Enjoying Railway Crossings that Support Railway Safety: 'The World of Railway Crossings' - Due to Popular Demand, the Second Volume is Finally Released! 'The World of Railway Crossings 2: More Interesting Railway Crossings' Published

Ikaros Publications Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Akihiro Yamate), which operates media businesses in fields such as aviation and railways within the Impress Group, released 'Tabitetsu BOOKS PLUS: The World of Railway Crossings 2: More Interesting Railway Crossings' on May 12, 2026.

Let's enjoy the often-disliked railway crossings!

Railway crossings, which obstruct road traffic when trains pass, tend to be avoided due to long waiting times. However, they play an important role in connecting towns divided by railway lines and safely crossing railways and roads. If you observe railway crossings closely, you will find various individual characteristics in the differences in equipment such as warning lights and crossing gates, as well as in their sounds and movements.

If you can find railway crossings interesting, your perception of waiting times might change. Author chokky, a former railway employee (driver), wrote this book with such thoughts in mind.

A detailed look at evolving railway crossing equipment

With the development of digital technology and the spread of LEDs, railway crossing equipment is rapidly changing. For example, warning lights now have a wider range of expression, such as being visible from 360 degrees due to LED placement, and enabling character display. Also, weightless crossing gates, which do not require a counterweight on the opposite side of the pole, are increasing. Currently, conventional and new types coexist, expanding the fun of observing railway crossings.

In this book, Chapter 1 classifies railway crossing equipment by manufacturer, introducing not only differences in shape but also the ingenuity of each company. Chapter 2 analyzes the characteristics and trends of railway crossing equipment of major private railways by company. In Chapter 3, with the cooperation of Kyosan Electric Mfg. Co., Ltd., which handles many railway crossing related facilities, interviews and factory tours were conducted. It explores the reasons why conventional types continue to be used even as weightless crossing gates become mainstream. Chapter 4 features four railway lines with many distinctive railway crossings, and Chapter 5 introduces interesting railway crossings nationwide, from Hokkaido to Kyushu.

It avoids duplication with the previous work 'The World of Railway Crossings' and offers content that can be enjoyed by those who already own it. The composition is enjoyable just by looking at the photos, making it also recommended as an introductory book for children interested in railway crossings.

This book is recommended for the following people:

- Those who love railway crossings - Those who love railways - Those who have children or grandchildren who love railway crossings

Page image

In Chapter 1, equipment such as warning lights and crossing gates are classified by manufacturer.

In Chapter 3, with the cooperation of Kyosan Electric Mfg. Co., Ltd., we covered the manufacturing process of crossing gates.

Chapters 4 and 5 introduce interesting railway crossings nationwide. Please use it as a reference for your outings.

Book structure

- CHAPTER 1 Grand Research on Railway Crossing Equipment - CHAPTER 2 chokky's Style: Railway Crossing Classification by Railway Operator - CHAPTER 3 Learning about Railway Crossings at Kyosan Electric Mfg. - CHAPTER 4 Railway Crossing Deep Area Part 2 - CHAPTER 5 Continued: Interesting Railway Crossing A La Carte

Bibliographic information

Series Name: Tabitetsu BOOKS PLUS Title: The World of Railway Crossings 2: More Interesting Railway Crossings Author: chokky Release Date: May 12, 2026 (Tuesday) Specifications: A5 size / 160 pages Price: 2,200 yen (2,000 yen + 10% tax) ISBN: 978-4-8022-1740-8

◇ Ikaros Publications book information page: https://books.ikaros.jp/book/b10159817.html

【Ikaros Publications Co., Ltd.】

Engages in publishing activities in aviation, railway, military, and rescue fields, centered on 'Monthly Airline'.

Furthermore, it develops many publications in fields such as travel, interpretation/translation, and lifestyle.

【Impress Group】 https://www.impressholdings.com/

Impress Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yuki Tsukamoto) is a media group with a holding company. It develops highly specialized media & services and solution businesses with 'IT', 'Music', 'Design', 'Mountains & Nature', 'Aviation & Railways', 'Mobile Services', and 'Academia & Science' as its main themes. It also handles the development and operation of content business platforms.