Thinking inside the box: GM/RT 2161 and the Schrödinger's cat problem

GM/RT 2161 specifies requirements for forward visibility from UK cabs and requires that notional eye points are nominated using a "reference cube". The methodology does not, however, require demonstration that the nominated... [ view full abstract ]

GM/RT 2161 specifies requirements for forward visibility from UK cabs and requires that notional eye points are nominated using a "reference cube". The methodology does not, however, require demonstration that the nominated eye point can be achieved by the target population. This paper demonstrates a gap between complying with GM/RT 2161 and achieving a consistent standard of forward visibility. This has the potential to lead to misunderstanding of the forward visibility by infrastructure and rolling stock designers and result in sub-optimal designs. Changes to the standard and the provision of additional assurance are recommended to address this disparity.