A RELIABLE LOCOMITIVE CAB ALERTER

SEVERAL CONCEPTS ARE PROPOSED FOR LOCOMOTIVE CAB ALERTERS THAT CAN BE RETROFITTED TO ALERTER SYSTEMS ALREADY IN SERVICE. THE CONCEPTS INCLUDE A TOUCH SCREEN, WHICH REQUIRES TOUCHING A TARGET TO RESET THE TIMER OR TO RESPOND TO THE ALERTER LIGHT PROMPT. THE INITIAL LOCATION OF THE TARGET ON THE SCREEN IS AUTOMATICALLY SELECTED AT RANDOM. ANOTHER CONCEPT IS THE USE OF A TELEPHONE KEYPAD WITH LCD, WHICH DISPLAYS A SEQUENCE OF NUMBERS SELSCTED AT RANDOM. THE USE OF A KEY THAT IS HAS TO BE ALLIGNED WITH A LIGHT SOURCE IS ALSO CONSIDERED FOR RESETTING THE TIMER. BY A TRADEOFF STUDY, A SYSTEM WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT. THE SELECTION CRITERIA WILL INCLUDE LOW COST INABILITY TO RENDER THE ALERTER INOPERABLE, OR RESET THE ALERTER TIMER WHEN THE LIGHT PROMPT APPEARS (BEFORE THE AUDIBLE ALARM) WHILE ACTUALLY DOZING OR ASLEEP AND THEREBY DEFEAT THE PURPOSE OF THE ALERTER SYSTEM. MANIPULATION AND COGNITIVE TASKS WILL ASSURE THE ALERTNESS OF THE ENGINEER. COMMUNICATION LINK WITH OTHER PERSONNEL IN THE CABOOSE OR CARS MAY BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE CAB ALERTER. PHASE I INVOLVES PROOF-OF-CONCEPT TESTING AND DEVELOPMENT OF A PROTOTYPE FOR DEMONSTRATION IN PHASE II.