How do railways figure out congestion on their trains?

[gmat]

From Japan Today;

How do railways figure out congestion on their trains?

 

https://japantoday.com/category/features/kuchikomi/How-do-railways-figure-out-congestion-on-their-trains-

 

Grant

[gmat]

A recent article from Sora24 on Train pushers;

One passenger pusher isn’t enough for Tokyo area train that needs three-man team【Video】

https://en.rocketnews24.com/2017/12/04/one-passenger-pusher-isnt-enough-for-tokyo-area-train-that-needs-three-man-team【video】/

 Grant

[kvp]

Just a few ways to count passangers:

-the mentioned suspension weight measurement, which is actually pneumatic and also used to set variable brake force parameters on modern stock (to limit maximal g-s)

-the get on, get off count: you take the number of entering, exiting and changing passengers for every direction and train type at every station and count the number of passengers with the help of the timetable

Both give fairly good results without having to look into the cars.

 

Btw. overcrowding should only be a problem once a line reaches maximal capacity, so train lengths are maximized and train following distances are minimized. Some private railways show very good optimalization in this with trains queueing after each other at busier stations and even platforms having multiple mini blocks, so a leaving train could be tailgated by an arriving one. Using older, less comfortable, rush hour only sets with part time drivers could also help. But the problem seems to go away by itself with time as on most lines even the infamous cattle cars got removed.

[bill937ca]

There are definitions for congestion rate.

 

http://www.mintetsu.or.jp/knowledge/term/96.html

 

Congestion rate

Railway congestion rate is calculated by transport personnel ÷ transport force. Congestion relaxation is a major goal for improving the service of the railway, but the congestion rate of one hour rush peak in the crowded section is used as the target numerical value, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport wanted to ease the long-term target to such an extent that the newspaper could easily read it is.

 

For this reason, major railway companies have invested huge amounts of capital every year, increasing the number of railroads, increasing the number of vehicles, increasing the number of connected vehicles, shortening the operation interval, enlarging the station, extending the station home, adding substations And so on have been realized. Estimated congestion level is as follows.

 

[100%] = Capacity ride. You can get on the seat, catch on the hanging leather, or grab a pillar near the door. 
[150%] = To the extent that the shoulders touch each other, the newspaper can be easily read. 
[180%] = The body touches, but you can read the newspaper. 
[200%] = The body touches, there is a considerable sense of oppression. However, weekly magazines can manage to do something. 
[250%] = Every time the train shakes, the body can not move at an angle. I can not move my hands.

[katoftw]

11 minutes ago, bill937ca said:

[200%] = The body touches, there is a considerable sense of oppression. However, weekly magazines can manage to do something. 

Best google translation ever! haha

[bill937ca]

The  Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Japan's transport regulator has announced its annual list of most crowded trains. Here is an article in Sora News:

 

https://soranews24.com/2018/07/19/these-are-the-11-most-crowded-trains-in-japan-and-surprise-theyre-all-in-the-tokyo-area/

 

The top 10 are:

1. Tokyo Metro Tozai Line: 199 percent

2. Chuo-Sobu Line: 197 percent

3. Yokosuka Line: 196 percent

4. Nambu Line: 189 percent

5. Tokkaido Line: 187 percent

6. Nippori Toneri Liner: 187 percent
7. Keihin Tohoku Line: 186 percent
8. Saikyo Line: 185 percent
9. Denentoshi Line: 185 percent
10. Chuo Rapid Line: 184 percent
11. Sobu Rapid Line: 183 percent

 

This is a little misleading because it does not give the segments and times which are usually quite short.  I wish Quashlo was around to translate these numbers.

 

There is a link to a complete list of of all line segments (JR, private railways, Tokyo Metro, gadgetbahn and subways) but it is only in Kanju:

 

http://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001245347.pdf

 

http://www.mlit.go.jp/report/press/tetsudo04_hh_000068.html

Edited July 23, 2018 by bill937ca