Signalling Seminar in TOKYO 7 th April. 2016 Improving Safety at Level Crossings - JR East Developments Takashi Kawano (MIRSE) East Japan Railway Company
Contents 1. Present Situations of Level Crossings in JR East 2. Basic principles of level crossing control in JR East 3. Progress toward safety enhancement at level crossings
1. Present Situations of Level Crossings in JR East 1-1 Number of level crossings 1-2 Accident statistics
1-1 Number of the Level Crossings JR EAST Niigata Aomori 1.Track Length(2014.3.31) Conventional Lines 6,339.5km Shinkansen 1,134.7km 2.Number of level crossings within East Japan Railway s jurisdiction 6,987 Sendai 3.Number of level crossings in Japan About 34,000 Yokohama Tokyo Thus, about 21% of total crossings in Japan.
1-1 Number of the Level Crossings Level crossings in JR-EAST Class1 level crossing Class3 level crossing Class4 level crossing With alarm and gates With only alarm Without alarm and gates 6279 (89.9%) 208 (3.0%) 500 (7.1%)
1-1 Number of the Level Crossings Number of level crossings in JR-EAST 8358-16% 6987 the number of level crossing have declined since 1987
'87 '88 '89 '90 '91 '92 '93 '94 '95 '96 '97 '98 '99 '00 '01 '02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 '12 '13 '14 1-2 Accident statistics Trend in the number of level crossing accidents 300 250 247 200 150 100-82% 44 50 0 Although the number of accidents have declined since 1987, they tend not to decline further in recent years.
1-2 Accident statistics Trend in the number of level crossing accidents 50 40 30 20 10 0 '12 '13 '14 Automobiles Motorcycles Bicycles Pedestrians agrimotors others In recent years fatal accident of the elderly are frequently occurred.
2. Basic principles of level crossing control in JR East 2-1 Level crossing configuration 2-2 Level crossing control
2-2 Level crossing configuration Crossing warning sign Level crossing signals Train direction indicator Crossing barrier Obstruction warning device
2-2 Level crossing control A Exit Entrance B 4 seconds 6 seconds Electronic train detector(etd) 6 seconds 20 seconds 36 seconds Entrance Level crossing signals are operating during this time. Crossing barriers of the entrance are closed at the time. Crossing barriers of the exit are closed at the time. Exit
2-2 Level crossing control Prevention device of crossing rod breakage Exit A B
3. Progress toward safety enhancement at level crossings 3-1 Rationalization of level crossing warning time 3-2 Obstacle detection 3-3 Measures for preventing accidents at level crossing 3-4 Level crossing controlled by ATACS
3-1 Rationalization of level crossing warning time Cars and pedestrians stay by long-time interception In the big station yards, traffic interception of the rush time continue by level crossing Among all level crossings of the JR East, approximately 1% of it have a problem such as the above. Shortening of the rumbling time is demanded.
3-1 Rationalization of level crossing warning time Subject of the level crossing in the station yard Passing Train 45s Passing Train ETD Stopping Train Platform 100s ETD (Passing/Stop) Too Long!! 30s 40s 30s Stopping Train Run Stop Run ETD Platform ETD (Passing/Stop)
3-1 Rationalization of level crossing warning time Operation principle of rationalization of level crossing warning time T(Passing) second Passing Train T(Stop) second Stopping Train ETD Platform ETD (Stop) ETD (Passing) Balise Add ETD : T(Stop) second T(Passing) second Add Balise : Passing/Stopping detection
3-2 Obstacle detection Types of obstacle detection devices Type 1 : Using loop coils under the ground Type 2 : Using laser beams Type 3 : Using Three-dimensional laser-radar(3dlr)
3-2 Obstacle detection Type 1 : Using loop coil Signal box Loop coil installed under the ground
3-2 Obstacle detection Type 1 : Using loop coil Transmitter Max = 6m Receiver Normal functioning Signal frequency Max = 2m Transmitter Receiver Change of signal frequency Detect
3-2 Obstacle detection Type 2 : Using laser beams Signal box Transmitter / Receiver Crossing barrier Laser beams Crossing warning sign
3-2 Obstacle detection Type 2 : Using laser beams Transmitter / Receiver
3-2 Obstacle detection Laser-interrupt obstacle detector 3DLR obstacle detector Certain detection of human by the obstacle detector has been highly demanded.
3-2 Obstacle detection Laser-interrupt obstacle detector 3DLR obstacle detector Laser light Monitored area Easy to install Easy maintenance No danger of contact between detector and trains Resistant to snow and environmental factors
3-2 Obstacle detection Operating Principle of the 3DLR Detector 1 scan 2 scan 50 scan Scans the whole crossing every 0.5 s All scan data Y Z Extracts laser reflections from object X
3-2 Obstacle detection 3DLR Configuration Laser radar head Relay box Data recorder 24V DC Controller Metal cable for power supply Media converter 100 V AC Media converter Optic-fiber cable for communications Metal cable for heater
3-2 Obstacle detection The number of obstruction warning device for level crossing (Laser Beams & 3DLR) 1139 1200 1000 954 +20% 3DLR 800 600 400 200 0 3DLR Laser Beams 10 11 12 13 14 +50% -3% Laser Beams
2-2 Obstacle detection The number of obstacle detector for level crossing(type1&2&3) 2761 +1075% 235 From the inception of JR East, the number of installation of obstacle detection devices have increased.
2-2 Obstacle detection - Obstacle detection devices detect obstacles automatically - Obstruction warning device handled manually - Obstruction warning signal inform a train driver of the danger Obstruction warning signal Obstacle Detection devices Obstruction warning device
2-2 Obstacle detection The number of obstruction warning device for level crossing 4257 3868 +10% The obstruction warning device is growing steadily.
3-3 Measures for preventing accidents at level crossing Awareness campaigns Educational campaign distributing goods to pedestrians using the crossing In the future, measures will be taken to focus on different age groups Example of targeted age groups In cooperation with the police and the media, campaigns have been carried out as during the time children were going to school. Examples of goods distributed
3-4 Level crossing controlled by ATACS Overview of ATACS Onboard detecting the train location Train interval control Interlocking Level crossing control Ground controller Radio base station Radio base station Ground controller Dispatcher Management of railway traffic
3-4 Level crossing controlled by ATACS Step1 Warning request Radio base station LMA(Limit of Moving Authority) Ground controller Step2 Updating of LMA Radio base station Updating of LMA Ground controller Step1 Warning stop request Radio base station Ground controller
3-4 Level crossing controlled by ATACS Effect of ATACS level crossing introduction (Warning time of per hour) 0:30 0:25 0:20 Hour 0:15 0:10 Before After 0:05 0:00 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Crossings With the introduction of the level crossing system by ATACS, it has become possible to reduce maximum 48%, average 22% of the warning time of the level crossings.
Conclusion Since a company start, JR East worked on convenience and the safety improvement of the level crossing and achieved big effect. By the setting of the safety facilities (obstacle detection and obstruction warning device) in the level crossing and the awareness campaigns, the accident by reckless crossing decreased surely. However, the number of the level crossing accidents remains under the present conditions and is a fact though accidents during crossing by the elderly person do a close-up as social subject of concern. We challenge the safety improvement of the further Level crossing and want to push forward the innovation of facilities for ultimate safety in future.
Thank you for your kind attention. Signalling Seminar in TOKYO Tokyo, 7 th April 2016