Train Resource Management SystemTRMS II
Training Guide
Crew Dispatch

Massachusetts bay Commuter railroad company

TRMS II Training Guide
Version 1.0
September 2009

Copyright2009 Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad Company

All Rights Reserved

MBCR Information Systems

32 Cobble Hill Road

Somerville, MA 01234

Contents

Contents - 2

Overview of TRMS II……………………………………………….

What is TRMS II?

Existing Functionality......

New Functionality

User Roles in TRMS II

Architecture of TRMS II

Logical Architecture

Overview

Physical Architecture

Overview

Security in TRMS II

Description

Understanding the TRMS II Environment ……..

TRMS II Main Window User Environment

Progress Indicator Bar

Menu Collapse/Expand

Pane Collapse/Expand

Activities

Maintain

Codes

Reports

TRMS II Software Application Interfaces……..………………...

Using TRMS II……………………………………………………..

Crew Dispatch Procedures

Validating a Crew Trip Record

Editing a Crew Trip Record

Deleting a Crew Trip Record

Adding a Crew Member

Viewing Trip Delays

PAGE LEFT BLANK INTENTIONALLY

FOR RECONFIGURATION - DO NOT USE- DISCARD

TRain resource Management System trms II

Overview of TRMS II

What is TRMS II?

  • Train Resource Management System (TRMS) II is a web-based application that monitors railroad operations and procedures, as well as, records train performance and operating statistics.
  • TRMS II is an upgrade and enhancement replacement of the Rail Operations Software Solutions (ROSS)package.
  • TRMS II is an integrated suite of software modules designed specifically for use in rail operations.

Existing Functionality

TRMS II provides the following functionality:

Train Schedule Management
On-line access and entry of schedule information for each trip. This includes defining the schedule templates that automatically create the daily trip records. Information included in these records is the train number, departure location and time; schedule days, effective and discontinued dates and direction.

On-Time Performance Tracking and Analysis
Timely management and entry of delays and incidents. The detailed delay information includes time and location, delay type and cause, description of delay and responsible party (ex. MBCR Engineering, Transportation or Mechanical, Amtrak, CSX, Guilford, etc). If a delay was caused as a result of a mechanical failure, the equipment details are entered.

Ridership and Equipment Utilization Statistics
Management and reporting of passenger counts. This information provides management with trend analysis of service performed.

Consist Management
Facilitates the tracking of equipment line-ups by train trip. Also included are the entry, edit and assignment of equipment to cycles.

Incident Management
Management and reporting of defects, injuries, accidents and personnel notified of such. The incident information includes date, time, location, type of incident, and who was called for follow-up resolution.

Location Management
Building blocks for routes; they identify the destination and departure stations located along a route. Provides critical reference points for recording delays and other performance information. Entry, edit and reporting of the location and milepost of each train route.

New Functionality

TRMS II provides the following new functions:

Web-based application controlled and supported by MBTA/MBCR

Web-based Online Help application for user assistance

Auto schedule and distribution of daily and monthly reports

Security Web service for role-based security

Microsoft SQL ServerReporting Services

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Database

Audit Trail to provide details of program modifications made by user transactions (ex. Adds or Deletes)

Trip lock-down strategy

Ability to receive Asset tag information

Import of train schedules (no need for manual entry)

Auto creation of daily trips

Interface with Ceridian HR System to import transportation employees

Unusual occurrences are now included in Incidents

User Rolesin TRMS II

Train Dispatch – Records and validates train arrival and departure times, delay management, incident management, shift operations, and injuries.

Crew Dispatch–Views trip records and trip details; edits and updates crew information on a trip.

Ticket Agent–Enters and reviews the passenger counts.

Mechanical Personnel–Records and manages consist management and mechanical equipment delay failures.

Report – Access to Rail Operations reports.

Note
Consist, train schedule, and crew information must be accurate in TRMS II tables prior to the train departure time.

Architecture of TRMS II

Logical Architecture

Overview

  • The Logical Architecture diagram provides an overview of the TRMS II logic used. Components that are hash-shaded are not expected to be used in the first release of the TRMS II application.
  • The architecture represents a scalable multi-tier design that is built with future expansion in mind.
  • The user interface is a browser based application, and most functionality is accessible through a standard web browser. Microsoft Internet Explorer is recommended, because of the need of Active X content in some areas of TRMS II.

Physical Architecture

Overview

  • The Physical Architecture diagram providesan overview of the TRMS II hardware used.
  • The TRMS II multi-tier architecture is designed to be scalable,so it is easy to adjust the configuration to account for actual usage. Implementing this system in a virtual environment will ease future adjustments to the configuration.

Security inTRMS II

Description

  • The TRMS II program leverages role-based Windows authentication and authorization capabilities. User roles are created for the application to grant or deny end-user access to functionality within the application.
  • There is a custom role-management administration user interface directly within the application for Application Administrators to manage and control who has access to TRMS II.
  • Access to the TRMS II web application is determined by the Active Directory (AD) account that the user is logged into. The user roles that are assigned determine which screens and reports the user can access. The user access is reflected in the Forms that are available in the Menu structure. For example, if you do not have access to XYZ Form, you will not see XYZ Form in your menu structure. TRMS II also has field-based security. For example, you may be able to access a screen, but not a particular field on that screen. The particular field may be hidden from your view.

Understanding the TRMS II Environment

The TRMS II User Interface is a web-based Java application with a dual-pane window that consists of:

  • Navigation Pane - Tree Hierarchy of Functions organized into the categories of Activities, Maintenance, and Reports
  • Content Pane – Information Displayof a selected Function, which is organized into bars such as Search, List, and Details

TRMS II Main Window User Environment

Progress Indicator Bar

When you perform an activity in TRMS II, the system responds with a blue progress bar to indicate that it is executing a request.

Menu Collapse/Expand

The Menu Collapse/Expand feature allows you to view or to hide the TRMSII program Menu functions. The Menu preceded by a + symbolindicates that there are Menu functions that are hidden. To display the Menu functions, click the + symbol which expands the function list.

Collapse View

Expand View

PaneCollapse/Expand

The Pane Collapse/Expand feature allows you to view or to hide the TRMSII program Navigation pane of Menu tree functions. Click the left bracket symbol ()to collapse, and the right bracket symbol () to expand.

For example, if you are using the Reports menu and plan to work only in the reports area, you may want to hide the Navigation pane so you can view only your reports.

TRMS II Program in Expand view with Navigation pane visible

TRMS II Program in Collapse view with Navigation pane hidden

Activities

  • The Activities menu provides the tools to take care of daily operational activities.

Maintain

  • The Maintain menu provides the tools for the initial setup of TRMS II.

Codes

  • Codes are defined in the Maintainmenu. The codes appear throughout TRMS II, and you use these coded throughout the program. For example, you choose from these codes when using the various data entry functions.

Reports

  • The Reports function is a Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services feature, which allows you to navigate through a variety of report options that provide several formatting options.
  • The Reports function offers you choices in what to include and how to view the information. After you click on a specific report, you can analyze and view the report.
  • The Reports menu is used for viewing and printingRailroad operational reports.
Formatting Reports
  • The format of a report determines the appearance of the Report. There are several different formatting choices that will produce many different-looking Reports.
  • New Report functionality allows you to export information to an Excel spreadsheet, or save information in a PDF (Portable Document Format) file.
  • The format allows you to select how much information to includeon each record in your Report.. Format allows you to decide how to sort or group the information on the page for better presentation and layout.
Accessing Reports
  • Access to reports is based on the User Active Directory (AD)account when you log in.

TRMS II Software Application Interfaces

The following software applications interface with TRMS II:

  • Ceridian HR
  • AssetWorks(Maximus)
  • Harmony (Crew Dispatch)
  • The AssetWorks Interface inserts a delay and a service request defect, when an equipment failure resulting from a delay is recorded in TRMS II.
  • The Harmony (Crew Dispatch) Interface provides an automated update of the train crew data into TRMS II trip records.
  • The Ceridian HR Interface imports transportation employees into the TRMS II employee table.

Using TRMS II

TRMS II is used to perform basic data entry and retrieval of information for different types of users based on role function and access rights.

This section explains step-by-step procedures about how to perform the basic tasks of the TRMS II program required for each of the types of users of the system.

Crew Dispatch Procedures

Crew Dispatch procedures are used in the following areas:

Crew Management

Validating a Crew Trip Record

  1. Click Activities.
  2. Click Trip.
  1. Enter any of the following information such as:Date Range,Train Number, Division, and Route.
  2. Click Search.
  1. At the List screen, click (only once) on desired trip to accessTrip/Record details.
  1. At the Details screen, clickCrewtab to access the Crew members screen, for example, for Train 311.
  1. Review and validate employee (crew member) name, employee ID, and job title.
  2. Perform any changes necessary such as:
    Editing a crew member (employee) and job title
    Deleting a crew member (employee) and job title
    Adding a crew member (employee) and job title

Editing a Crew Trip Record

  1. At the Details screen, clickCrewtab to access the Crew members screen.
  1. At the Crew members screen, decide which crew member/job title needs to be modified, and click at the appropriate Edit location. For example, click at the Edit location for Engineer, Christopher McLaughlin.
  1. If changing the employee title, click on the Employee and the Engineer down arrows to select the appropriate choice from each list.
  1. Select from the list, and click Update. System confirms: Trip crew has been updated.

Deleting a Crew Trip Record

  1. At the Details screen, clickCrewtab to access the Crew members screen.
  1. At the Crew members screen, decide which crew member/job title to delete, and click at the appropriate Deleteline. For example, click at the Deleteline for Assistant Conductor, Richard McKinnon.
  1. System confirms: Trip crew has been removed.

Note
There is no verify for the Delete function, so, when you first click Delete, the crew member is removed at that point.

Adding a CrewMember

  1. At the Details screen, clickCrewtab to access the Crew screen.
  1. At the Crew screen, click Add Crew Member.
  1. At the Add Crew Member screen, click Employee down arrow to select crew member.
  1. Select Christopher McLaughlin, for example, and note that his job title (Engineer) is automatically loaded with the employee selection.
  1. Click Insert. System confirms: Trip crew has been added.

Viewing Trip Delays

  1. Click Activities.
  2. Click Trip.
  1. Enter Date Range, Train #, and/or Division.
  2. Click Search button to display list of trains, for example, in the Northern Divisionat the current date.
  1. Click the Mins Late column to sort the Search list for Trains that were late. You can sort by ascending (^) or by descending (v) order. Note that Train No. 311 is 30 minutes late.
  1. Click desired train to view train details, crew, and delays. Click on Train No. 311 to view the trip details involving the 30 minute delay.

The Details bar contains the following tabs:

  • Details
  • Crew
  • Delays
  • Audit Information

Each tab provides additional information about the Train No. 311 trip including the major details, crew names, delay type, cause, responsible party, and an audit trail.

Crew Dispatch Procedures - 1