Michael Hetherington describes how PI Engineering's RailDriver consumer hobby business has led to a growing train simulation business for training employees of major railroads. PI is able to produce simulators dramatically more cheaply than current custom approaches.
Like this? Let us know with a $5 donation, so we can do more
In this 11 minute segment (download Quicktime and iPod compatible, 59MB), Michael Hetherington describes how PI Engineering moved from making the RailDriver consumer product to developing training simulators for major railroads. Part of it is pull. Professional trainers see that they can get something that is not that far from what they need for around $200 ($40 software plus $160 controller). Further, the high cost of custom built simulators adapted from the airline industry is prohibitive, frequently costing millions of dollars or about the price of a locomotive.
The opportunity for PI Engineering has been to use their interface hardware design expertise to develop simulators that come in at a tenth the price or less of custom built simulators. That price point makes it worthwhile for railroads to buy simulators for training vs. just doing on the job training with actual locomotives. With simulators, training can also include simulated problem scenarios, something that is not possible in on-the-job training. As Michael remarks, with a simulator, all you have to do is stop a virtual train.
Highlights in this segment include:
- One of PI Engineering's customers is Union Pacific, the nation's largest railway. Union Pacific has 20 custom built simulators but need to train 5,000 people per year.
- Rail equipment lasts for many decades, meaning you have to develop a number of physical layouts to cover it all.
- PI Engineering and our first interview subject, Accuri Cytometers, are following similar strategies: develop low cost alternatives for high cost equipment and dramatically expand the market.
Leave a comment