International Railroad Discussion > Slow ordered Shin Kansen

It so happened this morning, after the emergency halt of all operation, it began re-operating under slow orders. Here two Eastbound Shin Kansen were waiting for the signal indication, after one got the green lite. It was not so long to issue another signal indication to the one behind.

Hiroshi

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Some more.

Hiroshi

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What type of train control system is used on this line that permits such close spacing (or does the engineer get a special instruction to proceed to within a certain distance of the preceding train before completely stopping)?

Ray

Ray_Murphy Wrote:
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> What type of train control system is used on this
> line that permits such close spacing (or does the
> engineer get a special instruction to proceed to
> within a certain distance of the preceding train
> before completely stopping)?
>
> Ray

A keyword search for "Tōkaidō" (might want to copy and paste), or look under ATC-1, D-ATC, and ATC-NS within the wikipedia article below should get you started:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_train_control (in English)

From my observation onboard the JR Chuo Line (non-HSR, probably using D-ATC) during 2 minute headway rush hour window, the engineer is free to control the train below the ATC-enforced speed limit, as long as he (or she, as there are increasing number of female engineers) doesn't run a red signal. There was a medical emergency 2 trains ahead of us, so I was also able to see trains bunched up like what Hiroshi posted above, except he got rare shots of the Shinkansens spaced so closely together.

Hiroshi Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It so happened this morning, after the emergency
> halt of all operation, it began re-operating under
> slow orders. Here two Eastbound Shin Kansen were
> waiting for the signal indication, after one got
> the green lite. It was not so long to issue
> another signal indication to the one behind.
>
> Hiroshi

Hiroshi-san, thanks for heading out there to get the photos. I think I found the cause of this slow order and delay:

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001721967

I sense a little moral lesson here, about tempting fate. This man wanted to die by making contact with the high voltage catenary, yet he lived. The Ohio man who wanted to live and show off as a daredevil died trying to do something similar in Connecticut on a Metro North train.

Lesson of the day:
Even High Speed Trains are railroads, with "ordinary" railroad issues. Kind of refreshing to see them cope with issues like the rest of us.

I once saw the cab of a TGV; right at the entry door was a red flag, an air hose, and a wrench for the hose. Found on all trains, but not a space capsule or airliner cockpit.

Thanks for posting.