Individual Markers of Resilience in Train Traffic Control

Objective:The aim of this study was to examine individual markers of resilience and obtain quantitative insights into the understanding and the implications of variation and expertise levels in train traffic operators’ goals and strategic mental models and their impact on performance.Background:The Dutch railways are one of the world’s most heavy utilized railway networks and have been identified to be weak in system and organizational resilience.Method:Twenty-two train traffic controllers enacted two scenarios in a human-in-the-loop simulator. Their experience, goals, strategic mental models, and performance were assessed through questionnaires and simulator logs. Goals were operationalized through performance indicators and strategic mental models through train completion strategies.Results:A variation was found between operators for both self-reported primary performance indicators and completion strategies. Further, the primary goal of only 14% of the operators reflected the primary organizational goal (i.e., arrival punctuality). An incongruence was also found between train traffic controllers’ self-reported performance indicators and objective performance in a more disrupted condition. The level of experience tends to affect performance differently.Conclusion:There is a gap between primary organizational goals and preferred individual goals. Further, the relative strong diversity in primary operator goals and strategic mental models indicates weak resilience at the individual level.Application:With recent and upcoming large-scale changes throughout the sociotechnical space of the railway infrastructure organization, the findings are useful to facilitate future railway traffic control and the development of a resilient system.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1177/0018720815622357
• Record URL:
  http://hfs.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/58/1/80
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00187208
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Ltd.
• Authors:
  • Lo, Julia C
  • Pluyter, Kari R
  • Meijer, Sebastiaan A
• Publication Date: 2016-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 80-91
• Serial:
  • Human Factors
  • Volume: 58
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Sage Publications, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0018-7208
  • EISSN: 1547-8181
  • Serial URL: http://hfs.sagepub.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Mental condition; On time performance; Operators (Persons); Railroad traffic; Railroad traffic control; Resilience (Materials)
• Geographic Terms: Netherlands
• Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01595563
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 1 2016 9:07AM