Citation

Hatamura Y. JR East Tech. Rev. 2005; (5).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article is part of a special series that focuses on technical nnovations for commuter trains. The author was concerned about people getting stuck in doors and subsequently injured. A model experiment of a person getting stuck in the door of a train was conducted. The author measured the loads that are exerted when a person or a stroller gets stuck while trying to load onto the train in a double door of normal trains and in the single door of Shinkansen trains.

RESULTS showed that when the wheels of a stroller get caught in a double door, the safety lamp that indicates the train should not depart will turn off (the upper portion of the door is closed which is enough to turn off the safety lamp). Thus, the train departs with a baby stroller (and child) attached to the outside of a door. The author then comments on these results, pondering the interplay of humans and machines and how to change attitudes and behaviors to improve safety. The author calls for changes on both the part of users of the train as well as on train administration and personnel.

Language: en