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Tokyu Says Decade-Old Signal Error Led to Den-en-toshi Line Collision

The operator disclosed a 2015 configuration mistake that kept automatic braking from engaging.

Overview

  • Tokyu Electric Railway said a signal-setting flaw caused the ATC to show green to an inbound train at Kajigaya Station, allowing it to enter the platform before colliding on October 5.
  • The company traced the error to work done at the station in 2015, stating the misconfiguration went undetected for about ten years.
  • An out-of-service train had stopped roughly 23 meters short of its intended position after overspeed-triggered braking, leaving its first car protruding onto the main line.
  • There were no injuries, but about 1,107 trains were canceled on October 5–6 with roughly 652,100 passengers affected, and regular timetables resumed on October 7.
  • President Seiichi Fukuda apologized at a press conference and pledged thorough measures to prevent a recurrence while internal and regulatory investigations proceed.