ForgeFX Simulations is proud to be a training simulator vendor for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), a government agency that operates transit service in the Washington metropolitan area. WMATA provides rapid transit service under the Metrorail name, more commonly referred to as a Metro, the third-busiest rapid transit system in the United States in terms of passenger trips. ForgeFX developed this rail operator training simulator for Metro heavy rail rapid transit system operators in order to train operators faster and for a fraction of the cost, all within a safe, risk-free virtual environment.
Equipment Operator Training Simulator
WMATA hired ForgeFX to develop a 3D immersive computer simulation to help change operator behavior for the better. The simulator helps Metro operators by increasing risk awareness and hazard identification to improve proactive problem solving and greatly enhance equipment operator training. Leveraging high-fidelity graphics, an immersive virtual reality-based environment, and a fully interactive virtual facsimile of the prime mover allows WMATA and ForgeFX to deploy a highly-effective training simulator the helps improve operator’s critical thinking as well as command and control of railway procedures and protocols.
Simulation-Based Training Objectives
The Metro Training Simulator allows users to implement the startup procedure, including everything from checking the load, to testing the air dump button, to removing the chocks. The simulator puts the trainee at virtual Metro controls which closely mimic the real-world controls and their ability to control the train. Operators are able to become comfortable with all of the controls, master their functionality, and become confident operators in a safe and risk free virtual training environment.
Stereoscopic 3D Virtual Reality Simulator
The Metro Training Simulator delivers an interactive experience to operators, giving them a first-person perspective of operating a train between the NoMa-Gallaudet Station and Union Station. The simulator includes virtual versions of the stations themselves as well as all points of significance along the line, including everything from signals, to switches, to wayside personnel. In addition to learning how to operate all of the equipment controls, trainees are able to learn to coordinate foul times, interpret hand signals, and learn to handle random unexpected hazards.
Six Degrees of Freedom and Positional Tracking
Head tracking allows the user to look around the virtual world the same way they do the real world. Positional tracking, like head tracking, allows the user to experience the virtual world and their surroundings the same way they do the real world. In addition, it allows them to fully understand and navigate the spatial awareness challenges they’ll face in the real world.
User Session Data Analysis and Reporting
The simulator tracks all of the trainees actions and logs the data in order to generate simulation session reports. These reports indicate which tasks have been completed, tasks that have not been completed, as well as errors that were made during training. The reporting system allows safety experts to quickly comprehend trainees performance within the simulation.
D.C. Metro taps ForgeFX 3D simulation tech for operator training Virtual Reality Training Simulator
D.C. Metro taps ForgeFX 3D simulation tech for operator training
Leveraging high-fidelity graphics, an immersive virtual reality-based environment, and a fully interactive virtual facsimile of the prime mover allows WMATA and ForgeFX to deploy a training simulator that helps improve operator’s critical thinking as well as command and control of railway procedures and protocols.
WMATA Metro Operator Training Simulator Image Gallery
A collection of screenshots and images of the WMATA Metro operator training simulator.
Thank you for your interest in the WMATA rapid transit system operator training simulator. Please visit the WMATA website for more information about the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority, and for more information about the development of custom training simulations for your organization, please contact ForgeFX Training Simulations to discuss your requirements.