A driver of a high-speed train in Japan may face punishment for leaving the cockpit of the so-called bullet train he was piloting to go to the toilet.
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The driver had asked a conductor, who did not have a driver’s license, to take over the steering while the vehicle was traveling at 150 km / h. BBC reports this on the basis of Japanese media. The Hikari 633 was carrying 160 passengers at that time. The incident would not have affected the trip. However, the railway company has reported the incident to local authorities, where the company has apologized.
Stomach ache
The Central Japan Railway Company (JR Central) reported that the incident occurred on Sunday morning while the train was running in the Shizuoka area. The 36-year-old engineer, who has not been named, had a stomach ache and had to rush to the toilet. He therefore called a conductor to the cockpit to man it temporarily and stayed away for a toilet break for about three minutes, according to JR Central.
Company rules require train drivers to contact the transportation command center if they feel unwell. They may also ask a conductor to take over the driving, but only if he also has a driver’s license. The train driver and conductor are now facing potential disciplinary action, JR Central said. “It was an extremely inappropriate action. For which we apologize, ”said Masahiro Hayatsu, a senior official of the Japanese transportation company.
Japan’s railways are strictly regulated with high safety standards. Railway accidents are rare. The last major incident occurred in 2005 when a train derailed in the western city of Amagasaki, killing 107 people. The Shinkansen, as Japan’s fast train network is called, has never had an accident in its 57-year history.
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