CFR 49 Part 243 Virtual Training, with the Federal Railroad Administration and Heartwood

Rail Group On Air

Locomotive engineers have been qualified and trained with simulation technology for years. Through technology, the opportunity to leverage simulation beyond locomotive engineers is quickly emerging. Heartwood scratched the surface by developing a virtual simulation platform to certify Transportation and Mechanical employees in conducting 49 CFR Part 232 brake tests at Norfolk Southern, and obtained a Federal Railroad Administration simulation training waiver to meet the regulatory requirements. With simulation technology, including augmented and virtual reality, regulatory and maintenance training can be at employee fingertips. Can railroads train, qualify and improve their workforce with simulation tools? FRA Staff Director, Railroad Safety Partnerships Rob Castiglione, Heartwood Co-Founder and Chief Revenue Officer Neil Wadhawan and Consultant Brian Keller discuss this emerging technology with Railway Age Editor-in-Chief William C. Vantuono.