As I posted before, Japan's population has entered into a decreasing phase. Railway companies can't keep their arms crossed in this situation. Railway companies have to recruit staff, but not so easy.
ATO (Automatic Train Operation) system is considered as one of the solutions. This technology has already been applied to subways, monorails and so on. Completely unattended trains are operated on the newly constructed AGT lines such as Yurikamome and Nippori-Toneri Liner. It seems easy at first glance, but not so on the traditional routes. Suppose we consider the case of the Keio-Inokashira line. There are many railway crossings. Not only local, but also express trains are operated. These issues are complicated.
Keio Electric Railway aims for Level GoA2 of ATO and conducts verification tests. At the GoA2, only one crew is required on board mainly for train starting and safety monitoring. In parallel, modification of the trains has started. Trainset 1729 of the EMU 1000 series has just been modified. There are many modifications on the train, but I would like to point out two portions as a trainspotter. First, please look at the top photo. The car number “1779” on the front was moved from the gangway to the upper right. Second, please look at the photo below. The window on the partition door between the driver’s cab and the passenger’s cabin became lower. Kids can easily enjoy scenic views through the frontal window of the train. It’s the best solution to secure the future railway employees!
