A Human Factors Framework for Evaluating Digital Train Commands in Railway Operations

Abstract

The digitalisation of operational train commands represents a major step in the transformation of railway operations and fundamentally changes safety-critical communication between dispatchers and train drivers. Traditionally, commands are issued through written or verbal procedures based on strictly standardised rules, ensuring clarity and reliability, particularly in disruption scenarios. With the introduction of digital train commands, these procedures are increasingly replaced by interface-based transmission and acknowledgement mechanisms, raising new questions regarding usability, comprehensibility, and human–system interaction.This paper presents a human factors–oriented methodological framework for the systematic evaluation of digital train commands in railway operations. The focus lies on research design and evaluation methods suitable for early deployment and transition phases, rather than on operational performance outcomes. The proposed approach combines simulator-based studies, task and process analyses, semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, mockups, and thinking-aloud techniques to investigate cognitive workload, acceptance, and safety-critical communication under realistic operating conditions. Particular attention is given to transitional environments in which traditional and digital command procedures coexist, potentially increasing cognitive demands and the risk of human error.The framework examines how factors such as stress, time pressure, prior experience, and interaction design influence user behaviour and trust in digital acknowledgement mechanisms. By systematically addressing both technical and human aspects, the approach supports early identification of usability issues and interaction risks before large-scale implementation. The paper contributes a transferable methodological basis for evaluating digital command systems in the railway domain and other safety-critical transportation contexts, highlighting the need to integrate human factors alongside technological innovation to maintain established safety standards.

Keywords: Human Factors, Railway Operations, Safety-critical Communication, Simularion-based Evaluation

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007873