The Rolling Stock Manufacturing Industry in Japan Masahito Mizoguchi
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F Rolling Stock and Manufacturers (part 1) eature The Rolling Stock Manufacturing Industry in Japan Masahito Mizoguchi Introduction Railway systems consist of integrated sub- systems of infrastructure and rolling stock. The infrastructure includes tracks, electric power supply substations and feeder lines, signalling and train control systems, station facilities, maintenance depots, etc. Each of these component parts must function as it is designed to do, and must also work together as a whole. While rolling stock is an important sub- system within the whole railway system, it also acts as the railway’s face to the customer and could be described as the main ‘actor’ on the rail transport ‘stage.’ Rolling stock manufacturers must evolve with the times by supplying operators with Series E231 running on Tokaido main line (JR East) rolling stock using new technologies that meet both the local and specific needs of it looks back in history to see how the generally over the last few years. This is railways as well as customers’ rolling stock industry changed over time, primarily due to years of economic requirements. A review of the industry’s and finally, it looks ahead to future stagnation and changes in history shows that rolling stock production possibilities for the industry. demographics—birth rates are dropping has always been influenced by the social faster, and the population is aging faster requirements of the times. Rail Transport and Rolling than in most other countries. This article is divided in three sections; Stock in Japan Today However, compared to motor vehicles, first, it examines the latest demand for full trains are far more efficient users of rolling stock in Japan and the present Overall trends energy, and their per passenger- and per status of the rolling stock industry. Next, In Japan, rail ridership has been declining tonne-km CO2 emissions are much lower Figure 1 Freight and Passenger CO2 Emissions (FY2000) Freight transport Passenger transport Heavy commercial Private automobiles 188 vehicles 178 Private light automobiles Small commercial ( 660 cc) 152 vehicles 819 ≥ Taxis 414 Light commercial 1933 vehicles Commercial buses 94 Heavy private vehicles 372 Charter buses 32 Small private 3094 Domestic air travel 111 vehicles Railways 17 Railways 21 CO2 Emissions per tonne-km Subways 16 CO2 Emissions per passenger-km Coastal shipping 40 Tramways 36 Domestic 1483 Guided transport 27 air freight systems 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 0 100 200 300 400 500 g-CO2 per tonne-km g-CO2 per passenger-km Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Note: Commercial and heavy private vehicles have a minimum capacity of 3000 kg 14 Japan Railway & Transport Review 41 • October 2005 than other modes (Fig. 1). Government Table 1 Passenger Transport in Japan by Mode policies have been trying to promote a modal shift from road to rail for both Number of passengers (millions) Fiscal year Total Motor vehicles Railways (share) Passenger ferries Planes passenger and freight transport. These 1965 30,787 14,863 15,798 51.3% 126 5 policies have had more bite since 1980 51,680 33,515 18,005 34.8% 160 40 February 2005 with the coming into force 1990 77,869 55,767 21,939 28.2% 163 65 of the Kyoto Protocol, binding Japan to 1995 84,051 61,272 22,630 26.9% 149 78 2000 84,598 62,841 21,647 25.6% 110 93 cut its CO2 emissions. Clearly, it is important to promote measures to reduce 2001 86,421 64,590 21,720 25.1% 111 95 emissions from vehicles and a modal shift Source: Summary of Land Transportation Statistics, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to railways even more than previously. The Japanese government is supporting railway operators in projects to improve Figure 2 Share of Passenger Modes in Japan (1989–2002) (passenger-km) services, which will favour a modal shift Commercial Passenger ferries Private buses Privately Private Light automobiles to rail from cars, trucks and planes. JRs railways Taxis Planes operated automobiles (≥ 660 cc), etc. buses Passenger transport 1989 17.6 11.5 5.93.7 41.0 15.8 1.3 0.5 2.7 Table 1 shows the annual increases in the 1994 18.0 11.2 5.54.5 42.4 15.1 movement of people in Japan. Domestic 1.1 0.4 1.8 travel kept expanding during the 1980s 1999 16.9 10.1 4.95.6 44.4 15.6 and 1990s, but has almost levelled off 0.9 0.3 1.4 since then. Rail ridership and rail 2000 17.0 10.1 4.95.6 44.4 15.6 passenger-km figures have stagnated since 0.8 0.3 1.3 the mid-1990s and any increase in the 2001 16.9 10.1 4.95.7 44.4 15.6 movement of people is basically due to 0.8 0.3 1.2 more road and air travel. Average distance 2002 16.8 10.0 4.95.8 44.1 16.1 travelled for each transport mode has (Fiscal year) 0.8 0.3 1.1 changed little since the 1980s. And, as 0102030405060708090100 Figure 2 shows, the share carried by rail Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (the JR passenger companies and other Note: Figures indicate percentage share private railways) is now slumping year- on-year. In major cities, rail transport still enjoys a majority share (see Table 2 for Table 2 Passengers in Greater Tokyo by Mode Greater Tokyo data), although travel trends Number of passengers (millions) (all modes) has remained basically stable Fiscal year Total Railways (share) Buses Motor vehicles since the early 1990s, with train and motor 1990 22,752 12,799 56.3% 2,197 7,756 vehicle ridership remaining relatively 1995 24,021 13,320 55.5% 2,025 8,676 unchanged. New railway lines are being 2000 23,410 12,979 55.4% 1,769 8,662 2001 23,410 12,979 55.4% 1,769 8,662 constructed in the Greater Tokyo and Greater Osaka areas, although not as Source: Urban Transport Yearbook, Institute for Transport Policy Studies energetically as before, and this, combined with other improvements for overcrowding. Other improvements Airlines and railway operators are the convenience of commuting workers being called for include offering transport competitors, but they can also and students, is bound to ensure that rail information on board, easier connections complement each other’s services. Nine remains the main transportation mode in to other trains and other modes, and a airports in Japan have air–rail links (ARLs). Japanese metropolises. Congestion wider range of services at stations and These have become popular access routes remains a problem, and there is a terminals. These improvements will for passengers who choose rail because it consensus that commuter rail services require new rolling stock and is dependable and fast. On the flip side, need further improvements to reduce infrastructure. ARLs encourage more people to fly; more Japan Railway & Transport Review 41 • October 2005 15 Rolling Stock and Manufacturers (part 1) ratios of 230% on weekdays between Figure 3 Commuter Train Congestion Ratios 08:00 and 09:00 in 2001. Both sections 100% 150% 180% 200% 250% are double-tracked, offering four parallel tracks for commuter trains. Between these two stations, trains on the two lines carried a total of 162,410 passengers per hour in one direction. These passengers travelled on a total of 48 trains—24 train sets with Ordinary capacity Passengers can Passengers can Bodies touching and Bodies sway with 11 cars, and another 24 with 10 cars. As (all seats occupied, read open read only folded confined and can carriage and difficult all standing newspaper newspaper read nothing larger to move arms freely passengers holding another example, during rush hour, Tokyo strap or door-side than folded grab bar) magazine Metro’s double-tracked Marunouchi Line offers 32 trains per hour in each direction. In Greater Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka, 28 are on the drawing board, and we can students. Rush-hour congestion is lines have at least 25 rush-hour trains per expect more airports to have rail expressed as a percentage of capacity, hour in each direction. Lines with at least connections soon. which is calculated as number of seats 30 trains per hour per direction are listed In today’s Japan, high-speed railways are plus floor area divided by the area in Table 3. the main transportation mode for journeys required by one standing person. Typical These figures indicate the unusually high up to around 900 km. Railways can congestion ratios are explained and density of commuter train operations in continue playing a leading role in this illustrated in Figure 3. Efforts to reduce Japan’s major cities. High-density sector, especially if they introduce new congestion aim for an average ratio of operations require reduced headway IT services, such as on-board information 150% during the most crowded times, but between trains, and to accomplish this tools, facilities for laptop users, and many lines in Greater Tokyo and other safely, rolling stock must be able to monitors showing useful data such as major cities have still not reached this accelerate and decelerate quickly, and location, weather, etc. level. The most congested sections in the signalling and other safety equipment JR East network—one on the circular must be reliable and up to date. Faster Urban commuter trains Yamanote Line, the other on the Keihin acceleration requires lighter carriages and In major cities, rail is the primary mode Tohoku Line (both between Ueno and high motive power. Equipping AC motors of travel for commuting workers and Okachimachi in Tokyo)—had congestion with a variable voltage variable frequency Table 3 Lines with 30 or More Rush-hour Trains in Each Direction (per hour) FY2001 Line Section Time period Number of Number of Number of Congestion trains (one tracks