Railway Technical Research Institute
RTRI's logo
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| Abbreviation | RTRI |
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| Formation | December 10, 1986 |
| Type | Japanese Foundation |
| Purpose | Research and consulting of the railway technology. |
| Headquarters | 2-8-38, Hikaricho, Kokubunji-shi, Tokyo |
| Location |
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Region served
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Japan |
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Official language
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Japanese |
| Leader | Eisuke Masada, chairperson |
| Affiliations | Japan Railways Group |
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Budget
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15.3 billion YEN (FY 2009) |
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Staff
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512 (as of October 1, 2008) |
| Website | www.rtri.or.jp |
Railway Technical Research Institute (鉄道総合技術研究所 Tetsudō Sōgō Gijutsu Kenkyūsho?), or RTRI (鉄道総研 Tetsudō Sōken?), is the technical research company under the Japan Railways group of companies.
RTRI was established in its current form in 1986 just before Japanese National Railways (JNR) was privatised and split into separate JR group companies. RTRI conducts research about everything related to trains, railways and their operation. Funding is received from the government as well as the private railway companies. RTRI works both on developing new railway technology, such as magnetic levitation, and improving the safety and economy of current technology.
Research topics include earthquake detection and alarm systems, systems for detecting obstacles on level crossings, improving adhesion between train wheels and tracks, reducing energy usage, noise barriers and preventing vibrations, among other topics.
RTRI is the main developer behind the Japanese SCMaglev program.
The RTRI is developing a variable gauge system, called the "Gauge Change Train", to allow 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) Shinkansen trains to access 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) lines of the original rail network.
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