On the 14th of the month, JR West Japan reported a malfunction at a railway crossing near Kawanishi Ikeda Station on the Takarazuka Line, where the crossing barriers failed to operate and allowed six trains to pass without any reported injuries. The incident was notably serious, as it could have led to potential accidents if not for the vigilance of a train engineer who noticed a shadow on the tracks and conducted an emergency stop approximately 130 meters from the crossing.

Investigations revealed that the issue persisted from the early hours, as the first train of the day departed at 4:58 AM and continued for a total of six trains that traveled through the crossing with both barriers non-functional and warning signals absent. Notably, the barriers operated normally for trains traveling in the opposite direction, pointing to a specific fault with the detection system for oncoming trains. In response, the company placed a restriction on the crossing for the entire day to replace the faulty equipment, which subsequently led to cancellations and delays affecting around 4,800 passengers with a total of 28 trains impacted.

JR West issued an apology for the distress and inconvenience caused to the public due to the malfunctioning crossing, emphasizing their commitment to uncovering the cause and working on preventive measures to ensure similar incidents do not occur in the future. This incident highlights the significance of railway safety protocols and the importance of maintaining railway infrastructure to protect both passengers and pedestrians alike.