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It is not uncommon for AGTs to be perceived as fully automated unmanned operations. It should be noted, however, that manned AGTs also exist in Japan and are characterized by a distinct set of features and operational considerations. For example, the Yukarigaoka Line, Japan's third AGT, is a manned AGT with a driver on board, whereas the Port Liner and Newtram were fully automated unmanned operation. Japan also has other AGTs such as the New Shuttle, The Leo Liner, and Astram Line are also manned AGT system, which are rare worldwide. What is the rationale behind Japan being the only country to utilize such a manned AGT system? The Astram Line is manned for the purpose of guiding passengers in the event of an emergency, given the presence of underground sections. In contrast, the Yukarigaoka Line, New Shuttle, and Leo Liner have opted not to install facilities for unmanned operation to keep line construction costs down. However, these lines are equipped with ATS/ATC as safety equipment to ensure safety. In the future, as it becomes increasingly difficult to secure drivers for the entire railroad system, manned AGTs may gradually move toward unmanned operation.

What is the driver's seat for in an AGT Have you ever asked yourself this question when riding in an unmanned AGT? Why is there a driver's seat?” It is normal that foreign AGTs do not have a driver's seat. Then, why do Japanese AGTs have a driver's seat? In the automobile world, automated driving has attracted attention, and AGTs have achieved automated driving for 40 years. The secret is a dedicated track. It is an environment where neither cars nor people can enter the track, which is why automation was possible from the beginning. Currently, there are 10 AGT lines in Japan, of which the following 6 lines are fully automated.  Port Liner,  New Tram,  Seaside Line,  Rokko Liner,  Yurikamome,  Nippori-Toneri Liner The driver's seat is located at the front of the train on all lines, and is usually covered by the driver's control panel, allowing passengers to sit back and enjoy the scenery. This is a special experience that cannot be had on any other train. So, why do we need a driver's seat on an unmanned train? First, in the event of a malfunction in the automatic operating system, an attendant will board the train to operate it manually. It is also used for driving in the manual operation section of the depot. In addition, Japanese AGTs have a special custom.　 That is, the driver has to drive manually once a month. This is a training to maintain a sense of driving, but this is a uniquely Japanese style that is not found in overseas AGTs. Sitting in the front seat of an AGT, you can enjoy the dynamic scenery while feeling like you are the driver. Next time you ride an AGT, please try to sit in the front seat. There you will find a special place where the future of full automation and Japan's unique attention to detail come together. Stay tuned for my next blog!

Monorails and AGTs have a lot in common in terms of their appearance and rubber-tyred structures, and many people probably feel that they are the same vehicle. In fact, in some foreign countries, AGTs are called monorails. For example, you may have thought, "Is that a monorail? " You may have seen children exclaim, "It's a monorail!" because it looks and moves like a monorail. Monorails have a long history. The Wuppertal Monorail in Germany, which opened in 1901, is still in operation today. Monorails have been adopted around the world as a means of efficiently using limited space in cities. Photo: Jerome Cid/Dreamstime On the other hand, the AGT, which was introduced in the 1970s, has features that take advantage of advanced technology that came later. For example, it can make a 90-degree turn at an intersection, allowing it to be deployed in areas with dense buildings. In addition, AGT has been designed on the premise of automated operation since its inception, and is even attracting attention as a system that meets modern needs such as ensuring safety and reducing operating costs. In my blog, we would like to introduce the strengths of AGT and how it differs from monorails. We will show how AGT supports our way of life and opens up new possibilities. Stay tuned for the next AGT blog!

AGT's Attractiveness, How it Works and its Secrets What is AGT AGT (Automated Guideway Transit) is a medium-volume transportation system that runs on rubber tires, also known as a "Shinkoutsu system". in Japan,10 AGT routes carry more than 500,000 passengers daily. Six of the ten routes are fully automated unmanned and four are manned. rubber tires Fully automated unmanned operation Low noise, Low vibration Minimum turning radius 30m アンカー 1 new blog What is the driver's seat for in an AGT What is the driver's seat for in an AGT Have you ever asked yourself this question when riding in an unmanned AGT? Why is there a... Read the full blog New column №01 The Role of AGT in Urban Public Transport 2024/09/05 If the trains and buses you use to commute to work come every three minutes or every six minutes, it is obvious that every three minutes is better, right? In the case of buses, it is not only necessary to have the required number of buses so that they can operate every 3 minutes, but also to have enough drivers for the number of buses. In the case of trains, it is also necessary to have the required number of trains and the corresponding number of drivers. In the case of AGT, since it is fully automated and unmanned, there is no need to worry about securing and managing drivers, and the service can be provided according to demand. In addition to the problem of securing operators, AGT has an advantage in terms of construction costs compared to railroads. Read full column Display column article list

AGT column Tell me more about AGT Display the latest column articles №01 The Role of AGT in Urban Public Transport 2024/9/05 If the trains and buses you use to commute to work come every three minutes or every six minutes, it is obvious that every three minutes is better, right? In the case of buses, it is not only necessary to have the required number of buses so that they can operate every 3 minutes, but also to have enough drivers for the number of buses. In the case of trains, it is also necessary to have the required number of trains and the corresponding number of drivers. In the case of AGT, since it is fully automated and unmanned, there is no need to worry about securing and managing drivers, and the service can be provided according to demand. In addition to the problem of securing operators, AGT has an advantage in terms of construction costs compared to railroads. Public transportation in urban areas can be broadly classified into two categories: "track-based transportation," such as railroads, and "non-track-based transportation," such as buses and cabs. (Figure. 1) The "track-based transportation" is responsible for the fast and accurate movement of large numbers of users along the line, while the "non-track-based transportation" is ideally responsible for the surface movement based on the stations of the track-based transportation. The "track-based transportation" is further divided into "dedicated track system" and "non-dedicated track system". Before railroads were developed, buses were used to move the lines, but the economic loss caused by traffic congestion and inaccurate travel time became large, and "non-dedicated tracks" gradually became popular. Buses have been replaced by trains with "dedicated tracks". Although streetcars are "track systems," they are a type of "non-exclusive track system" that shares the road with buses and automobiles, and are therefore affected by accidents and traffic congestion in the same way as buses. There are three types of "dedicated track systems": aboveground, elevated, and underground. (Fig. 3) In cities, the presence of railroad crossings is a cause of accidents and traffic congestion, so above-ground tracks are unthinkable on the lines that will be constructed. Elevated tracks are also difficult to construct because of the difficulty of securing land, so subways must be used. AGT has the advantage of being able to use existing road space, making it easier to secure land for construction than railroads, and therefore less than one-third the cost of a subway. The Nippori-Toneri Liner runs on an elevated track over Okubashi-dori from Nippori Station to its terminus at Minuma Shinsui Koen Station. Since 1980, the AGT has been introduced as the main transportation system on the island connecting Kobe, Osaka, and Tokyo man-made islands and land, such as Port Island, Rokko Island, Osaka Nanko, and Odaiba. AGT was introduced at Gion-dori in Hiroshima and Okubashi-dori in Tokyo to solve the problem of bus delays due to traffic congestion. Traffic congestion on Gion-dori in Hiroshima was reduced by 20%, from 3.2 km before AGT construction to 2.5 km after construction. You may be asking yourself, if AGT is so good, why aren't there more AGT lines? In Japan, where the population has been declining since 2009, with the exception of the Shinkansen bullet train, few major rail lines have been built since the last Tsukuba Express in 2005, and instead three types of system lines have been built to replace rail: AGT, monorail, and linear motor subway lines. (Figure. 4) Among AGT, monorail, and linear subway systems, AGT's low construction cost and fully automated, unmanned operation are key features. AGT, a dedicated track that effectively uses the airspace above existing roads and excels in safety, speed, and punctuality, is the leading urban transportation system in Ten AGT lines are in operation in Japan, and more than 500,000 people use them every day. Worldwide, there are 30 AGT routes for cities. One-third of these are in Japan, making Japan a major AGT country. コラム一覧へ戻る

AGT column Tell me more about AGT Display the latest column articles №07 AGTの路線パターン 2023/5/16 1．AGT大国、日本 日本には1981年に運行開始したポートライナーを筆頭に、 2008年の日暮里・舎人ライナーに至るまで、全部で10のAGT路線があり、毎日58万人（2019年統計値）を超える人々が利用しています。 日本の次にAGTの路線が多いのはフランスです。リール市、トゥールーズ市、レンヌ市に6つのAGT路線があり、毎日約30万人が利用しています。日本のAGTは、路線数、利用者数共に2位のフランスを大きく離し、世界ナンバーワンで、日本はAGT大国といえます。 ２．３つの路線パターン 日本のAGTの路線のパターンは大きく分けて３つのパターンに分けられます。 一つ目は、鉄道の主要駅から郊外に延びる路線です。 二つ目は二つの異なる鉄道路線の駅をつなぐ路線です。 三つめは、鉄道の主要駅から出て周辺を巡ってまた同じ駅に戻る団地の循環バスのような路線です。 3．支線 1つ目の路線パターンは、主要駅の鉄道を本線とすると「支線」という言い方をされるものです。 鉄道の主要駅を基点として、新しく開発された地域の主要交通手段を担う働きをしています。 運行開始が早い順にご紹介しますと、1981年開業のポートライナーは、8.2km、12駅、毎日の利用者は約8万人の路線です。 神戸の中心にある三宮駅を起点とし、神戸の海を埋め立てて造ったポートアイランドの主要交通機関です。 ポートアイランドには、4つの大学のキャンバスや、先端技術研究所、先端医療施設などがあり、ピーク時間帯は26本、オフピーク時間帯でも15本の列車が三ノ宮駅を発着しています。 写真の赤い橋は、六甲山麓にある神戸とポートアイランドを繋ぐ神戸大橋です。 支線の2つ目は1983年開業のニューシャトルで、12.7km、13駅、毎日の利用者は約5万2千人の路線です。　1日の利用者数が20万人の大宮駅を起点とし、埼玉県のなかでも人口増加の多い新興住宅地の主要交通機関です。 ニューシャトルは 写真に見られるように東北新幹線、上越新幹線の軌道脚を利用した構造に 特徴があります。 支線の3つ目は、1990年開業の六甲ライナーで、4.5km、6駅、毎日の利用者は約3万5千人の路線です。魚崎駅で阪神本線とも接続しています。 ポートライナーの起点の三宮駅から東に約7㎞離れた住吉駅を起点とし、海を埋め立てて造られた六甲アイランドの主要交通機関です。 AGTの高架軌道は、近代的な建物、街並みによくフィットしています。 支線の 4つ目は、1994年開業のアストラムラインで、18.4km、22駅 、毎日の利用 者は約6万6千人の路線です。 広島の本通駅を起点とし、再急勾配4.5%の急坂を登りながら広島市の北西部に広がる台地の住宅街の主要交通機関です。 新白鳥駅で山陽本線と、大町駅で可部線と接続しています。 日本最長のAGT路線であり、更に5.9%勾配のある7.1㎞の延伸を計画しています。 支線の5つ目は、2008年開業の日暮里・舎人ライナーで、9.7km、13駅、毎日の利用者は約9万1千人の路線です。 日暮里駅を起点とし、埼玉県との県境までの住宅地を通る路線で、西日暮里で東京メトロ千代田線、JR山手線、京浜東北線、宇都宮線と、熊野前駅で都営荒川線と接続しています。 日暮里・舎人ライナーが建設された尾久橋通りのバス路線は、激しい渋滞により通勤、通学時間が不規則で時間がかかっていましたが、AGTの運行開始により正確な運行時間と通勤時間短縮をもたらしました。 4．接続線 二つ目の路線パターンは、二つの異なる鉄道路線の駅をつなぐAGT路線です。 この路線パターンは、両端が鉄道駅と繋っていて、沿線には、大規模団地、工業団地、商業ビルなどが集まり、鉄道駅間の地域の価値を高めています。 まずは、1981年開業の南港ポートタウン線があげられます。 中央線のコスモスクエア駅と四ツ橋線住之江公園駅を結ぶ7.9km、10駅、毎日の利用者が約7万4千人の路線です。 コスモスクエア駅側には貿易センターを中心とするビジネスエリア、住之江公園駅側には工業団地、中間には南港ポートタウンの住宅団地が組みあわされており、朝のピーク時間帯は、地域から出る人々と地域に働きに来る人で上下線とも混雑する路線です。 接続線の2つ目は、1985年開業の西武・山口線です。 西武鉄道多摩湖線終点の多摩湖駅と狭山線終点の西武球場前駅を結ぶ2.8ｋｍ、3駅の路線です。中間は西武園遊園地となっています。西武球場で試合やイベントが開催されるときは満員の乗客を運びます。 接続線の3つ目は、1989年開業の横浜シーサイドラインです。 JR京浜東北線の新杉田駅と京浜急行の金沢八景駅を繋ぐ10.8km、14駅、毎日の利用者が約5万2千人の路線です。 路線の南側には工業団地、北側には住宅団地が広がり、朝のピーク時間帯は地域から出る通勤通学の人々と地域に働きに来る人で上下線とも混雑する路線です。 接続線の４つ目は1995年開業のゆりかもめです。 新橋駅と有楽町線の豊洲駅を繋ぐ14.7㎞、16駅、毎日13万人が利用する路線です。 汐留駅で都営地下鉄大江戸線と、有明駅で臨海線と接続しています。 お台場の観光スポットや東京ビッグサイトを訪れる人の利用が多く、定期券利用者より、正規料金の収入が多い路線です。 片方が鉄道駅ではありませんが、三宮駅を起点とする支線としてご紹介したポートライナーは、神戸空港とつながっていて接続線の一種とも言えます。 ５．循環線 三つ目の路線パターンは、鉄道の主要駅から出発して団地内を一周して元に戻るという循環バスのような路線です。 まずは、1983年開業のユーカリが丘線です。 京成線のユーカリが丘駅を起点とする単線4.1km、6駅、毎日の利用者が約2千人のコンパクトでシンプルな路線です。 2つ目は、三宮駅を起点とする支線としてご紹介したポートライナー線です。 市民広場駅で分岐し、島内を巡り三ノ宮駅に戻るという6.4ｋｍ、９駅の一部単線区間を含むルートです。 国内では数の少ない循環路線ですが、バスに比べ時間が正確な点、信号待ちがないので早く目的地に着く点などが評価され、シンガポールでは ブキットパンジャン、 センカン、 プンゴル の3つの高密度の大団地の質の高い公共交通を担っています ６．まとめ 以上、支線パターンが5路線、接続パターンが4路線、循環パターンが2路線（ポートライナが重複）をご紹介しましたが、これらは、開業後に延伸工事を行った後の現在の姿による分類です。　延伸工事前のオリジナルの状態では、支線パターンが南港ポートタウン線とゆりかもめの2路線を加えた7路線、接続線パターンが西武山口線と横浜シーサイドラインの2路線と圧倒的に支線パターンが多いシステムでした。 それが、その後の延伸によって接続線に進化し、利便性を高め、乗客数を伸ばしています。 現在支線パターンとなっているアストラムラインも将来、JR山陽本線の西広島駅への延伸によって接続線パターンになる予定です。 このようにAGTの路線に延伸が多いのはAGTが、道路さえあれば延伸工事が可能な点が大きな特徴のシステムであることを実証しています。 コラムi一覧へ戻る