Technological
advancements to enhance
safety performance of
Drivers
By:
Kul Bhushan: Advisor, Electrical (Rolling Stock)
Indian Ministry of Railways
1
Need of IR for sustained growth
 Achieve high level of performance for moving
freight and passenger traffic safely.
 Enhance rail coefficient and get back the traffic
from road to rail.
2
Physical & Financial Performance of IR
Revenue
generated
Traffic growth
Year
Freight
(MT)
%
Increase
Passenger
(Billion
Passenger)
%
Increase
5.4
Amount
(in US $
billion)
%
Increase
2004-05
602
11.84
2005-06
661
9.9
5.7
6.5
13.62
15.0
2006-07
728
10.1
6.4
11.8
16.36
20.1
*Target 2007-08
Freight
(MT)
Passenger (Billion Passenger)
-
800
8.4
3
Physical & Financial Performance of IR
750
16.36
730
728
710
13.62
690
670
18
14
11.84
12
661
650
16
630
10
610
8
590
602
570
5.4
550
2004-05
Freight (MT)
6.4
5.7
2005-06
Passenger (Billion Passenger)
6
4
2006-07
Net revenue generated (inUS $ billion)
4
Key Issue
 Achieve an ambitious target of 800 MT
of originating freight loading in 200708 and 1100 MT by 2011-12.
 The key driver to growth remains
safety with enhanced productivity.
5
An overview of safety performance
on IR
2000-01
20
350
84
17
02
473
723.8
Accidents
/million
Train
Kms.
0.65
2001-02
30
280
88
08
08
415
756.4
0.55
2002-03
16
218
96
14
07
351
786.2
0.44
2003-04
09
202
95
14
05
325
790.8
0.41
2004-05
13
138
70
10
03
234
810.1
0.29
2005-06
09
131
75
15
04
234
825.4
0.28
Year
Colli Derail
sions ments
Level
Fire
Million
Crossing
in
Misc Total Train
Accidents trains
Kms.
6
A graphical view of safety
performance on IR
7
Corporate Safety Plan (2003-13)
Safety Action Plan directed towards continuous
reduction in risk level to customers envisaged in
the form of Corporate Safety Plan (2003-13), which
advocates for:
 Inculcation of safety culture on all fronts
 Development of man power using advanced multimedia
& interactive training aids.
To achieve reduction in rate of consequential train
accidents per million train kilometers from present
level to 0.17 by the year 2013.
8
New technologies – Interactive aids
 Nearly 52% of total accidents are caused on account of
human failure. Induction of new technologies to minimize
human error in operations has paid rich dividends in terms
of improved safety.
 Training of Drivers being most precious human resource
threw up new challenges for up-gradation and
enhancement of their driving skills and safety knowledge.
 IR have made sizeable amount of investment in acquiring
‘state-of-the-art’ training aids including loco simulators.
9
Loco Simulators
Loco Simulator at Kanpur, North Central Railway (India).
Three Phase Loco Simulator at Asansol, Eastern Railway (India).
10
Loco Simulators
 A simulator is a powerful training aid for
Loco Drivers which works in a virtual
environment
depicting
actual
train
operation.
 First Electric Loco Simulator acquired by IR
in 1994.
 Sixteen Loco Simulators are in operation at
various Training Centers across IR.
Contd. ….
11
Loco Simulators
A training session, usually a 5-day module is
designed for hands-on working by Loco Drivers in
the loco simulator cab under the supervision of an
instructor covering the following areas of driving
skills and safety knowledge:





Preparation of locomotive before pulling out.
Starting and accelerating the train.
Negotiation of speed restrictions.
Application of Dynamic brakes.
Application of Automatic train brakes.
Contd. ……
12
Loco Simulators






Controlling of train on ascending and descending
gradients.
Decelerating and stopping of the train.
Application of emergency brakes.
Over speeding and Signal Passing At Danger
(SPAD).
Reflex actions while managing the abnormal
situations such as animal crossing the track or any
other obstruction including the derailment on
adjacent track.
Energy conservation by coasting and proper brake
application.
13
Loco Simulators
Evaluation of performance
 Evaluation of performance in terms of driving
skills and safety knowledge is made at the end of
each training session.
 Score card generated for evaluating driver’s
performance on simulator.
 Sample study shows improvement of 43% in
driving skills.
14
Loco Simulators
Grades before training
A
No.
of
trainees
01
B
C
D
103 1291 154
Grades after training
A
B
C
D
329
1220
0
0
Grades:A
B
C
D
Above 80%
Between 60-80%
Between 40-60%
Below 40%
It may be observed that the average scores related to driving
skills and safety knowledge of Drivers have improved by
nearly 43% after the completion of training on Loco
Simulator.
15
Computer Based Training (CBT)
 CBT is computer aided interactive tool using computer graphics,
videos, animations etc for enhancing skills of running and
maintenance staff thereby improving their productivity and
safety performance
 Computer Based Training (CBT) and Web Based Training (WBT)
as new tools are on the horizon of IR which have great potential
for providing structured sessions using graphics and animations
(2D & 3D) in an instructor controlled class room.
 Such wide range of technologies will greatly help IR optimizing
training resources more efficiently for imparting training to
Drivers and engineers.
16
Computer Based Training (CBT)
 IR concentrating on preparing CBT modules for the
following:






Tap Changer,
Vacuum Circuit Breaker,
Traction Motor,
Traction Converter,
Pantograph,
Brake System
Compressor
 Static Converter
 Micro Processor Based Fault Diagnostic

17
Modernisation of Crew Lobbies
Sign-Safe System & Gyan Kasauti workstation at
Crew Lobby
18
Sign-Safe System
 To overcome short comings of conventional system of
‘Sign on-Sign Off’ process of Drivers, most of crew
booking lobbies on IR have now been provided with
advanced ‘Sign-Safe’ system with a touch screen
monitor.
 ‘Sign-Safe’ system installed at lobbies has made
possible to eliminate human error during ‘Sign-on-off’
process of Drivers which helped bolster the stringent
safety regime in train operations.
Contd.…
19
Sign-Safe System
 ‘Sign-Safe’ system is basically a computer software
linked with an inbuilt breath analyzer to recognize
each Driver for signing ‘on’.
 Driver touches screen based work station.
 Flash the smart card or put the thumb impression for
identification.
 On successful identification, Driver blows off in the
mouthpiece of breath analyzer.
Contd. ..
20
Sign-Safe System
 If result OK, Driver authorized to process further for
entering the data such as type of service, section and
safety tools being carried.
 System displays cautions orders which are to be
acknowledged by the Driver.
 System declares the successful ‘Sign-on’ process.
21
Introduction of Self Assessment software
‘Gyan Kasauti’
 Crew lobbies provided with a self learning software for
Drivers called ‘Gyan Kasauti’ (test of knowledge).
A series of multiple choice questions on various subjects
related to train operations, driving skills, trouble shooting
and safety is thrown up randomly to Drivers through a
software on a touch screen monitor and response to
questions in evaluated with a final tally of results in terms
of overall scores with correct answers.
 This system has remarkably helped Drivers in refreshing
their knowledge regularly while waiting in the crew
booking Lobbies.
22
Conclusion
Safety performance on IR in terms of accidents per million
train Kms has consistently improved over the last 06 years
and it is targeted to achieve an index of 0.17 accidents per
million train Kms by the year 2013 adopting the
following new technologies:
 Intensive use of loco simulators by drivers in training centers.
 E-learning through CBT in an Instructor controlled class
room envoirment.
 Providing ‘Sign safe system’ in crew lobbies for ensuring
authenticity of breath analyzer test for Drivers.
 Use of self learning and assessment software (Gyan Kasauti)
by Drivers for improving their skills and safety knowledge.
23
24
Option Screen of Gyan Kasauti
Select the Operation
Duty On/Off
Gyan Kasauti
Instruction Library
Change Password
25
Identity Verification
26
Category of Questions
Select the Question
Brake System
Graded Section
Safety
Tech. Circulars
WAG Locos
WAM4 Locos
WAP4 Locos
3-Phase Locomotive
GK
New Forms
Next
27
Multiple Choice Questions
00
00
00
05
If a detonator is exploded by train for which minimum distance
train should be worked cautiously?
[GR.3.78(2)(f)]
1
A
0.5 KM
B
1 KM
C
1.5 KM
D
2 KM
Skip
28
Result of the session
Gyan Kasturi Details
Driver’s Name :
K. K. Sharma
Total Question :
45
Correct Question :
40
Wrong Question :
2
Skip Question :
3
Time Taken :
Result in (%) :
58 Sec
88.8
Finish
29