22--Passenger and Freight Locomotive Engineer Operations Simulator

NA This is not an Invitation for Bid (IFB),or a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a Request for Quotes) (RFQ). The United States Department of Transportation Volpe National Transportation System Center (Volpe Center) is conducting a market research, with the intention of issuing a solicitation in the near future for companies that have capability of providing a full simulation of passenger and freight locomotive engineer operations for use by the United States Army and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF REQUIREMENT: The passenger and freight engineer operations simulation shall serve two purposes: 1) initial and recurrent training and certification of freight locomotive engineers and reservists; 2) human factors research and accident reconstruction. Competencies tra ined and researched include road running, switching and coupling operations, train dynamics, control feel and handling qualities, procedures, understanding and awareness of systems, signals, track, and territory, as well as decision making and information processing under normal and abnormal operations (such as response to trespassers). The simulation shall provide coordinated visual, tactile, and auditory cueing for these competencies. In addition to the hardware and software required to simulate the control stand and its environment, the simulators shall include an instructor station with duplicate control and system status displays as well as track building, train composing, and instructor intervention capabilities. The simulation shall collect all data required to replay and analyze bo th simulator and operator behavior in a format readable by standard database software. Standard data processing tools should be available. The primary simulator will be located at Fort Eustis. Four satellite simulators to train reservists at different locations should be linkable to the primary simulator. The FRA will use the software from the primary simulator to operate research and training simulators at Amtrak facilities and at the Volpe Center. Contractors interested and that have the capability to provide this simulator, are required to send company’s name and qualifications within fifteen (15) working days after issuance of this source sought by e-mail or mail. Send to Volpe Center Attn: Guy H. Hillman, DTS-852, 55 Broadway, Kendall Square, Cambridge, MA 02142. E- Mail should be se nt to [email protected].