Jammu: Northern Railway’s Jammu Division is set to install a state-of-the-art desktop simulator that will allow loco pilots to practise handling emergencies such as brake failures, signal failures, dense fog, landslides and sudden obstructions on tracks, officials said.
The workplace-based training facility is aimed at enhancing the technical skills, operational preparedness and decision-making abilities of loco pilots by exposing them to a range of simulated real-world situations without the risks involved in live train operations, they said.
The simulator will enable loco pilots to virtually experience challenging operational conditions, including dense fog, heavy rain, landslides, signal failures and other adverse situations.
It will also provide hands-on practice in signalling, braking techniques and locomotive operations, helping improve their technical proficiency and confidence in handling trains under difficult circumstances, officials said.
A key feature of the facility will be the simulation of emergency situations such as brake failure, overshooting and sudden obstructions on the track, allowing loco pilots to practise taking quick and safe decisions.
The simulator will also facilitate repeated training without the consumption of fuel or other resources required to operate a real locomotive, making it a safe, economical and environment-friendly training tool, officials said.
The facility is expected to make regular training, refresher courses and skill-development programmes for new and existing loco pilots more effective.
It will also help loco pilots identify operational shortcomings and work towards improving their skills, they added.
The Jammu division has also recently been organising awareness programmes focusing on the mental health and welfare of loco pilots.
Railway officials said strengthening training infrastructure through the simulator is an important step towards ensuring safe and efficient train operations. The initiative is expected to enhance the confidence and preparedness of loco pilots and further strengthen passenger safety.
The Jammu division is continuing its efforts towards achieving the Indian Railways’ “Safety First” objective.
