The train traffic operations are done automatically without any manual operation in a normal situation. But once some abnormality like accident occurs, that induces traffic congestion and suddenly requires many complex manual operations like situation grasping, rescheduling, relevant communications, instruction and notification. These situations may cause operational mistake and delay enhancement. Therefore, the West Japan Railway Company is developing an efficient operator assistance system in cases of traffic congestion.The"Real-time Train Traffic Operator Assistance System" will support operation tasks in abnormal situation following three phases. (1) Situation grasp This system corrects abnormal situation status data and indicates the situation objectively to the operator and prompts next action which shall be done as quickly as appropriate especially for the initial instruction and treatment. (2) Train traffic diagram rescheduling According to a traffic obstacle area and period, this system automatically proposes rescheduled train diagram pattern. Based on this proposal, some minor modification by the operator may be proceeding. (3) Instruction and notification sending to the driver This system automatically picks up the related trains to instruct and notify when entering covered area and sends the instruction and notification to the train driver's display through an on-board to ground communication line. This very complex and versatile system shall be proven as stable and certainty operational in any case of the abnormal situations. But it is impossible to realize the abnormal situation in the actual operation field. Also it is essential to reflect the operators' intention and improvement proposal such as display visibility and operability for human machine interface. For these reasons, we are also making the "real-time traffic operation simulator" which simulates overall traffic operation activity in case of the abnormal situation in realistic. It assures objective and quantitative total system evaluation and assessment.
