LTA rolls out new moves as rail reliability falls short
By Tan Weizhen
AND
Kenneth Cheng
Published: 11:05 PM, March 8, 2017
Updated: 7:48 AM, March 9, 2017
SINGAPORE — With rail reliability still not hitting the mark, measures are in the pipeline to improve the system and prevent breakdowns, including tapping on big data and sensors to pre-empt faults and commuter congestion.
Among other initiatives, a new system will be developed by the end of this year to allow the authorities to quickly react to a surge in commuters during emergencies such as train disruptions. By using data analytics, when there is a train delay, the direction of escalators can be changed earlier, or additional buses can be called in faster. New sensors and lasers will also be installed to monitor the health of infrastructure and assets.
Speaking in Parliament during the debate on his ministry’s budget, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan also announced on Wednesday (March 8) the Government aims to call a tender this year to replace the Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit’s ageing components and upgrade its systems.
The Government had previously set a Mean Kilometre Between Failure (MKBF) target of 400,000 train-km for the entire rail network next year. This means that trains will need to travel an average of 400,000km before experiencing a delay of more than five minutes.
In the second half of last year, the MKBF was at 192,000 train-km — lower than the target of 200,000 train-km. Despite falling short of the goal, it will be raised to 300,000 train-km this year, Mr Khaw said. “Although we are not yet where we want to be, we will get there,” he added.
The new Fusion Analytics for Public Transport Emergency (Faster) system will collect and analyse data on passenger volume and flow in real-time, from sources such as EZ-Link cards, cellular and Wi-Fi networks, as well as CCTV cameras.
continue reading here :
http://m.todayonline.com/singapore/l...ty-falls-short
No need to analyse commuters traffic data . If you have common sense do take a ride during peak hours and you can see that it is overcrowded . Your commuters are parked like sardines in your mrt cabin. So what happens if there are still more mrt service disruptions will the LTA chief and Mr Khaw resign to take full responsibility ? Why can’t Singapore have a good reliable train service system like Taiwan ; Hong Kong and Japan ?
Man killed after being run over by train at Fajar LRT station
Published: 9:48 AM, March 24, 2017
Updated: 12:07 PM, March 24, 2017
SINGAPORE — A man was killed after he was run over by a train at Fajar LRT station early Friday morning (March 24).
The man had fallen onto the track at around 1am and was later run over by the driverless train.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said one fire engine and one ambulance were dispatched to the scene, but the man was pronounced dead by paramedics on arrival.
LRT operator SMRT said that staff had spotted the man’s body on the tracks at the station after the last train service had left the platform.
“The police and SCDF were immediately alerted and arrived on site shortly after. We are extending our full cooperation to the police in carrying out their investigations.” said SMRT’s Head of Corporate Marketing & Communications Margaret Teo.
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Malaysian found dead on tracks of Fajar LRT Station
Sim Yan LingFoo Jie Ying
Mar 25, 2017 06:00 am
After the last train pulled out of the Fajar Light Rail Transit (LRT) station early yesterday morning, a body was spotted on the tracks.
Police said the man had been run over and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
The New Paper understands that the deceased is Mr Ang Boon Tiong, a Malaysian in his 40s.
When contacted, SMRT spokesman Margaret Teo said they alerted the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force immediately. “We are extending our full cooperation to the police in carrying out their investigations,” she said.
Residents of Block 454, Fajar Road, told TNP yesterday that they had heard shouting from the coffee shop near the block at around 10pm the night before, but they did not know if it was linked to the case.
Ms Corrine Lye, 52, who lives on the 15th storey, said: “There were very loud noises, screaming - men’s voices.”
This is not the first fatality on the LRT line. In 2000, a hawker assistant died after he was hit by a train near Jelapang Station.
He was found to have walked along the tracks after having too much to drink.
In 2010, an LRT technician died of injuries sustained after being hit by a train at Phoenix Station. He was checking the power rail between Phoenix and Bukit Panjang stations.
SYSTEM
While tracks and trains have a system that detects objects on the tracks, the investigation and decision for the train to stop or to continue moving comes from the Operations Control Centre (OCC), said Dr Lee Der Horng, a transport researcher at the National University of Singapore.
He told TNP: “This system eliminates false alarms.
“If the train stops every time something on the track is detected, there will be too many interruptions.”
With regard to yesterday’s incident, it could have been too late for the OCC to intervene, said Dr Lee.
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Trial of new train signalling system to start on Mar 28
By Olivia Siong, Channel NewsAsia
Posted 27 Mar 2017 11:12
Updated 27 Mar 2017 12:24
SINGAPORE: All trains travelling along the North-South Line (NSL) will pause around 11pm on Tuesday (Mar 28), as authorities begin the trial of a new signalling system that will allow trains to travel at closer intervals.
Commuters will have to wait about 10 minutes during the last hour of passenger service, as SMRT’s Operations Control Centre and train captains switch the network and trains over to the new signalling system.
The new system will allow trains to run more closely to each other, and this can shorten the waiting time for trains at stations from the current 120 seconds to 100 seconds.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said this could also improve peak hour capacity by up to 20 per cent.
“The results will help LTA decide when to extend trials to longer service hours, and eventually the full switch-over of the new signalling system,” said Mr Tan Yih Long, LTA’s re-signalling project director.
The move comes after LTA and SMRT successfully conducted trial runs during engineering hours, after passenger service.
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NSL signalling fault; LRT train breaks down on Tuesday night
Published: 9:34 PM, March 28, 2017
Updated: 1:19 AM, March 29, 2017
SINGAPORE — Hours before a new signalling system was due to be tested on the North South Line (NSL), the NSL service was disrupted and part of the Bukit Panjang LRT service went down.
At 8.44pm on Tuesday (March 28), SMRT tweeted for commuters to add 15 minutes of travel time from Bishan to Sembawang towards Jurong East due to a signalling fault.
An update at around 9pm added that the signalling fault happened at Sembawang station.
At 8.57pm, SMRT also alerted that there is no LRT train service between Choa Chu Kang station (BP1) and Bukit Panjang station (BP6).
As of 9.28pm, LRT train services have resumed with free bridging bus services still available, said SMRT.
According to photos posted by Facebook user Myo Khine, a LRT train could be seen stranded in the middle of the track and several passengers were walking on the tracks.
About 65 passengers from the stalled train were escorted back to the Teck Whye station (BP4), said a SCDF spokesman.
continue reading here :
http://m.todayonline.com/singapore/n...-tuesday-night
Clap clap clap well done Ah Khaw and LTA . Still cannot solve the problems.
Train signalling trial goes smoothly; SMRT to hold another on Thursday
By Tan Weizhen and Valerie Koh
Published: 11:11 PM, March 28, 2017
Updated: 2:52 AM, March 29, 2017
SINGAPORE — Rail operator SMRT will carry out another trial of its new signalling system on the North South Line (NSL) on Thursday (March 30), after a temporary switchover on Tuesday went smoothly, with trains running on the new system for more than an hour before services ended at night.
Hours before the start of the trial, however, two unrelated breakdowns occurred: A stretch of the NSL — between Bishan and Sembawang — was hit by a signalling fault that persisted for two hours, causing delays of up to 15 minutes. The issue was resolved at about 10.20pm — less than an hour before the trial started. Elsewhere, SMRT’s Bukit Panjang LRT system broke down for an hour.
Nevertheless, there were no hiccups during the temporary switchover — which started at about 11.15pm — to the new system, which involved more than 30 trains and all 26 stations on the NSL. At the start of the test, trains were halted for less than 10 minutes, before services resumed using the new signalling system.
SMRT described the test as successful, and it monitored train operations until the end of service. Some changes tested out included the automatic opening and closing of train doors on the new signalling system. Under the existing system, train captains control the doors manually.
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Power fault causes rush-hour delay on East-West Line
Posted 30 Mar 2017 18:29
Updated 30 Mar 2017 19:34
SINGAPORE: Services along the East-West Line (EWL) were delayed during Thursday evening (Mar 30) rush hour due to a power fault between Tanah Merah station and Bedok station.
According to transport operator SMRT, the fault happened just before 6pm.
“As the defective train was unable to move, a second train was activated to push the defective train to Changi depot,” said Mr Patrick Nathan, vice president for corporate information and communications at SMRT.
Mr Nathan added that several trains travelling towards Pasir Ris station had to be turned around at Bugis, Aljunied and Eunos stations to travel towards Joo Koon to relieve congestion.
SMRT sent out a tweet at 6.08pm, announcing that train services between Pasir Ris and Paya Lebar MRT stations were delayed due to a train fault and urged commuters to cater for an additional 40 minutes of travel time.
continue reading here :
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...e/3638346.html
Such world class transport system . Some more still want to increase transport fares ? Why PM Lee haven’t sack The CEO of SMRT . Ah Khaw should resign and take full responsibility . Well done .
MRT stations on East-West Line to close at 11pm over next 2 months
Published: 10:24 AM, March 31, 2017
Updated: 12:03 PM, March 31, 2017
SINGAPORE — Several MRT stations along the East-West Line (EWL) will be closing at 11pm over the next two months to facilitate track maintenance and renewal work at railway junctions, said SMRT on Friday (March 31).
The affected stations are from Lakeside to Joo Koon and between Tanah Merah and Changi Airport.
There will be no train services after 11pm from Lakeside to Joo Koon in both directions on April 11 and April 21, while on April 28 and May 5, there will no train services between Tanah Merah and Changi Airport in both directions.
Parallel bus services will be available to provide transportation for commuters during the early closure days. SMRT staff will also be on hand to guide commuters and provide information on alternative routes. More information of these services will be made available within the next few weeks.
“More time is needed as the replacement of the rails at railway junctions, where crossing, switch and running rails are located, is a complex process. By closing stations about an hour earlier each night, engineers will have double the time available to work on the tracks,” the train operator said.
SMRT added that another round of early closures can be expected in June along other stretches of the North-South East-West Line (NSEWL).
The renewal of railway junctions is part of an ongoing multi-year, multi-project effort to improve the NSEWL, Singapore’s oldest, longest and most heavily-utilised MRT line.
“We are confident the renewal of railway junctions, where crossing, switch and running rails are located, will be expedited with additional time gained by closing selected MRT stations earlier,” said SMRT Trains managing director Lee Ling Wee.
continue reading here :
http://m.todayonline.com/mrt-station...-next-2-months
In the first place why didn’t SMRT do a regular maintenance under the former CEO ?
Police give all-clear after unattended bag sparks Hougang MRT station closure
Published: 3:39 PM, April 2, 2017
Updated: 4:54 PM, April 2, 2017
SINGAPORE — The Hougang MRT station was briefly shut on Sunday afternoon (April 2) as the police were called in to check an unattended bag which sparked security concerns.
On inspection, the bag was not found to contain anything suspicious, the police said.
The station was given the all-clear and reopened to commuters at around 4pm.
Shortly after the station was reopened, police were seen escorting a man in a singlet, whom TODAY understands is the owner of the unattended bag.
SBS Transit, which operates the North-East line, first alerted commuters to a “security incident” at the station at about 2.55pm.
The transport operator said its trains on the NEL would skip the Hougang station, but gave no details about the incident.
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Disruption on North-South MRT line; additional 30 minutes of travel time from Yishun to Marina South
Published 5 min ago
Christopher Tan
Senior Transport Correspondent
SINGAPORE - Another train seems to have broken down on the North-South line. In a Tweet, operator SMRT Corp warned commuters of journeys from Yishun to Marina South taking 30 minutes longer than usual.
SMRT has activated free bus services from Yishun to Bishan.
The Straits Times understands the train had stalled because of a power-related fault, and had to be pushed out by another train.
Last Thursday (March 30), a stalled train near Tanah Merah station caused services along the East-West MRT line to be backed up during the evening peak.
Last Tuesday (March 28) evening, two disruptions hit. In the first, a signalling fault resulted in commuters on the North-South line having to allocate 15 more minutes to their travel time between Bishan and Sembawang towards Jurong East.
In the second incident, a train on the Bukit Panjang LRT broke down near Teck Whye station, leaving its passengers stranded. Passengers had to get down and walk on the elevated track to get to the nearest station.
continue reading here :
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...avel-time-from
Clap clap clap so now power fault ? SMRT did you guys forget to pay your PUB bill ? Why doesn’t PM Lee sack Desmond Quek ? Is Desmond Quek so powerful ?