Technology-based clearance procedure

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The technology-based handling procedure ( TAV for short ) is a system for door control that is used by German railways to replace the train attendant when handling regional passenger trains. In the long-distance traffic of Deutsche Bahn , the procedure will also be gradually introduced as part of " Zukunft Bahn " from 2018 in order to give the train crew more time for service on board the trains.

In the case of passenger trains in Germany, it is currently still common for the train attendant to close the train's doors or have them closed at the time of departure. After all the doors are closed, he gives the driver the order to leave and gets on the train himself. With TAV, on the other hand, the driver cancels the door release and drives off as soon as it is indicated to him that all doors are closed. The entire train must be equipped with automatic doors that open on request and close automatically after a few seconds as soon as the door area is free.

Typical areas of application for TAV are railcars and double-decker cars for local transport. Many private railway companies also use TAV in order to be able to do without additional staff. Even the InterCity 2 has a TAV. In addition, all DB Fernverkehr AG trains are to be equipped with TAV systems between 2018 and 2020 .

In Germany, passenger coaches that are equipped for the TAV are marked with an a in the category designation.

advantages

From the perspective of the railway, this process has several advantages:

  • Personnel savings: Since the train attendant no longer performs operational tasks, he can be saved or replaced by employees of an inspection service with a lower level of training and tariff.
  • If the staff is not saved, they can take on other tasks in the time otherwise lost through the handling process , such as various services on the train.
  • Energy savings: Since the doors close automatically, significant energy savings are achieved with heated or air-conditioned vehicles, especially when you stay at train stations and stops for longer periods .

disadvantage

Video surveillance system at a breakpoint that is in an arch

The S-Bahn multiple units of the DB of the DB class 423 had a faulty TAV, which repeatedly caused accidents by crushing. The vehicles of this series were equipped with a sensor at foot height instead of a light curtain . This light barrier at foot height had always released the door to close after three seconds, although the passengers' arms were still in the catchment area. Older people in particular suffered such accidents, as they held onto the railing inside the car to get in. Since there was no force limiter on the cars in question , the door was closed with full force. The DB decided to voluntarily equip the doors of the S-Bahn multiple units with a light curtain. The public prosecutor's office is investigating the matter against the Federal Railway Authority for negligent bodily harm and dangerous interference in rail traffic, committed by negligence.

Another disadvantage is the frequent opening and closing of the doors during longer stays and the associated noise nuisance for passengers already on the train.

When using the time-saving central door closing method (forced closing), the cost savings of the technology-based handling are put into perspective, since suitable employees or technical devices (mirrors, monitors) for train observation must be available on unclear platforms (arches) anyway. When using the decentralized door closing procedure (withdrawal of the door releases), train monitoring may be omitted, but stays in heavily frequented stations can be delayed due to recurring passenger changes.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Deutsche Bahn Group: Future Rail. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on December 14, 2017 ; accessed on May 21, 2019 .
  2. dybas: Technology-based clearance procedure (TAV) ( Memento from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
  3. Michael Houben: Rail travelers in trouble (PDF; 28 kB). For the ARD broadcast Plusminus in November 2007. Accessed on May 21, 2019.