A Systems-Theoretic Computational Model of Human Performance in an Advanced Railroad Dispatch Operation
The Federal Railroad Administration sponsored a research team from Duke University to study railroad dispatcher workload in association with automation under various scenarios and task demands. The team developed a computational model to help examine, understand, and predict the effects of the introduction of technology and automation on dispatcher personnel workload. As railroads implement automation through technologies like Positive Train Control, the role of dispatchers could become more significant in rail traffic control and operational management. It may be important to factor in the effects of changes on the performance of dispatchers, as well as train crews, to maintain acceptable levels of safety in operations for individual trains and the broader networked rail system. The Simulator of Humans and Automation in Dispatch Operations (SHADO) was developed as a rapid prototyping tool that allows decision-makers in the industry to test present and future concepts of operations that embed automated and autonomous systems. This report provides a case study of real-world dispatch operations across three shift schedules in both short-line freight rail and commuter rail scenarios. These findings support the use of SHADO in analysis for additional dispatch operations settings.