Keikyu Railroad crossing accident "I can't see the signal from 600m before".

However, in September, there was a derailment accident on the Keikyu Line that occurred in Yokohama City, and the driver was unable to visually confirm the traffic lights that would indicate an abnormality in the railroad crossing, starting 600 meters before the railroad crossing that the company explained. I understand. Keikyu has a policy of reviewing the installation location of traffic lights as a preventive measure.

In September, at the railroad crossing on the Keikyu line in Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, a special train collided with a large truck stuck in the railroad crossing, and the truck driver died and 35 passengers and other people were injured. Did.

There are three traffic lights dedicated to anomaly at the railroad crossing where the accident occurred. Of these, the signal at the foreground is about 340m from the railroad crossing.

Keikyu initially explained that the driver can see from 600m before the railroad crossing, but the company's investigation later revealed that there was a curve from this point that could not be confirmed visually. It was.

For this reason, as a preventive measure, the company has a policy of reviewing the installation location of the traffic light so that the driver can check even at the 600m point.

Specifically, we are newly considering increasing the number of traffic lights.

The company says that it can be confirmed at least from the distance required to stop the express train that runs at 120 km / h, approximately 520 m, and that it does not violate national ministerial ordinances and company regulations. is.

Keikyu told NHK's interview that “we are refraining from commenting because measures are currently under consideration”.

“Stop at 600m” is the industry's “custom”

It seems that there was a “Ministerial Ordinance” of the former country that Keikyu explained that the “Kaikyu Train” was visible 600m before the accident.

In the first place, railway facilities such as traffic lights are installed based on the “Ministerial Ordinance” of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

Among them, in the ministerial ordinance called “Railway Driving Regulations,” the conventional line was “must stop within 600m after applying the emergency brake”.

This “Railway Driving Regulation” was abolished in 2002 due to improvements in the brake performance of railway vehicles, and no specific figures are listed in the new ministerial ordinance.

However, what is called "interpretation standard" that specifically describes the interpretation of the ministerial ordinance in a form that does not have compulsory power, there is a description that "the braking distance of the train should be 600 m or less as a standard". It remains as an industry “practice”.

For this reason, many trains are designed at the highest speed that can stop within 600 meters, and traffic lights that inform the level crossing are often seen from 600 meters ahead.

"Need to see traffic lights in front of one kilometer" Expert

Ryo Takagi from Kogakuin University, who is familiar with railway safety measures, said, “If you do not hesitate for 2 to 3 seconds, you will not be able to make it in time. I wanted it. "

In addition, “I think it is necessary to create a system where the traffic lights can be seen from a little before, for example, 1 km before, so that the judgment left to the driver can be made with sufficient margin. Therefore, it is necessary to consider a mechanism for automatically braking the train. "