On conventional lines, platform barriers are usually linked to the opening and closing of side doors on the train cars. The movable platform railings used on conventional lines generally open and close in conjunction with the opening and closing of the side doors of the train. The term “conventional lines” here refers to all lines other than the Shinkansen. When a train arrives at a station, the conductor confirms that the train has stopped at the correct position, and then operates the “conductor switch” to open the side doors. In conjunction with this operation, the doors of the movable platform railings on the platform also open. On departure, the conductor operates the conductor switch to close the side doors after confirming that boarding and alighting have been completed. The doors of the movable platform railings are then closed in conjunction with the conductor’s switch. At JR East stations with movable platform railings, a device hanging from the platform roof indicates the status of this linkage. There are three types: “linked,” “rush,” and “separated. Normally, the “linked” type is used. This is linked to the operation of the conductor’s switch on the train. In the “rush” mode, the device is linked only when the doors are opened. When the train departs, the conductor operates the conductor switch to close only the doors on the car side. Separately, station attendants close the doors of the movable platform railings using the control panel installed on the platform side. Needless to say, the train and the movable platform railings are not interlocked in either the opening or closing process. The conductor opens and closes only the doors on the train side, and the station attendant opens and closes only the movable platform railings, separately.
While station attendants open and close the movable railings on the Shinkansen, the procedure is very different on the Shinkansen. Moreover, there are differences depending on the route and section. What they all have in common is that there is no coordination function with the train. In the case of the Tokaido Shinkansen, when a train arrives, a station attendant checks the safety of the train and operates a switch on the control panel to open the doors of the movable railings. The conductor confirms this and then opens the doors on the car side (so the movable railings always open first). When departing, the station attendant confirms that boarding has been completed, and then operates a switch on the control panel to signal the end of boarding. This operation also closes the movable railings. The conductor then closes the doors on the car side separately. The Sanyo Shinkansen has movable railings at Shin-Kobe, Okayama, and Hiroshima stations. The difference between this system and the Tokaido Shinkansen is that the movable railings are automatically opened when a train enters the station. The operation at the time of departure is the same as that of the Tokaido Shinkansen’s movable railings. The Tohoku Shinkansen and Hokkaido Shinkansen are also opened and closed by station attendants, but the difference is that the signal for the end of boarding and alighting at the time of departure and the closing of the movable railings are operated separately. First, the station staff gives the signal to end boarding and alighting, and then closes the movable railings when the signal is stopped. The conductor closes the doors on the car side upon receiving the end-of-boarding signal. Iiyama Station and Joetsu Myoko Station on the Hokuriku Shinkansen Line also use this method. The JR West section of the Hokuriku Shinkansen west of Itoigawa uses the same procedure as the Tokaido Shinkansen. Complicating matters, four stations on the same Hokuriku Shinkansen line, Annaka Haruna, Karuizawa, Sakudaira, and Ueda, use a different departure procedure. At other stations, the train will not depart unless both the movable railings and the side doors on the car side are closed, but at these four stations, only the side doors on the car side are closed at departure. The movable railings remain open after the train has left the station, and are closed only after checking that there is nothing left behind. What about the Kyushu Shinkansen and West Kyushu Shinkansen? At stations where station attendants are stationed on the platform, the procedure is the same as for the Tokaido Shinkansen. However, at stations without station attendants, the conductor uses a remote control to open and close the doors. In both opening and closing, the movable railings are opened first and the doors on the train side are closed later. I intensively investigated these differences in operations in 2021, and was surprised at the surprisingly large differences among companies and train lines.
© Source travel watch
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