CONTEXT

The WAP-4 is the workhorse of the Indian Railways Passenger Division. The Pilot's cabin and the control panel have stayed the same since the launch of the WAP-4 locomotive and an overhaul was commissioned in 2010. An improved control panel was necessary to lower the learning curve for new pilots and co-pilots as well as to reduce the operation fatigue on extended segments.

INSIGHT

IDEA

As the roles and corresponding duties of the pilot and co-pilot evolved over the years in tune with developments to the overall system, the control panel stayed the same. Through in-depth field research, usability issues, deterrents of efficiency and opportunities for improvement were identified in the realms of physical, spatial and cognitive ergonomics. 

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New layouts of the control panel were envisioned, prototyped and tested to facilitate a streamlined workflow of operations in a sequential order. Cabin space was redesigned to accommodate specific needs pertaining to the operational tasks of both the pilot and the co-pilot.

IMPACT

The redesigned control panel reduced operational fatigue by 15% and slashed the emergency reaction time by a factor of two. Usability testing was conducted by the Indian Railways Pilot Training department using both pilots and co-pilots in the training simulator at the Vadodara facility of the Western Railways Division.

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THE CHALLENGE

Introduced in 1994, the WAP-4 has become the mainstay passenger locomotive of the Indian Railways. However, the controls panels and the pilot's cabin provide less than ideal working conditions for the pilot and co-pilot. The project was initiated as an effort by the Indian Railways and the National Institute of Design to redesign the pilot's operational experience of the locomotive.

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