East Japan Railway Company Research Articles

Economic impact analysis of developing the JR Haneda Airport Access Line

The East Japan Railway Company is planning a new access railway line to the Tokyo International (Haneda) Airport. This paper proposes an evaluation method for the development of the new airport access line considering the socioeconomic characteristics of the Greater Tokyo Area and indicates what is needed to increase its social value. As the evaluation method, we develop an econometric model that considers commuters’ trip behaviors across prefectures and the relationship between the increased number of Meeting, Incentive Travel, Convention, Exhibition and Event (MICE) visitors and the regional economy. We also conduct a simulation analysis using an empirical econometric model and a cost-effectiveness analysis based on multiple scenarios. The results indicate that a 50% increase in MICE visitors is needed to make the present discounted value of the total increase in the gross regional product larger than the construction cost of the line.

Employing a hybrid model based on texture-biased convolutional neural networks and edge-biased vision transformers for anomaly detection of signal bonds

The railway system of Japan plays a vital role in the national transportation network. A key issue in public transport safety is anomaly detection in railways. Lately, developing robust algorithms and methods for anomaly detection has become the premier task in this field. Recently introduced approaches based on convolutional neural networks, generative adversarial networks, and vision transformers (ViTs) have remarkably improved the research in anomaly detection. Our work proposes a high-performance module for the anomaly detection of signal bonds. First, we present an overview of the proposed module; then, the object detection model and the proposed hybrid classification model based on texture-biased convolutional neural networks and edge-biased ViTs are introduced. Finally, the proposed anomaly detection module is evaluated for accuracy using the dataset from the East Japan Railway Company and the receiver operating characteristic curve. The results show that our proposed module achieves a better performance on real-life data than the two methods that were combined to generate it, raising hope toward possible usage in other areas as well.

A Study on Earthquake Loading to Secure Safety During Railway Bridge Construction

Railway bridges are widely built based on the national railway network and maintenance plans. As in the case of an earthquake in Pohang, the seismic safety of constructions in Korea is very important in the prevention of disasters. Therefore, the cases of damage caused by earthquakes and additional horizontal forces during bridge superstructure constructions were investigated among domestic and foreign earthquakes, and the details of overseas related design standards were confirmed. The horizontal forces based on the domestic seismic design standard (KDS 24 17 10: 2016) on the PSC beam, PSC box, steel box, and wind load were compared with the design codes based on the Eurocode 8 (Part 2), Japan Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI), Japan Society of Civil Engineers (JSCE), and East Japan Railway Company (JR East).

“Fostering a Safety Culture”- East Japan Railway Company

“Fostering a Safety Culture”- East Japan Railway Company

Method for Harmonic Suppression on Power Grid in East Japan Railway Company

Method for Harmonic Suppression on Power Grid in East Japan Railway Company

Investigation of site amplification factors for S- and P-waves from spectral inversions in the Tokyo metropolitan area, Japan—for application to earthquake early warnings

We performed spectral inversions using ground motion data observed by K-NET, KiK-net, SK-net, and the earthquake observation network of the East Japan Railway Company in the Tokyo metropolitan area, Japan, to evaluate the effects of site amplification factors of both S- and P-waves for the future use of an on-site earthquake early warning system based on predicted S-wave amplitudes from observed P-wave amplitudes. The source and path effects from the inversions were similar to those estimated by previous studies. The spatial distributions of the site amplification factors of the S- and P-waves depend on the geological conditions, especially for the S-waves. The site amplification factors of the S- and P-waves nearly agree with those calculated with a 1D reverberation theory using existing velocity models from KiK-net. The site amplification ratios of the S-waves to the P-waves show a decrease in the amplitudes at frequencies greater than 2–5 Hz, especially on the plateaus and in the coastal areas covered with thick soft layers because the site amplification factors of the S-waves are small in this frequency range and those of the P-waves are nearly constant over the entire frequency range. Further, the remarkable peaks of the site amplification factors for the S-waves are preserved in the site amplification ratios of the S-waves to the P-waves at sites in the valleys and on the boundaries between the plateaus and the lowlands.

Safety Culture in High-Speed Railways and the Importance of Top Management Decisions

Safety is a central issue that challenges decision makers during the planning and implementation of high-speed railways (HSR), and appropriate systems should be in place to ensure safe performance during operations. To contribute toward the capacity-building efforts in countries importing HSR technology, we highlight the importance of a rather rarely discussed but inarguably essential factor, i.e., the role of top management in improving the safety culture of organizations. We adopt a multi-dimensional dynamic framework to assess the present state of the safety culture at two railway companies—Indian Railways and the East Japan Railway Company. Interviews with senior officials from the two organizations were conducted to assess the current state of their safety cultures using the adopted framework consisting of 11 tangible and seven intangible aspects of safety culture categorized into five levels. Our aim is to develop temporal profiles of the safety culture for each organization and to reveal the underlying dynamics and associated challenges in changing the safety culture. However, preliminary results highlighting the current state of the safety culture for the two organizations, when juxtaposed, reveals opportunities for improvement for Indian Railways. Detailed discussions using examples obtained from the interviews are then used to illustrate the importance of sustained efforts from top leadership in developing a positive safety culture. We conclude that dynamics related to safety culture are also affected by other components of the system such as organizational structure, training system, etc. Hence, an integrated approach considering the dynamic interactions between technology, human resources, management, and safety culture is deemed necessary to both analyze the current safety performance and design new management policies.

The CLIOSjre Process: A Flexible Multicriteria, Multistakeholder Decision Framework for Transportation Planning under Uncertainty

Transportation investments determine the long-term success or failure of a transportation provider. It is therefore vital for decision makers to have an in-depth understanding of the alternatives available before they choose to invest. However, often, the process of evaluating alternatives is lengthy, costly, and contentious, particularly for transportation infrastructure investment decisions that are large, complex, and interconnected with other economic development and sustainability goals. Furthermore, transportation investments involve many decision makers, each with different priorities and expertise. Therefore, there is a need for transparent, accurate, flexible, and practicable decision-making aids that can handle the complex challenges facing the decision-making bodies of transportation providers and planning organizations. This paper introduces a new decision aid—the CLIOSjre Process—that combines insights from multicriteria decision analysis, multistakeholder negotiation theory, and uncertainty analysis. The CLIOSjre Process helps decision makers compare multiple alternatives across multiple objectives and seek an informed collective transportation investment decision. Unlike other multicriteria decision aids, the CLIOSjre Process accounts for differences of opinion among decision makers and is designed to facilitate constructive negotiation among them. Finally, the CLIOSjre Process formally accounts for sources of uncertainty inherent in these decisions. In this way, the CLIOSjre Process provides a unique and flexible framework for investment analysis that can adapt to changes in transportation alternatives, decision-maker priorities, and emerging real-world conditions. The usefulness of this new decision aid is illustrated for the East Japan Railway Company’s consideration of a transportation investment opportunity in high-speed rail development on the Northeast Corridor of the United States.

Effectiveness of personal noise exposure measurement in the noisy workplace

In Japan, the Working Environment Measurement Standards require employers to measure noise of working environment by two kinds of methods using a sound level meter (SLM) once every 6 months. A-Sampling method is to be measured equivalent continuous sound level for at least 10 min. B-Sampling method is to be performed close to workers at times when the sound level appeared highest. We perform the risk assessment based on the values of the field measurement. In the East Japan Railway Company, workers move around several workshops and use hand tools. Therefore, it is difficult to estimate the personal noise exposure using only an SLM. To compare dose measurement with the Japanese field measurement, we carried out dose measurements for inspection or repair workers using a Personal Noise Dose Meter (Type 4448; Brüel & Kjær). The results revealed that all sound levels using a dosimeter were less than 85 dBA, while the sound levels using an SLM were more than 90 dBA. In this case, the risk can be overestimated. Thus, we conclude that the Working Environment Measurement Standards should adopt the dose measurement.

1E24 Charge Evaluation of Nickel Metal Hybrid Battery for Energy Storage System(Environment and Energy)

In recent years, the concern over an effective energy saving measures has risen. To reduce the environmental impact of railway, electric energy storage systems have been installed to some substations in East Japan Railway Company (JR-EAST). The research of electric energy storage system mounted Nickel metal hydride battery modules (Ni-MH storage system) was examined for effective utilization of regenerative braking power. This experimental verification test was performed at Kori substation, on Ome-line in JR-EAST. In this paper, as one of the examination results, the charge evaluation of Ni-MH storage system is explained. As for this examination at Kori substation, this storage system was charged about 60-80% directly from rectifier, not from regenerative power (it is called "direct charge"). It became clear that direct charge amounts depend on regenerative current. In this respect, to increase regenerative current, the supply voltage, in other words, DC bus voltage at Kori substation was decreased. Consequently, decreased DC bus voltage made regenerative current double, and it made direct charge from rectifier decreased almost 50% in comparison with usual condition.

Preliminary Study of the Safety of Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis Treatment in Railway Personnel

Preliminary Study of the Safety of Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis Treatment in Railway Personnel Objectives: The aim of the present survey was to develop guidelines for appropriate seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) treatment for railway personnel. The East Japan Railway Company (JR-EAST) carries the most passengers (6 billion per year) of any company worldwide. This was the first trial designed to assess the efficacy and safety of intranasal corticosteroids (INS) in JR-EAST drivers and conductors. Methods: A prospective series of 55 JR-EAST employees diagnosed with SAR by otorhinolaryngologists was studied. INS alone were administered as soon as symptoms were noted, immediately after the start of cedar pollen dispersal. The treatment periods were 1 week and, 2, 3, 4 and 8 weeks. Efficacy as the primary endpoint was assessed using the Japanese Rhinoconjuctivitis Quality of life Questionnaire (JRQLQ). Safety as the second endpoint was assessed by monitoring adverse events. Results: All 25 items of the JRQLQ improved significantly (p<0.01). The “overall evaluation” was aggravated in 2 patients (3.6%) and both had worsened ocular symptoms of “itchy eyes” and “watery eyes.” There was no sleep disturbance or daytime drowsiness affecting work. One patient reported “impaired sleep” but it did not affect work. Fifty-three (96.3%) were satisfied with INS treatment, and all 55 were able to continue treatment during the observation period and wanted to use INS in next cedar pollen season. Conclusions: The present study showed that INS administration prevented deterioration of the quality of life and alleviated the sleep disturbance and daytime drowsiness from Japanese cedar pollinosis. INS was an effective, safe treatment for SAR among JR-EAST personnel. This study can become the basis for preliminary safety guidelines for SAR treatment railway employees.

The Current Mobile Phone Measures of Railway Tunnel in East Japan Railway Company

The Current Mobile Phone Measures of Railway Tunnel in East Japan Railway Company

Railway Structure Damage to the East Japan Railway Company by the 2011 off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake Tsunami

The huge tsunami generated by a 9.0 Mw earthquake (off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake) and centered off the coast of Sanriku, Tohoku, on March 11, 2011, damaged 7 lines of the East Japan Railway Company. Bridge girders were swept away, piers were broken or tipped, and embankments and station buildings were swept away. This paper reports typical examples of railway structure damage due to this tsunami.

Finescale Doppler Radar Observation of a Tornado and Low-Level Misocyclones within a Winter Storm in the Japan Sea Coastal Region

Abstract Life histories of low-level misocyclones, one of which corresponded to a tornado vortex within a winter storm in the Japan Sea coastal region on 1 December 2007, were observed from close range by X-band Doppler radar of the East Japan Railway Company. Continuous plan position indicator (PPI) observations at 30-s intervals at the low-elevation angle revealed at least four cyclonic misocyclones within the head of the comma-shaped echo of the vortical disturbance under winter monsoon conditions. The meso-β-scale vortical disturbance developed within the weak frontal zone at the leading edge of cold-air outbreaks. High-resolution observation of misocyclones revealed the detailed structures of these misocyclones and their temporal evolution. As the parent storm evolved, a low-level convergence line was observed at the edge of the easternmost misocyclone. This convergence line was considered to be important for the initiation and development of the misocyclones and the tornado through vortex stretching. The strongest misocyclone gradually intensified as its diameter contracted until landfall, and then began to dissipate soon after landfall. The temporal evolution of the misocyclones through landfall is discussed. Surface wind and pressure variations suggested a cyclonic vortex passage, which was consistent with the passage of the radar-derived misocyclone. The observed pressure drop was also consistent with that computed from the cyclostrophic equation for the modified Rankine vortex. The observed behavior of two adjacent misocyclones was primarily consistent with the rotational flow associated with the other misocyclone. The generation and development processes of the tornado and misocyclones are discussed.

Reduction of Pantograph Noise of High-Speed Trains

In order to reduce the pantograph noise that greatly contributes to overall noise, we have developed two types of low-noise pantograph. Further noise reduction was realized by the effects of attenuation of the pantograph noise insulation plate and by using only one pantograph per trainset. A multi-segment slider was also developed to increase the performance of following the overhead contact wire, which is imperative when running with only one pantograph per trainset. These countermeasures for pantograph noise have been installed on FASTECH 360 (high-speed test trains of East Japan Railway Company). The results measured by use of a microphone array show that the pantograph peak noise level is reduced by more than 2 dB compared to that of the series E2 trains now in operation.

Realization of anti‐slip/skid re‐adhesion control for electric commuter train based on disturbance observer

AbstractRecently, disturbance observer has been used in many system and industry applications. This paper focus on the fine motion control technology based on disturbance observer for electric commuter train. The improvement of adhesion characteristics is important in electric commuter train. We propose the anti‐slip/skid re‐adhesion control system based on disturbance observer and sensor‐less vector control. The effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed by the experiment based on the actual electric commuter train, which is Series 205‐5000 of East Japan Railway Company. Moreover, in order to extend the anti‐slip/skid re‐adhesion control considering the bogie vibration phenomenon, we propose a new anti‐slip re‐adhesion control based on the high order disturbance observer considering the resonant frequency of bogie system. Copyright © 2009 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc.

362681 DYNAMICS SIMULATION OF SHINKANSEN CARS IN SEISMIC MOTION DURING THE NIIGATAKEN CHUETSU EARTHQUAKE(Safety,Technical Session)

In October 2004, a Shinkansen train derailed in Japan as a result of the Niigataken Chuetsu Earthquake. This was the first Shinkansen derailment, and was caused by the earthquake during the high-speed running of the train. The East Japan Railway Company and the Railway Technical Research Institute joined forces to conduct a detailed investigation into the derailment. Following the accident, there were widespread calls for safety measures against earthquakes. It is presumed that the derailment was caused by the response motion of a viaduct resulting from the seismic motion. In this study, computer simulation was used to estimate the seismic ground motion at the site of the derailment, the response motion of railway structures and the dynamic behavior of the vehicles. The results explain the cause of the derailment in the Niigataken Chuetsu Earthquake, and indicate that the vehicles were in the motion of rocking derailment - a term meaning derailment in which the wheels jump off the rail. This paper outlines the simulation models and explains the dynamic behavior of the vehicles during the earthquake in detail.

Antislip Readhesion Control Based on Speed-Sensorless Vector Control and Disturbance Observer for Electric Commuter Train—Series 205-5000 of the East Japan Railway Company

The improvement of adhesion characteristics is important in electric commuter train. The electric commuter train has both a slip phenomenon and a slide phenomenon. Slip-and-slide phenomena degrade the comfortable riding performance of electric commuter train. We have already proposed an antislip/ antislide readhesion control system based on disturbance observer and sensorless vector control. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been confirmed by the experiment and the numerical simulation using the tested bogie system of electric commuter train. Then, we apply the proposed method to the actual electric commuter train of series 205-5000 of the East Japan Railway Company. In the experimental results of series 205-5000, this paper demonstrates that the proposed antislip/slide readhesion control system has the desired driving wheel torque response. Moreover, this paper discusses the evaluation method of readhesion control test results.

High‐speed processing and high‐reliability technology in an integrated fixed‐line and wireless, autonomous decentralized IC card system

AbstractIncreasing the processing speed of automatic fare collection gates (AFCG) is a topic of great importance for supporting passengers who are getting on and off high‐density transportation at peak hours. On the other hand, reliability is indispensable for processing tickets, which are a type of noncurrency negotiable instrument. Therefore, a passenger ticket system that provides both high‐speed processing and high reliability is required. To increase passenger convenience and reduce maintenance costs, a wireless IC card ticket system is desirable. However, since this system uses wireless communication for processing that is carried out with the fare collection gates, the drop in data during ticket examination is a problem. In this paper, the author proposes an autonomous decentralized technology for satisfying the requirements of high‐speed processing and high reliability in a wireless IC card ticket system. IC cards, automatic fare collection gates, and a central server are designed as nodes of an autonomous decentralized system. In particular, to achieve high‐speed processing, the author proposes an autonomous decentralized algorithm for fare calculation by IC cards and automatic fare collection gates. To prove the effectiveness of this algorithm, the author creates models and performs comparison tests. Also, as a technology for ensuring high reliability, the author proposes an autonomous decentralized data consistency technology for each subsystem. These technologies were introduced in the Suica system (East Japan Railway Company) in Japan and their effectiveness was proven. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Comp Jpn, 38(9): 1–10, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/scj.20800

High-speed processing in wired-and-wireless integrated autonomous decentralized system and its application to IC card ticket system

The automatic fare collection systems need both high performance and high reliability. High performance is one of the most expected functions on the automatic fare collection gates (AFCGs) handling the highly dense passengers during rush hours. Reliability is also indispensable because the tickets are equivalent to money. For a wireless IC card ticket system, expected to improve the passengers’ convenience and to reduce the maintenance cost, is difficult to meet these two requirements because of wireless communications between an IC card and an AFCG. This paper introduces the autonomous decentralized system as the solution and how it is applied to the system. Then, two models are prepared and simulated to evaluate the efficiency, especially high-speed processing. The technologies are implemented into the “Suica” system at East Japan Railway Company and have proven the effectiveness.