Author(s)

K. Kimura, M. Inoue

Abstract

Automatic platform gates are recognized as one of the most efficient hardware to reduce accidents on platforms, as they prevent customers from falling from the platform or coming into contact with arriving or departing trains. West Japan Railway Company (JR-West), who has been trying to increase their safety level and whose fiscal 2018 (ending March 2018) safety target includes 30 per cent reduction of platform accidents from 13 in fiscal 2013, has been installing platform gates into several stations.

However, these “door style” platform gates, which cannot accommodate rail cars with different door configurations, are not appropriate for stations on the company’s major lines because the number of doors or train cars is different depending on the services such as local or rapid. Having taken this issue into account, JR-West invented a new type of platform gate; the “wire style”. These platform gates enable passengers to keep away from moving trains, being operated by wires which are raised when the trains stop at the platform.

The first on-site test was completed in Sakurajima station on a minor line in the Osaka-Kyoto metropolitan area, which 18,000 passengers use every day and where only 8-car-trains stop. Reviewing its result, JR-West started a second onsite test in Rokkomichi station on one of the most major lines between Osaka and Kobe, which 50,000 passengers use and where 230 trains with 6, 7, 8, 10 and 12 cars stop every day. As the result, it is assessed to be sufficient from the viewpoint of their performance and the influence on passenger flow and train operation, JR-West is considering further installation into other stations so that accidents on platforms will decrease.

Keywords

platform gates, wire, TASK, different number of door, different car configurations, sensor, Sakurajima, Rokkomichi, JR-West, Nippon Signal