovation de la ligne du Haut Bugey V3 du 10/11/2011 – Annexe 29
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BSpecific Installations
2Catenary Switching Device
 Linked to the route
 Remote controlled by Bellegarde remote control centre
Source: translated from Dossier de sécurité - Rénovation de la ligne du Haut Bugey V3 du 10/11/2011
 Voltage monitored by a programmable controller
 Condition the clearing of the controlled protecting signal
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Area
25000 V ac
Switching area
To Geneva
Area
1500 V dc to Bourg en Bresse
Area
25000 V ac
Switching area
Source: inspired from http://www.ligneduhautbugey.fr/
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Area
1500 V dc

BSpecific Installations
2Catenary Switching Device
 Control / command incidents at the remote control centre could lead to :
 command and control failures for the route to Haut Bugey
 prolonged immobilization of trains before station platforms
 passengers on tracks
 train running on sight and power trip
 stress for remote control centre staff
 Requires :
 training to the particular characteristics of the installation
 ability to work with many people from different disciplines and remote
Communications dysfunctions in rail traffic control predominate in the majority of incidents.
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After setting a route, the signal does not clear and the corresponding voltage indication (« KT 1500 » or « KT
25000 ») is not displayed
Bellegarde TC SSR
Verbaly ask the SSR if voltage indication corresponding to the established route is displayed on his terminal
Verify voltage indication on his terminal
Voltage indication is displayed
Voltage indication is not displayed
Receive numbered message from SSR
After having verified all other conditions for clearing the signal, authorises the passing of the stop signal under the usual regulatory conditions.
Inform Bellegarde TC by numbered message
SSR to Bellegarde
TC: voltage indication
« TK …(1500 ou 25000) displayed on my terminal »
Receive verbal information from SSR Verbally inform Bellgarde traffic controller
Source: translated from Dossier de sécurité - Rénovation de la ligne du Haut Bugey – Annexe 29

BSpecific Installations
3Catenary Power Supply Feeder
 To be used only in emergencies cases
 Presents serious electrical hazards
 Of delicate use in case of
 accidents on the catenary
 intervention of maintenance staff
 Requires the acquisition of essential job skills
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BSpecific Installations
 Operation of the renovated line is complicated
 train traffic controller in charge of the remote control center,
 operators,
 maintenance staff,
 central substation staff
 drivers ...
 Risks of incidents derive from
 technical components
 organizational and human factors
IM decided to launch a dedicated study based on human factors
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II- Providing Human Factors Support
6 months
Human factor study
Implementation stage
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Human factors, operation, maintenance, electrical installations specialists

II- Providing Human Factors Support
Prepare local agents for technological change
Estimate admissible staff workload
Expected results
Develop tools for traffic management
Establish process for dealing with degraded situations
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II- Providing Human Factors Support
 Control risks associated with the catenary switching device and catenary power supply feeder
 By working in collaboration with staff at the design stage
 To ensure that they had identified and understood all risks of dysfunctions and their corresponding procedures
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 Assessing the robustness of
Bellegarde remote control centre’s planned organization
 By identifying in literature and at similar sites, elements that could contribute to the reflection on the organization of
Bellegarde remote control centre

ALot 1
1. Catenary Switching Device
Issues
Understanding its operation
Identifying possible malfunctions related to its operation
Defining managing procedures of these malfunctions
Including these procedures in documentation
Preparing on-site to manage those situations
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ALot 1
1. Catenary Switching Device
 Study behaviour of a single or multiple unit vehicle in case of accidental immobilisation under the catenary switching device

Study how staff would deal with programmable controller malfunctions
 Write a special operating procedure for the management of train distress scenarii under the catenary switching section ,
 Include relevant data in driver training ,
 Produce documents on the conditions of intervention on the catenary switching device for maintenance staff
 Incorporate simulation exercises in staff training

Check the consistency of the documents

Monitor the operation of the catenary switching device / care about feedbacks
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ALot 1
2. Catenary Power Supply Feeder
Issues
Understanding its operation Defining its use and operation conditions
Writing those conditions in documentation
Facilitating the appropriation of the limits and conditions of use of the catenary power supply feeder
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ALot 1
1. Catenary Switching Device
 Clarify the synchronisation of maintainers local interventions and the repowering of the feeder to rescue a train on the line
 Organizing knowledge sharing on the basis of catenary power supply feeder instructions
 Organizing exercises to test its use in conditions close to real operations.
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BLot 2
Issues
Preparing local staffs for the technological change of operating mode by training them
Developing tools for traffic management in both normal and deteriorated situations,
Establishing a process for managing degraded situations
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Estimating the admissible staff workload

BLot 2
Attention particularly paid on :
 Operation of novel installations
 Clarity and readability of procedures,
 Documents accessibility
 Procedure consistency
 Remote control center ergonomics
 Alarm management,
 tools and installations maintenance
 Competency profile
 Training
 Management
 Workload
 Team composition
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BLot 2
 Identify in literature and in the field, elements that could contribute to the reflection on the organization of
Bellegarde remote control centre.
 Adapt Bellegarde traffic controllers’ training to their specific situation,
 Organize meetings between train traffic controllers and players with whom they will have to work,
 Regularly ensure rotation between the old and the new control centre,
 Adapt the ergonomics of Bellegarde remote control centre.
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Conclusion
Increase of risks
Complexity of railway sector
Necessity of taking into account human factors
Since 2010 no accident related to :
specific installations
new technologies
communications dysfunctions
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