Bukit Panjang LRT ‘prone to faults due to sharp turns over undulating terrain’
Singapore
Bukit Panjang LRT ‘prone to faults due to sharp turns over undulating terrain’
The design was also adapted from a “straight-line” airport system and made to fit a housing estate, says Second Transport Minister Ng Chee Meng.
SINGAPORE: The Bukit Panjang Light Rail Transit (LRT) is prone to faults due to the system being designed to accommodate existing developments, said Second Transport Minister Ng Chee Meng in Parliament on Monday (Oct 2).
He was answering a question from Workers’ Party Member of Parliament (MP) Pritam Singh on whether the Bukit Panjang LRT was an “afterthought” built under “political pressure” - comments made by Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan last month.
Mr Khaw had also taken issue with the “twists and turns” made by Bukit Panjang LRT - a point similarly acknowledged by Mr Ng in his response.
“In the 1990s, LTA was exploring a pilot network to bridge the last-mile gap from the MRT system and ease vehicle congestion within housing estates where population growth had stretched the road capacity. Bukit Panjang was identified in 1994 for the pilot, even though it was planned and built without LRT in mind,” he said.
This resulted in the LRT’s design incorporating “sharp turns over undulating terrain” and over time, leading to “power trips at the sharp bends where the trains’ collector shoes often dislodge from the power rail”, Mr Ng explained.
Mr Singh later pressed for an elaboration on the design flaws, saying that Mr Ng had not answered his question.
“The primary issue with the BPLRT is that the design was adapted from an airport system to a housing estate,” Mr Ng replied. “It was a ‘straight-line’ design which had to be adapted to undulating terrain and sharp turns.”
DISRUPTIONS EXPECTED
Mr Ng said these design considerations will be addressed when a tender to overhaul the LRT is called at the end of the year, with a contract to be awarded in the first quarter of 2018.
“In the immediate term, LTA (Land Transport Authority) and SMRT are carrying out detailed checks of the LRT’s power rails and performing hotspot replacement works where needed,” he added. “LTA will also install a new power source at Ten Mile Junction substation to provide a backup to the existing system at Choa Chu Kang.”
“Both exercises will be completed by year-end. In the meantime, LTA and SMRT are looking to extend engineering hours to cater to these additional works.”
Mr Ng said this would cause short-term disruptions and shorter operating hours. SMRT is forming a “quick response team” to rectify train faults and shorten service recovery times, and more bus services will be deployed from the new Bukit Panjang Integrated Transport Hub to alleviate commuter inconvenience.
“But Bukit Panjang is a relatively mature estate, and there are limits on the number of buses that can be put on the roads without causing further congestion,” he cautioned.
Later, in response to questions from MP Lee Bee Wah, Mr Ng acknowledged that “there have been a lot of engineering works” on the North-South Line (NSL).
“On the maintenance front we have upped reliability to almost 400,000 km before failure,” he said. “And in parallel, we have been doing signaling upgrading. Things have gone relatively well, short of major breakdowns in June and August.”
Read more at
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...s-over-9270144
continue reading here :
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...s-over-9270144
Again ownself praise ownself . Still dare to say rail reliability has improved .
Train fault disrupts service on NEL for almost an hour
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Published: 2:40 PM, October 3, 2017
Updated: 2:59 PM, October 3, 2017
SINGAPORE – Train services on the North-East Line (NEL) were disrupted for almost an hour on Tuesday (Oct 3) afternoon, causing delays of up to 20 minutes due to a train fault.
Free bridging bus services were also activated between Buangkok and Punggol stations. In the latest update, rail operator SBS Transit said normal train services resumed at 2.20pm.
In a tweet at 1.31pm, SBS Transit told commuters to add 15 minutes of travel time due to a train fault.
In a further tweet at 2.10pm, SBS Transit told commuters that service towards Harbourfront has been delayed due to a train fault. It added that commuters add an additional travel time of 20 minutes to their journey.
continue reading here :
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore...close-one-hour
New line also have problem . So how Mr Khaw ? When are you going to solve all these service disruptions ? Still think that your service reliability still good ? Still want to vote for PAP ?
23 freon gas leaks on MRT, LRT trains in past 10 years: Khaw
By Kenneth Cheng
Published: 9:22 AM, October 4, 2017
Updated: 11:19 AM, October 4, 2017
SINGAPORE — Twenty-three cases of freon gas leaks took place on trains across the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) systems over the past decade, but the ensuing odourless white smoke posed no health risk to the public, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in a written response to a question in Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 3).
Workers’ Party Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Leon Perera had asked about the number of freon gas leaks that have occurred on Singapore’s rail network over the past decade, and the risk they posed to commuters.
A colourless gas, freon can interact with moisture in the air to form an odourless white smoke.
“The smoke poses no health risk to the public,” Mr Khaw said in his written reply. “As soon as a leak is reported, affected commuters are de-trained at the next station and the train (is) withdrawn for repair.”
In August last year, a freon gas leak caused by oil leakage from a train’s compressor filled Tanjong Pagar MRT Station in an odourless smoke, as hordes of commuters darted out of the train.
Raffles Place MRT Station witnessed a similar scene in May this year, after a freon gas leak from a train’s air-conditioning compressor left the platform enveloped in smoke.
Mr Khaw gave no further details on where the other freon leaks occured, or whether a particular MRT or LRT line was more affected by the leaks than others.
continue reading here :
http://www.todayonline.com/singapore...-khaw-boon-wan
So when are you going to solve all the service disruptions that is increasing at an alarming rate ?
Delay on North-South Line due to signalling fault on Wednesday evening
Published 40 min ago
Fabian Koh
SINGAPORE - Another train delay struck the MRT system on Wednesday (Oct 4) evening, on the North-South Line.
SMRT tweeted at 6.01pm that due to a train fault on the new signalling system, commuters should add 20 minutes of travelling time between Choa Chu Kang station and Jurong East station.
At 6.12pm, it revised the additional travelling time to 10 minutes.
Train services later resumed normally at 6.24pm, SMRT tweeted.
continue reading here :
http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...nesday-evening
So how Mr Khaw . Looks like there is something seriously wrong with your signalling system .
When are you going to solve the problem?
Road to a better rail system
Christopher Tan
Senior Transport Correspondent
Published 4 hours ago
Signs are pointing towards a more single-minded approach to the MRT system
Three separate events last month offer new hope that the rail industry here is evolving for the better.
The first was SMRT clinching the operating contract for the Thomson-East Coast Line. It beat rival SBS Transit, a company which arguably has a better track record as far as recent reliability statistics go.
SMRT’s bid, at 30 per cent lower than SBS Transit’s, was however, hard to pass up. In assessing bids which involve taxpayers’ money, value for money ranks high.
And there are signs that SMRT has learnt its lesson from past mistakes. Parent group Temasek Holdings has taken the company private and the Government has bought over all its operating assets under the New Rail Financing Framework.
These moves free SMRT from the pressures of market expectations and possible disputes over which assets it is responsible for replacing when the time comes.
For sure, SMRT would not have been able to put in such a low bid if it had still been listed. That 30 per cent difference could well be the entire profit margin from the operating contract, assuming SBS Transit’s submission was competitively priced. Investors would have railed against such a bid.
The tender result is significant because it leaves SBS Transit with only a little over 20 per cent of the rail market in terms of passenger capacity. (The Cross Island Line will be the next new line, but that is several years down the road.) The situation is thus not tenable for the company, which entered the rail sector two decades ago when the Government called on operators to go “multi-modal” for better competition.
continue reading here :
http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/...er-rail-system
Why are there still so many service disruptions ?
‘White smoke’ at Toa Payoh MRT station due to faulty ventilation blower: SCDF
07 Oct 2017 11:12AM (Updated: 07 Oct 2017 02:10PM)
SINGAPORE: The “white smoke” seen at Toa Payoh MRT station on Saturday (Oct 7) morning was due to a faulty mechanical ventilation blower, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on Saturday (Oct 7) morning.
SCDF said in a series of Facebook posts that it was alerted to the case at about 9.20am and that there were no injuries reported, nor were bus and MRT services affected.
By about 11am, the smoke had dissipated, authorities said.
SCDF updated just before 2pm that it had traced the smoke to the blower, which was located in an air handling unit room at Toa Payoh Hub.
“The blower has been shut off and service technicians are working to rectify the fault,” the post read.
Read more at
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...lation-9288972
Now got white smoke . Well done SMRT and Mr Khaw .
No train service between Ang Mo Kio & Marina South Pier due to train fault .
Please refer to SMRT twitter account.
So how Mr Khaw ? When are you and LTA going to solve all these breakdowns ??? Seemed to be more frequent when you took over . Will Mr Khaw be able to sack CEO SMRT Desmond Kuek ? Do you think your commuters deserve all these disruption in services ?
No train service on parts of North-South Line due to track fault at Bishan: SMRT
07 Oct 2017 06:31PM (Updated: 07 Oct 2017 07:25PM)
SINGAPORE: Train service on the North-South Line (NSL) was disrupted on Saturday evening (Oct 7), with no service between Ang Mo Kio and Marina South Pier stations in both directions.
This is due to a track fault at Bishan station, announced transport operator SMRT in a tweet at about 5.35pm. It added that the fault is not linked to the new signalling system on the line.
The disruption initially affected three stations - from Bishan to Toa Payoh - but in an update about 30 minutes later, SMRT said there was no train service between Ang Mo Kio and Marina South Pier stations. That’s half the stretch of NSL.
The transport operator added that free regular bus and bridging services are available. It also said commuters should consider alternative transport.
“Our engineers are on-site and are working to recover services as quickly as possible,” said SMRT. “We are sorry that your journey has been affected this evening.”
Read more at
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...-fault-9289414
So still want to vote for PAP ? Still can’t solve all these breakdowns . Still good rail reliability ? So how Mr Khaw and Mr Kuek ???
Train disruption on NSL caused by water in the tunnel during heavy rain, trackside fire: SMRT
07 Oct 2017 06:31PM (Updated: 07 Oct 2017 09:06PM)
SINGAPORE: Train service along a large stretch of the North-South Line (NSL) was disrupted on Saturday evening (Oct 7), after water got into a section of the tunnel from Bishan to Braddell MRT stations.
This happened during the heavy downpour in the afternoon, said transport operator SMRT, adding that train services were stopped between Bishan and Toa Payoh stations as a precaution.
SMRT first tweeted about the disruption between Bishan and Toa Payoh at about 5.35pm. But in an update 30 minutes later, it said that there was no train service between Ang Mo Kio and Marina South Pier stations in both directions. That’s 13 stations or half the stretch of NSL.
Separately, at about 5.55pm, a small fire was spotted on the trackside in the tunnel between Marina Bay and Raffles Place MRT stations, said SMRT.
It added that the Singapore Civil Defence Force was activated “within minutes” and was deployed to Marina Bay, but the fire “died out by itself”.
“For safety reasons, North-South Line train services between Ang Mo Kio and Marina South Pier are not available,” said SMRT in a Facebook post. “Our engineers are on site and investigating both incidents.”
Free regular bus and bridging services are available. SMRT also said commuters should consider alternative transport.
“Our engineers are on-site and are working to recover services as quickly as possible,” said SMRT. “We are sorry that your journey has been affected this evening.”
Read more at
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...during-9289414
Wow tunnel got water leakage . Got fire somemore . Seemed to be getting more and more serious . I wonder what Mr Khaw and Mr Kuek will say next .
Quote:
Originally Posted by
CabonCuppy69
I would prefer Mr Khaw to sack himself
You think he will sack himself ?