Japanese Train Company Improves Shinkansen Emergency Braking System When An Earthquake Occurs

Shinkansen illustration. (Wikimedia Commons/MaedaAkihiko)

JAKARTA - East Japan Railway Co. said it was improving the earthquake's early detection system, so that the shinkansen bullet train could brake faster when an earthquake occurred.

The system, which will be installed in March across 135 Tohoku shinkansen, Joetsu and Hokuriku trains, will shorten the reaction time between detecting earthquakes by operating emergency brakes, from 3.9 seconds to 1.3 seconds on average, according to a press release, reported by Kyodo News Januar 20.

Furthermore, it is said, the emergency brake will be activated when the earthquake is estimated to have a magnitude of 5.5 or more.

Berdasarkan sistem tersebut, berdasarkan penelitian bersama dengan Railway Technical Research Institute, sebuah shinkansen yang melaju dengan kecepatan 320 kilometer per jam akan berhenti dalam jarak sekitar 230 meter lebih pendek dari teknologi saat ini.

The rail operator said it would review current calculations used to predict the magnitude of the earthquake through P-waves, or primary waves moving faster than S-waves, which cause movement on the ground, to estimate data with higher accuracy.

The Shinkansen bullet train itself currently stops about 20 times due to earthquake reasons each year. With this new system, they are likely to make four additional emergency stops, due to the sensitivity of a new, better system.

East JR President Yuji Fukasawa at a press conference called it a "decision that prioritizes safety."

It is known that the Shinkansen bullet train earthquake safety system has continued to be improved since it was first introduced in 1982.