Ease of Operation Score
The vehicle catalog ease of operation score serves to provide a rough look at how complex a vehicle type is to learn and operate.
Learning Simplicity
This score is based on how easy it is to learn to safely operate the vehicle. Some vehicles are rather intuitive and forgiving to use. Others may require extensive reading of the manual to understand, or running the quick tutorial multiple times to memorize. With those, making a mistake at some point is bound to happen.
Brake Operation
This score is based on how easy it is to safely operate the vehicle’s brakes. Complications may arise from the type of air brake control valve used, impacting the intuitiveness and involvement with the controls, but also from the amount and positioning of the various brake types and controls. Another factor is the likelihood to make a human error, such as forgetting to enable the air compressor on a steam engine.
Warning Systems
This score is based on the availability of warnings about exceeding margins of safe operation, or running out of resources. Some vehicles are equipped with flashing lights, audible buzzers and even active failure prevention systems, while others have none and rely solely on meticulous instrument monitoring.
Misuse Forgiveness
This score is based on how forgiving the vehicle is to human error. Some vehicles are built in a way that faulty operation is almost impossible to occur, while there are others where forgetting to check an instrument may result in total destruction of the vehicle.
Remote Connectivity
This score is based on availability of external control interfaces, namely the support for multiple-unit connection and remote controllers. These methods of vehicle operation can contribute to drastic time saving and safety improvements in certain situations.
Controls Layout
This score is based on how ergonomic and accessible the vehicle’s controls are to the driver. While some vehicles may have everything comfortably in reach, suitable for a sitting position, others may block the view, require turning around, walking around the cab, or even going outside of the vehicle to operate it.
Item Storage
This score is based on how easy it is to store paperwork and other items while operating the vehicle, based on the availability of desks, holders and other clear flat surfaces.
Reversing Comfort
This score is based on how easy it is to drive the vehicle in reverse, but also to turn it around. Vehicles with double-cabs are easy to change direction of movement, while others may be better suited for traveling in a particular direction when it comes to visibility. Some may not even be able to fit a turntable and require a wye to turn around.
Lighting Operation
This score is based on how easy it is to set up lights on the vehicle, including headlights, taillights, cab and gauge lights. Some vehicles may have multi-function switches that do half the work automatically, whereas others may involve handling numerous switches with unintuitive combinations, or be as tedious as to require external valve operation, and even manual EOT lantern installation.
Sound Comfort
This score is based on how tolerable the running vehicle is to the driver’s ear. Almost no motorized rail vehicle is truly quiet, but with good isolation and a smooth hum one will be less straining to the ear than a loud banging workhorse with no windows to close.
Other scores: