Stationmaster - Ekicho

The person in charge of the station is responsible for train operation (train waiting, passing, formation, shunting) and passenger, baggage, and freight handling. The term stationmaster is also used to refer to not only stations, but also shunting yards that are dedicated to train formation and shunting, or signal boxes that are dedicated to train operation (train waiting and passing). Depending on the amount of work, one stationmaster may also be in charge of multiple stations, shunting yards, and signal boxes. In the former JNR, stationmasters were required to perform their duties under the command of the Director-General of the Railway Management Bureau (the Director-General in Shikoku) according to the "Japan National Railways Organization Regulations," and to assign subordinates such as assistant stationmasters, general affairs clerks, driving chiefs, transportation management clerks, sales clerks, transportation clerks, and driving clerks according to the size and business scope of the station (passengers, baggage, and freight), and to live in lodgings near the station during their term of office. The uniforms were also stipulated in the "Clothing and Clothing Handling Standards Regulations," and in particular the caps had scarlet bellows with two stripes of gold wire, making them easy to distinguish from other station staff. Meanwhile, in other railway companies, the "Local Railway Staff Organization" (Cabinet Order No. 13 of 1919) stipulated that under the command of the Chief of Transportation, there should be subordinates such as assistant stationmasters, ticket clerks, ticket gate clerks, freight clerks, small baggage clerks, shunting clerks, and switchmen. After that, with the enforcement of the revised Railway Business Law following the division and privatization of the Japanese National Railways on April 1, 1987, the "Railway Staff Organization" (Ministry of Transport Ordinance No. 13 of 1987) was applied to all railway operators, replacing the previous "Local Railway Staff Organization". Stationmasters were defined as "under the orders of the Chief of Transport, supervise station duties, maintain order within the premises, and supervise the staff assigned to them", with sales staff, premises staff, and crossing safety staff assigned to them. Detailed service regulations vary from company to company.

[Toyohiko Sato and Motoo Saito]

"The Stationmaster's Hat" by Kanji Danjo (2001, Shinkosha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

列車の運転に関する業務（列車の待合せ、行違い、組成、入換え）と、旅客、荷物、貨物の取扱い業務とを行う駅の最高責任者。また、駅だけでなく、列車の組成や入換えに専念する操車場、あるいは列車の待合せや行違いの運転業務のみを行う信号場の長を総称して駅長ともいう。業務量に応じ1人の駅長が複数以上の駅または操車場、信号場の長を兼轄することもある。旧国鉄の駅長は「日本国有鉄道組織規程」により、鉄道管理局長（四国は総局長）の指揮下にあってその業務を遂行するため、助役、庶務係、運転主任、輸送管理係、営業係、輸送係、運転係など、駅の規模と営業範囲（旅客、荷物、貨物）に応じた部下を置き、在任中は駅近くの宿舎居住が義務づけられていた。制服も「服制及び被服類取扱基準規程」に定められたものを着用し、ことに制帽には縞(しま)織金線二条付きの緋(ひ)色の蛇腹(じゃばら)が巻かれて、ほかの駅員と識別しやすくなっていた。一方、そのほかの鉄道事業者においては、「地方鉄道係員職制」（大正8年閣令第13号）により運輸長の指揮を受け、助役、出札掛、改札掛、貨物掛、小荷物掛、操車掛、転轍(てんてつ)手などの部下を原則として置くよう定められていた。その後、1987年（昭和62）4月1日の国鉄の分割・民営化に伴う改正鉄道営業法の施行により、それまでの「地方鉄道係員職制」にかわる「鉄道係員職制」（昭和62年運輸省令第13号）がすべての鉄道事業者に適用されるようになったため、駅長は「運輸長の命を受け、駅務を統括し、構内の秩序を保持し、その所属係員を監督する」と規定されるようになり、部下として営業係、構内係、踏切保安係を置くものとされた。細部の服務規程は各社によって異なっている。

［佐藤豊彦・齊藤基雄］

『檀上完爾著『駅長の帽子』（2001・心交社）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例