Moving Map Displays: Using CTIL and Eye Tracking Technologies to Measure Distraction in Locomotive Cabs

Fisher, Donald L.; Romoser, Matthew R. E. · 2015 · ROSA P / New England University Transportation Center

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Summary

This study investigates the potential distraction risks associated with Moving Map Displays (MMDs) in locomotive cabs, a technology integral to Positive Train Control (PTC) systems. Motivated by safety concerns highlighted by the 2008 Chatsworth crash, the research addresses the hypothesis that while MMDs improve situation awareness, they may inadvertently increase cab-focused attention, causing engineers to miss critical wayside visual cues such as trespassers or vehicles. The study aims to quantify whether MMDs lead to longer glances inside the cab compared to traditional paper charts, thereby increasing the risk of missing external safety events. The research was conducted as a pilot study using the Cab Technology Integration Laboratory (CTIL) at the John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. Real locomotive engineers participated in simulations comparing two conditions: using a combined MMD and paper chart display versus using only a paper chart display. Distraction was measured using two metrics: the detection rate of safety-critical events (both planned, like speed restrictions, and unplanned, like obstacles) and eye-tracking data measuring "head-down" time. Specifically, the study analyzed the proportion of time spent looking inside the cab for glances exceeding two seconds, a threshold established in automotive driving research. Performance was scored binary by a rail safety expert, and statistical analysis employed logistic regression within a Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) framework to account for between-subjects and within-subjects factors. The results indicated that engineers using the MMD detected 80.8% of safety-critical events, compared to 75.9% for those using paper charts. However, statistical significance varied depending on the inclusion of "quiet zone" events; when these were excluded, the main effect for map type was not significant. Crucially, eye-tracking data revealed that MMD users spent less time looking inside the cab for extended periods. The MMD group had a proportion of 0.112 for time spent in glances over two seconds, whereas the paper map group had a proportion of 0.145. Similarly, the proportion of glances exceeding two seconds was lower for the MMD group (0.258) than for the paper map group (0.275). The study concludes that, contrary to the fear that MMDs might increase distraction, the pilot data suggests they may actually reduce the frequency and duration of long internal glances compared to paper charts. While the MMD group showed slightly higher event detection rates, the lack of statistical significance in certain models suggests further analysis is needed. The findings imply that MMDs serve effectively as support tools without necessarily inducing the dangerous distraction patterns seen with personal electronic devices. The authors recommend that railroads monitor these patterns during training and procedure development to ensure that the integration of PTC technologies maintains or improves operational safety.

Key finding

Locomotive engineers using a moving map display detected 80.8% of safety-critical events versus 75.9% for those using a paper chart display, with no significant main effect of map type after excluding quiet-zone events.

Methodology

simulator

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• visual
• external distraction
• temporal