ホームドア

Etymology

ホーム (platform, short for プラットホーム) + ドア (door); a Japanese coinage
Also called 可動式(かどうしき)ホーム柵(さく) (movable platform barrier)

Usage

Installed to prevent falls and suicides on the tracks and the delays they cause; in some stations they also keep the platform climate-controlled.

Types

• Full-height type (フルスクリーンタイプ) - floor to ceiling
• Half-height type (腰高(こしだか)タイプ) - waist height

Cultural note

Railways in the big cities are installing them gradually; retrofitting older stations is expensive.

Related words

• 人身事故(じんしんじこ) - train accident involving a person
• 転落防止(てんらくぼうし) - fall prevention