Changing the Lights At a rate of once every 18 months, all of the fluorescent lights are changed in each station. The lights are changed between midnight and dawn, and at a large-scale station like Umeda, the work takes two nights. At smaller stations, the job can be completed by a minimum of three workers in one night, while larger stations require a maximum of seven workers. A Message from the Electric Department at the Transportation Bureau Illuminating undersurfaces with a chandelier-style fixture is rather inefficient. However, it is effective when lighting up a wide area, which makes the chandeliers perfect for the high ceilings inside the subway complexes. When they were first put into operation, they were the pride of Osaka citizens, and today, they continue to hint at the past glory of the subway system. Next time you ride a train, take a minute to stop and look up at the lights of the Osaka subway with their economical and functional design. http://www.kotsu.city.osaka.jp/ 　 Stations with Chandeliers Along with the structure of the building and the color scheme, the stations between Umeda and Tennoji, built before the war, were each originally designed with special lighting fixtures. This was meant to help passengers remember the station names and encourage familiarity with the station. At Tennoji, this meant installing paper-lantern-style fixtures to brightly light the expansive platform and exquisite chandeliers made to match the dynamically arched ceilings at Umeda, Yodoyabashi and Shinsaibashi. Why Fluorescent Chandeliers? When the subway was first opened, incandescent lighting was used, but it wasn't particularly durable and required many people to maintain it. In order to provide a uniform amount of light to illuminate the expansive station complexes and provide a more economical source of light, in the early 50s, a decision was made to switch to fluorescent lighting. Compared to incandescent light, fluorescent lights of the day were more than four times as efficient and functioned for more than six times as long, greatly reducing both energy consumption and maintenance. With advances in fluorescent lighting came improvements in illumination intensity, and reductions in the oppressive and bleak atmosphere in the underground complex. This in turn led to increased safety for passengers and increased efficiency among subway workers.