●JR環境報告書2008 英語版_P14-15 2008.09.25

Special Topic 3

Society Society Improved Station and Railcar Comfort The Future of Railway Technology and Culture by Reflecting Customer Comments — Interactive Railway Museum Marking the 20th anniversary since JR East’s foundation, from 2007 we have been promoting further facility amenity The Railway Museum in City, was opened on October 14, 2007, with the express aim of improvements and beautification activities as our expression of gratitude to our customers and community residents. providing a place where future generations of children will be able to voluntarily learn, think and act.

Improved toilets The History Zone

We will renovate toilets in approximately 150 stations to increase The History Zone contains customer comfort and satisfaction. 35 railcars, including six cars that were reserved for the Improved station neighborhood maps imperial family, and accurate Neighborhood maps around 320 stations will be upgraded. They scale models, as well as will be enlarged and made easier to read, and will contain content scenery reproduction panels. designed for local needs. Visitors are told, in an easy- to-understand way, about railway technology, and the trends and More Comfortable Onboard Space history of the railway system from the early Meiji era to today. The Entrance Zone Based on our stakeholders’ comments, we are also working to Platform waiting room (left top),Renovated station toilet (left below),Station benches (right) improve the onboard environment for our passengers. The Entrance Zone contains Since its foundation in 1987, JR East has continuously striven 200 Series driving Changing support straps for standing passengers to create a system to collect as many customer comments as cabin simulators and a D51 in priority seat areas possible, consider them and promptly act on them. Based on It was opened by East Japan Railway Foundation as a part of type steam locomotive (see customer comments we are always improving our stations and Along with lowering the support JR East’s 20th anniversary celebrations, and has the objective photo), as well as Japan’s railcar facilities. straps for standing passengers in of encouraging visitors to learn, think and act by themselves. In largest model railway diorama. priority seat areas in order to make addition to exhibits showing our railway culture heritage, various them easier to use for women and interactive exhibits have attracted considerable public attention Easier to Use Stations The Collection Zone the elderly, we have also changed the with the result that the museum is always busy with visitors — In addition to our regular measures already being taken in color to yellow in order to more clearly both families and individuals. The Collection Zone contains a library where visitors can read response to the aging of society, such as the provision of delineate priority areas. (Completed The Railway Museum’s three concepts: valuable transport-related reference materials and a gallery where barrier-free stations, we are currently focusing on improvements the end of fiscal March 2008) ①The Railway Museum, in addition to exhibiting aspects of special exhibitions are held. for which there have been many customer requests. Japanese and global railway-related heritage and reference Limited door opening The Learning Zone materials, also contains specific reference materials on the Bench installation By closing three out of the four doors in each car when trains Japanese National Railways (JNR) reform and JR East. These The Learning Zone allows visitors to experience interactive We have already considerably increased the number of benches are stopped for long periods, such as at stations where trains materials are systematically stored, and surveys and research exhibits, such as three laboratories where the duties of station available for passengers on metropolitan platforms, turn back, we have increased air-conditioning efficiency while are constantly conducted. staff, railcar inspectors and railcar designers can be studied, along and will now target approximately 1,500 other stations in which maintaining comfortable railcar temperature levels. This system ②The History Museum shows the story of the transformation of with a section where railway mechanisms can be experienced. we will install comfortable benches for the use of passengers. is being introduced in E231 and E531 series railcars. the railway system as part of Japan’s industrial history, focusing on The Park Zone actual railcar exhibits that physically demonstrate the background Waiting room construction Automatic on-board announcements of each era. The Park Zone is an exterior After taking into account the layout and level of congestion of Automatic announcement devices capable of making ③The Education Museum encourages children to gain hands-on space where a miniature individual station platforms, we plan to increase the number announcements in English are being installed in 1,305 railcars experience and thus learn about railway principles, systems and train is operated; visitors of waiting rooms. We will construct new waiting rooms in on trains that serve airports, mainly on the Sobu express and cutting edge technologies (including future concepts) utilizing can operate its signal safety approximately 300 stations, mainly within the Tokyo metropolitan Yokosuka lines. models, simulation and play equipment. system, which is the same area and also at other stations where express trains stop and as on real lines. The zone those which are heavily utilized by tourists. Connecting Seeds of Intellectual Interest for the Future also displays a still operable historic railcar. The Museum consists of six specifically themed zones. North Wing

The North Wing contains the 180-seat capacity Railway Hall.

14 JR East Group Sustainability Report 2008 JR East Group Sustainability Report 2008 15