Vigilance Control Device (VCD) is a microcontroller based safety device which will automatically apply penalty brakes in case the driver is incapacitated. Similar operation is available in older locomotives in the form of Deadman’s Lever.

Operating Principle

Installed on locomotive, VCD gives cyclic warning to the driver. Based on drivers reaction to this warning (in terms of any of the pre-defined sets of actions to be done by the driver), the system automatically resets the alerting cycle. In case, the driver fails to acknowledge the initial alert signals, a set of additional alert indications are given. Even failing to respond to these additional alert signals also will result in automatic application of penalty brakes.