Railways will equip select stations with rope-hanging entry doors
Rebooting Safety: Taiwan Railway Corp's Innovative Barrier Measure
By Shelley Shan, Kaohsiung Staff Reporter
Say goodbye to accidental falls on railway tracks, as Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) is set to revolutionize platform safety with rope screen doors.
The state-run railway company has documented an annual average of 10 intrusions on railway lines, and they're looking to change that. After a successful trial at Kaohsiung Railway Station, these innovative barriers could be popping up in stations across the island.
Picture this: You're strolling towards your train, and just when you think you've got it made, you trip. No more worries with TRC's new rope screen doors! Honing in on Kaohsiung Railway Station due to its 300m-long platform and diverse train schedules, the trial is currently underway, and the company aims to complete installation by the end of this year, with operations beginning in March 20XX. The ambitious project is expected to carry a hefty price tag of NT$149.8 million (US$4.6 million).
TRC President, Feng Hui-sheng, assures us that the trial's success will pave the way for additional experiments at other stations. The rope screen doors come equipped with a speed detector, ensuring they rise only when the train has come to a complete stop and the doors have opened. Additionally, a light detection and ranging device will sound an alarm if anyone gets dangerously close. Say goodbye to reckless dashes across the ropes - they'll simply bounce back! Most intruders would find scaling the steel ropes impossible.
But why rope screen doors instead of the platform doors you'd find at Taipei and Kaohsiung MRT stations? Feng explained that TRC's diverse fleet of trains - ranging from intercity trains to commuter trains - need a more flexible solution. The trains park at different locations on platforms, making traditional platform screen doors less practical. Fear not, though; the company plans to install rope screen doors based on the number of passengers, intrusion incidents, and platform designs. Costs will decrease as more rope screen doors are added to the mix.
To ensure smooth sailing, TRC will inform passengers on how the rope screen doors function, and penalties will be levied against anyone intent on damaging them.
While rope screen doors may not be as effective at deterring intentional jumps as full-height platform screen doors, they do offer a physical barrier that can prevent unintentional platform intrusions. In fact, similar rope-type screen doors have proven their worth in metro systems, like Sofia Metro in Bulgaria, reducing accidental falls significantly.
As we embark on this exciting new safe-travel chapter, TRC's rope screen doors are destined to protect passengers island-wide, ensuring a smooth journey for all.
- The successful trial of rope screen doors at Kaohsiung Railway Station by Taiwan Railway Corp (TRC) is an innovative barrier measure aimed at reducing unauthorized access to railway tracks, particularly due to its 300m- long platform and diverse train schedules.
- After documentation of an annual average of 10 intrusions on railway lines, TRC aims to complete installation of these rope screen doors by the end of this year, with operations starting in March 20XX, at a cost of NT$149.8 million (US$4.6 million).
- Unlike platform doors found in Taipei and Kaohsiung MRT stations, rope screen doors offer a more flexible solution for TRC's diverse fleet of trains, as they can adjust to different locations where trains park on platforms.
- While rope screen doors may not be as effective as full-height platform screen doors in deterring intentional jumps, they can physically prevent unintentional platform intrusions, similar to metro systems like Sofia Metro in Bulgaria, which have demonstrated significant reductions in accidental falls.
