Third Rails at Your Feet Open Up the Sky: AGT’s Vision for Unobstructed Urban Design

When you sit in the front car of an AGT

vehicle and look ahead, you will

notice something striking: there are no

overhead wires cutting through the

sky and no utility poles obstructing

your view, as is common with

traditional railways.

What lies ahead is simply a straight

track and the vast, endless sky. This

incredible sense of openness is made

possible not by equipment on the roof,

but by pantographs hidden "at your

feet".

Instead of wire-shaped overhead lines,

AGT draws electricity from a rigid,

plate-like conductor called a "third rail"

. By placing the pantographs (current

collectors)—usually the symbol of a

train—under the floor of the vehicle, the

overall height of the car is reduced,

achieving a smart, sleek appearance.

This "unseen" power supply system

supports the luxurious, clutter-free

view of the elevated tracks that

passengers enjoy.

In the past, the third rail systems used

in subways like the Ginza or

Marunouchi Lines carried the risk of

electrocution if someone fell onto the

tracks. However, AGT was designed

as a fully automated, driverless system

from its inception, incorporating

full-height platform screen doors as a

standard feature.

By creating a space that humans

cannot physically enter, the third rail

was transformed from a "dangerous

technology" into an "ideal technology"

that balances aesthetics with

efficiency. One could even say that the

third rail finally realized its true

potential through its integration with the

AGT system.

The reliability of this system is also

evident in its emergency

synchronization. In the event of an

evacuation, should a passenger open

the front emergency door, a wireless

signal (emergency alert) is triggered,

automatically cutting off the power to

the third rail. These small pantographs

at our feet return the sky to the

citizens while simultaneously protecting

us with an invisible safety net.

Through this integration of technology,

AGT continues to draw the blueprint

for a "gentle and beautiful city".

I hope you look forward to the next

AGT Blog!