JR East train misses stop entirely after driver falls asleep
Last Updated on April 11, 2025
JR East has apologised after a train driver on the Tokaido Main Line fell asleep, completely missing a stop on his route.
The East Japan Railway Company (JR East) Yokohama Branch made a public announcement on the 10th of the current month regarding an incident that occurred at Kawasaki Station on the Tokaido Main Line.
According to the announcement, a train driver in his forties experienced an episode of falling asleep while operating the train as it arrived at the station, which resulted in the train overshooting its intended stopping position.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a consequence of this incident.
The JR East Yokohama Branch detailed that the event took place at approximately 9:50 pm on the 9th of the current month.
At this time, a local train traveling from Kozu with a final destination of Maebashi was arriving at Kawasaki Station.
The driver, while in the process of bringing the train to a halt at the station, momentarily fell asleep, causing the train to come to a complete stop approximately 30 meters beyond the designated and marked stopping point on the platform.
Authorities considered the possibility of reversing the train to the correct position; however, it was determined that such a maneuver could potentially induce a malfunction at a nearby railroad crossing.
Consequently, the decision was made to have the train proceed onward to the subsequent station along the line, which is Shinagawa Station.
This incident resulted in delays affecting two trains operating on both the up and down Tokaido Main Lines, with the duration of these delays reaching up to approximately five minutes.
The disruption impacted approximately 2,000 passengers, including those who were unable to board or disembark the affected trains at Kawasaki Station due to the train’s improper stopping position.
In statements attributed to the driver, he reportedly explained the situation by saying: “After the train departed from Ofuna Station, I had been experiencing intermittent feelings of drowsiness. Upon our arrival at Kawasaki Station, I fell asleep temporarily and, as a result, applied the emergency brakes.”
The company subsequently issued a statement confirming that a driver in his 40s had indeed fallen asleep while operating a train at Kawasaki Station on the Tokaido Main Line, leading to the train stopping beyond its intended position, and reiterating that no injuries occurred.
The statement further elaborated that upon the train’s arrival at Kawasaki Station, the driver experienced a momentary lapse of sleep, causing the train to stop roughly 30 meters past the designated stopping point.
The potential for a malfunction at a nearby railroad crossing was cited as the reason for not reversing the train, which instead continued to Shinagawa Station.
The delays on both lines reached up to five minutes, affecting approximately 2,000 passengers who were unable to board or alight at Kawasaki Station.
The driver’s explanation, as quoted, was that he had felt intermittent drowsiness after leaving Ofuna Station and that he fell asleep briefly upon arriving at Kawasaki Station, prompting him to apply the emergency brakes.
Source: Kanaloco