Getting mixed signals: Connotations of teamwork as performance shaping factors in network controller and rail driver relationship dynamics

Signal passed at danger (SPAD) events have been a perennial issue in rail and requires continued scholarship. Much of the literature has tended to focus on activities within the train cab, placing the spotlight on “error” within the rail driving role; however a train is not propelled by a single person but by a team. This study set out to understand how network controllers perceive the relationship dynamic between the network controller and rail driver, and how these views shape system performance. Using a phenomenological approach underpinned by Joint Cognitive Systems theory, interviews were conducted with network controllers (N = 55) across 8 rail organisations in Australia and New Zealand to examine how they related to signals and to drivers. Sixteen different perspectives were identified ranging in type and varying by frequency, each with implications for coupling strength between the controller and driver roles and on system performance. Key dimensions of teamwork in train movement were emphasised, illustrating how the underlying values and philosophies in different network controlling cultures influence risk perception. The findings may be used to develop a more informed understanding of the ‘controller-signal-driver-train’ system and pave the way for strategies that can embrace diversity in different perspectives whilst optimizing system safety and performance. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd