Understanding the railway driving activity to design HUD: Recommendations and specificities for future light trains

IRT Railenium, Valenciennes, France

^* e-mail: cecile.bernard@railenium.eu
^** e-mail: quentin.gadmer@railenium.eu
^*** e-mail: philippe.richard@railenium.eu

Abstract

As new operating modes emerge for rail transportation, an ergonomics and human factors centered study is essential to ensure that the needs of operators are fully taken into account during this evolution. In this paper, we study the possibility of integrating heads-up displays (HUD’s) to help design future train cabs for very light trains operating in small rural lines. Multiple studies underline the apparent advantages of using HUD’s in transport fields, notably to improve the visibility of certain information or reduce the time when the driver’s attention must diverge from the train and its environment. However, implementing such interfaces is not simple, as technological solutions can be difficult to implement and must comply with strict safety standards. While it has been scarcely explored in the railway industry, this paper investigates the known advantages and disadvantages of using HUD’s, and presents recommendations for their development, based on both a study of the literature and general observations made in the driver’s cab of various types of train operating on small rural lines.