Train drivers with the Indian Railways have a tough time inside their cabins. They usually need to do a lot of running around to pull different brakes and the cabins are cramped and uncomfortable. The driver also has to get up from his seat to operate the various brakes. These cabins were designed almost 50 years ago in France and have been used by the Indian Railways for the past 30 years.

Now a team of three NID (National Institute of Design) students have redesigned the cabin as part of their academic project to give drivers more space and easy access to the controls. The project took them 6 months to complete. The students traveled with the drivers to understand their issues, while railway officials helped them with the necessary permissions.

The students have built a life-size prototype of the cabin. The controls have been divided into two sets—primary and secondary—according to their importance and usage. The brakes have also been placed next to each other and the driver’s seat is now collapsible under the main console.

The students are planning to give a presentation of their new design to railway officials.