In order to improve guiding systems like tactile tiles for the visually impaired on the railway platform, we need to know how tactile tiles are used and how these people behave on railway platforms at present. But there are few reports on this theme. In this study, 67 visually impaired persons who use railways alone were interviewed. This research revealed that (1) dot type tactile tiles are used by 84% as a guide to follow when they walk parallel to the rail, although the main purpose of those tiles are to give warning of the platform edge; (2) 76% utilize bar type tactile tiles crossing dot type tactile tiles at a right angle at the platform edge as a cue to detect stairs; and (3) 70% walk along dot type tactile tiles on island platforms. The percentage of the people who walk along dot type tactile tiles is equal to that of those who walk along the wall side of the platforms, 33% each on opposite platforms.

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Since the war, railway accidents have frequently been caused by human errors. As a countermeasure against this tendency, a system of aptitude tests was formulated in 1949. In about 50 years since the aptitude tests were introduced into railways, railway facilities and safety installations have considerably improved, whereas the system of aptitude test remains almost unchanged. As the railway technology has progressed in line with the modernization of vehicle technology, the aptitude and the level demanded for employees has changed together with the tasks of train running. We study the validity of intelligence test, one of the common psychological aptitude tests for employees who are engaged in train running of Shinkansen and narrow-gauge lines. The criterion for pass or failure of the test is different depending on job categories. In testing the employees engaged in the maintenance of track and electrical facilities, the criterion is higher for Shinkansen lines than for narrow-gauge lines. To discuss the validity of the criterion, this paper compares the maintenance work of track and electrical facilities of Shinkansen and those of narrow-gauge lines from the two viewpoints of validity for job contents and criterion-related validity with regard to the correlation between the test result and safety indices. The present results suggest that the criterion for Shinkansen need not be higher than that for narrow-gauge lines.

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The Index of Physical Capacity (IPC) measured by the Hashimoto step test is one of the items to evaluate physical fitness. We have conducted an indoor experiment for four years with 40 subjects in total. The purpose of this experiment was to verify the prediction that the work performance of lower score IPC subjects decrease faster than that of higher score IPC subjects. The experiments were continued for 24 hours a day. The subjects had a task and a rest alternately. The results were as follows. The work performance decreases: (1) Gradually after lunch and considerably from midnight to early morning with the lower score IPC subjects (11 people). (2) Considerably from midnight to early morning with the middle score IPC subjects (20 people). (3) Very little from midnight to early morning with the high score IPC subjects (nine people).

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As the space in trains is limited, the trade-off between space and comfort is important issue to clarify. From this viewpoint, two experiments were performed by using an experimental Shinkansen triple-seat unit. As a result, it was found that a wider middle seat and narrower armrest is comfortable when the overall width is constant, and a wider armrest and narrower seat is also comfortable for those who use armrests, and that, the distance between the front face of the seat cushion and the back of the front seat is an adequate index in regard to the seat intervals.

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This paper proposes a method to estimate the passenger movements during impact of train collisions, in order to obtain countermeasures that will minimize their injuries. To apply the crashworthiness technology popularly used in the automobile field, this paper points out why the estimation of the passenger movements during the train impact is necessary and which factors are essential for the application of the technology. By focusing on the utilization of the computer simulation software widely used for automobiles, this paper discusses problems that would arise in applying the software to railways. The safety posture for standing passengers at train collision is also discussed through a simulation that takes the problems into consideration.

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To detect and control the signs of potential accidents for the purpose of preventing vital accidents, it is currently in focus to systematically collect and analyze the information on incidents, which are a pre-stage of accident, and applying countermeasures, in various fields such as airlines and atomic power plants. In the railway field as well, it is one of the subjects at the Aircraft and Railway Accidents Investigation Commission which was newly opened in October 2001. From the standpoint of effective and efficient safety management of railway transport, this paper describes the definition of incidents, method of incident analysis, current situation in various fields, possibility of incident analysis, problems, etc. in railways.

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Abnormal conditions occur in railway transportation due to trouble or accidents and it affects a number of passengers. It is very important, therefore, to quickly recover and return to normal train operation. For this purpose we developed a system, "Computer VR Simulation System for the Safety of Railway Transportation." It is a new type simulation system to evaluate measures to be taken under abnormal conditions. Users of this simulation system cooperate with one another to correct the abnormal conditions that have occurred in virtual reality. This paper reports the newly developed simulation system.

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This paper presents recent researches of human science on railway systems at RTRI. They are roughly divided into two categories: researches to improve safety and those to improve comfort. On the former subject, for the safeguard against accidents caused by human errors, we have promoted studies of psychological aptitude test, various researches to evaluate train drivers' working conditions and environments, and new investigations to minimize the risk of passenger casualties at train accidents. On the latter subject, we have developed new methods to evaluate the riding comfort including that of tilt train, and started researches on the improvement of railway facilities for the aged and the disabled from the viewpoint of Universal Design.

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