Mitsubishi traction glass elevator at Boeki Center Portliner station in Kobe

The Portliner in Kobe is an automated guideway transit system connecting Sannomiya, a main interchange station, to Kobe airport via Port Island. The first four stations are Sannomiya (   • Mitsubishi traction glass elevator at Sann...  ), Boeki Center (this video), Port Terminal (   • Fujitec traction glass elevator at Port Te...  ), and Naka Koen (   • Mitsubishi hydraulic glass elevator at Nak...  ). Since the system is fully automated, all Portliner stations have platform screen doors. The automation also allows for nice front window views as there is no driver.

After a right turn out of its terminus at Sannomiya station, the Portliner runs straight along a street as an elevated guideway. As a result, Boeki Center station is built entirely above this street, with its entrance connected to a pedestrian overpass from where stairs lead down to either side of the street. At one end of the overpass, there is also an elevator. Within the station, a further elevator connects the entrance level to the platform level. Both elevators have the same drive system and quick but smooth leveling characteristic.

In the station, there are two escalators. However, both are going up, and one is considerably shorter than the other. Instead of having a single escalator go straight from entrance level to platform level, there is an intermediate level half a floor above the station entrance, leading to a fairly unusual setup: Stairs run parallel to a short escalator up to the intermediate level. Continuing in the same direction, more stairs lead to platform level. Meanwhile, the escalator to platform level is placed opposite the stairs and thus right between the aforementioned parallel stairs and escalator up to the intermediate level.

Technical specifications:

Elevator to street level:
Brand: Mitsubishi
Capacity: 750kg / ~1655lbs / 11 people
Type: traction (bottom drive, 2:1 transmission)
Year built: unknown
Travel distance: 2 stops

Elevator to platform level:
Brand: Mitsubishi
Capacity: 600kg / ~1325lbs / 9 people
Type: traction (bottom drive, 2:1 transmission)
Year built: unknown
Travel distance: 2 stops