North-South MRT Line breakdown hits thousands

By Imelda Saad | Posted: 15 December 2011 1958 hrs

SINGAPORE: A second MRT disruption in two days affected thousands of evening peak-hour commuters. Train services on both directions of the North-South Line from Marina Bay to Braddell stations were disrupted on Thursday evening. Emergency services were spotted outside MRT stations, and peak-hour traffic on the roads was also affected. Traffic congestion was reported on Orchard Road between Dhoby Ghaut and City Hall MRT stations, as many who were out of the stations opted for taxis. Services on southbound trains resumed at around 9pm. North-bound train services between Marina Bay and Bishan stations resumed at 11.40pm. Elsewhere, north-bound services from Ang Mo Kio to Jurong East stations, as well as all south-bound train services, the East-West and Circle Line train services continued as normal. SMRT says a dedicated one-way bus bridging service will run from Bishan to Ang Mo Kio stations. Circle Line passengers alighting at Bishan and travelling north towards Woodlands are advised to take this bus bridging service or other modes of transport. A two-way bus bridging service is available between Marina Bay and Ang Mo Kio stations. Commuters are advised to take alternative modes of transport even though bus bridging services are provided. An SMRT spokesperson told Channel NewsAsia that the breakdown was due to a "power rail problem". According to an SMRT statement, preliminary investigation shows that around 40 metres of the power rail has been damaged between City Hall and Dhoby Ghaut stations. "SMRT staff are now on site attending to the fault. We will work round the clock to repair the damage and hope to get the north-bound train service for this stretch up by tomorrow morning," says SMRT. Passengers affected by the breakdown described scenes of confusion, as they tried to make sense of the situation. Commuters reportedly banged on train doors and some even used a fire extinguisher to break the windows of a train stuck underground due to lack of ventilation. One commuter, Adam, said he and hundreds of passengers were stuck on the train travelling from Somerset to Orchard. He said the electricity appeared to have been cut off, as the train was in total darkness. Neither did the air-conditioner seem to be working. Adam said: "We have been stranded there for one hour, and it is very hot and stuffy. The train doors are all closed. The light also suddenly (switched off), so it's total darkness. The train doors (are) also not open, and it is terrible. "A lot of people are angry, banging on the windows to break the windows...so that the air can come in. It's very stuffy, it's like a sauna." Adam later told Channel NewsAsia that the train appeared to have been towed to Orchard MRT station. Someone in one of the carriages then forced the train doors open, freeing the trapped passengers. Channel NewsAsia viewers also sent in pictures of commuters being evacuated and walking along the track in the train tunnel. One viewer, Nizam Rahim, sent in a picture of his wife walking on the track in the tunnel at the Dhoby Ghaut station. Another commuter, who wanted to be known as Mr Tan, spoke to Channel NewsAsia from Raffles Place MRT station. He said he was on his way to work, and heard several announcements asking passengers to avoid the North-South Line and to take the East-West Line instead.

Mr Tan said: "A lot of us....all have problems. There are so many people coming downstairs and people telling them the train is not moving anymore. I think the crowd is getting very big. "The only thing I know is that I'm late for work, so I have to take an alternative route. So I quickly ran upstairs to get a taxi, hopefully, I can get a taxi. I'm still trying to get a taxi, actually." Another spoke to Channel NewsAsia from Toa Payoh station and said there were long queues of people. They seemed to be requesting refunds, he said. Writing in his Facebook, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said: "I have been following the incident of the MRT breakdown from Cambodia. I am especially concerned over the well-being of the people who were reported to be trapped in the trains for an extended period of time before they made their way to safety. "There have been a number of train disruptions in recent days. I do not know if these are isolated incidents or whether there are systemic and more serious underlying issues causing these breakdowns. "We will therefore conduct a thorough health check on our train systems, determine how the faults happened and also whether the maintenance, communication and recovery processes were adhered to and can be further improved. "I have asked LTA to assemble a team of relevant experts, including possibly relevant overseas experts to help us in this review." - CNA/ck/ir

MRT breakdowns expose crisis response gaps: minister

By Hoe Yeen Nie | Posted: 09 January 2012 1559 hrs

SINGAPORE: Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew says the train disruptions in December have exposed gaps in the way such emergencies are handled, adding that authorities need to do better. Delivering a ministerial statement in Parliament on Monday, he said the government willreview the regulatory and penalty framework overseeing rail operations as well as the maintenance regime. Straight off the bat, the transport minister said the breakdowns on the North-South Line on December 15 and 17 last year were disruptive and poorly managed. "SMRT could have better handled the evacuation of the passengers in the stalled trains to reduce the sense of distress, and provided clearer and timelier information and instructions to the public, instead of leaving commuters confused and apprehensive in already disordered circumstances," said Mr Lui. "That the two incidents have the same proximate cause and happened two days apart raises concerns about possible systemic shortcomings." On 15 December 2011, thousands of evening peak-hour commuters were stranded as four trains stalled due to a power failure. In one stalled train, passengers were trapped in darkness for over an hour with poor ventilation. Many did not know what was going on. 11 stations between Braddell and Marina Bay were affected for five hours, and the chaos continued as commuters tried to make their way home. Operator SMRT said the breakdowns were due to a damaged third rail, which supplies power to the trains. A day later, SMRT's CEO Saw Phaik Hwa apologised for the disruptions, but fended off calls for her resignation.

The same evening, Mr Lui ordered an independent investigation to be handled by the Land Transport Authority (LTA). On 17 December 2011, Singaporeans woke up to news of yet another massive breakdown on the NorthSouth Line, this time lasting seven hours. About 94,000 commuters were hit after five trains stalled between Ang Mo Kio and City Hall stations on that morning. As with the earlier incident, the cause was traced to a misalignment between the trains and the power rail. That afternoon, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ordered a public inquiry, saying he took the multiple incidents seriously. In an unprecedented move, train services on the North-South and East-West Lines started later than usual on 18 December 2011, as staff from the LTA and SMRT checked the trains and tracks throughout the night. Overnight checks traced the power faults to 21 dislodged "claws", which are components that secure the power rail. Plastic cable ties were used to secure the claws as a temporary measure. Of the 21 dislodged claws, nine were found between City Hall and Marina Bay stations. This was also where a structure called the "floating slab track" was installed. It is designed to absorb vibrations from passing trains so that surrounding buildings are not affected. As a precaution, trains were required to go slower between these stations to reduce vibrations. Excessive vibrations from the running of trains appeared to be a key contributing factor, and train speeds were reduced at certain stretches. Overseas experts were also brought in to test the system and draw up a series of more detailed tests to be conducted in the following weeks. Over the next few weeks, SMRT continued its checks and repairs and gradually put the damaged trains back in service. Some have linked the breakdowns to the increase in train frequencies in recent years. But Mr Lui assured the House the additional trips did not exceed the limits of the system. However the maintenance regime as well as the regulatory and penalty framework will be reviewed, he said. These are also being scrutinised by the Committee of Inquiry. Meanwhile measures to improve existing procedures have already begun. SMRT will now provide updates more quickly during a disruption and is studying the use of mass SMS alerts. Procedures have also been changed so that passengers inside stuck trains will also be able to get off, or "detrain", more quickly. Alternative bus services will be increased to cope with passenger volumes. And one option being explored is to have free travel on bus services that serve the affected train stations. Mr Lui said this is an arrangement that could be extended to SBS Transit as well, so that affected commuters can continue their journeys on either operator's bus services for free, regardless of which MRT line is disrupted. Finally, agencies like the LTA, the Police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), will now be alerted more quickly. Mr Lui said the rail network is the backbone of Singapore's public transport system, and its safety must be ensured.

He promised the House he will continue to improve the MRT system to regain the confidence and trust of commuters. - CNA/ir

2nd exercise to improve MRT incident management procedures

Published on Apr 4, 2012

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A breakdown on the Circle Line, between Marymount and one-north MRT stations, delayed about 1,400 passengers heading to work on Dec 14, 2011. The Land Transport Authority (LTA), SBS Transit (SBST) and the SMRT have jointly carried out the second tabletop exercise in 2012 to make improvements to the MRT incident management plans in the event of train service disruptions. -- PHOTO: LIANHE WANBAO
ByLeeJia Xin

The Land Transport Authority (LTA), SBS Transit (SBST) and the SMRT have jointly carried out the second tabletop exercise in 2012 to make improvements to the MRT incident management plans in the event of train service disruptions. About 70 personnel including representatives from the Singapore Civil Defence Force, and the Singapore Police Force's Transport Command (TransCom) and the Traffic Police participated in the exercise on Wednesday morning. The exercise went through the scenario of two prolonged train service disruptions on separate MRT lines. It assessed the agencies' management of various processes including the overall handling of the situation; public communications; management of commuters; activating the arrangement for free travel on existing public bus services, and the operation of bus shuttle services to provide transport service between the affected MRT stations. LTA chief executive Chew Hock Yong said: 'These exercises provide a regular platform for agencies to examine and further improve emergency preparedness and incident response plans.'

He added LTA will be working with SBST and SMRT to look into how they can better prepare commuters in the event of a train disruption. This could include some public education on what to do in the event of a disruption. SMRT's executive director and interim chief executive office Tan Ek Kia said that following the last multiparty tabletop exercise in February, SMRT has further strengthened its operations and emergency preparedness. 'This includes new procedures and measures to improve service and recovery during a train disruption,' he added. SBST chief executive Gan Juay Kiat said: 'It is essential for us, as a responsible public transport operator, to be well prepared for such contingencies given the number of commuters who will be affected.' More of such exercises, including full ground deployment, will be conducted in the coming months.

Thousands affected by NEL train disruption

By Joanne Chan/Sharon See/Hetty Musfirah | Posted: 15 March 2012 1655 hrs

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Commuters queueing up for shuttle bus services near Dhoby Ghaut MRT station

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NEL's Dhoby GhautHarbourFront service disrupted till further notice NEL train service between Dhoby Ghaut and HarbourFront stations disrupted Train disruption on NEL

caused by snapped overhead power cable

Train breakdown better managed this time: Lui Tuck Yew In Pictures: NEL train service disruption on Mar 15 Free bus rides during extended MRT disruption MRT service disruptions inquiry hearing to start in April

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Thousands affected by NEL train disruption

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SINGAPORE: Thousands of commuters in Singapore woke up to another major train service disruption on Thursday, this time on the North East Line operated by SBS Transit. Services between HarbourFront and Dhoby Ghaut stations were stopped early Thursday after a maintenance check uncovered two snapped power cables. The problem was resolved at around 1pm. However, when SBS Transit tried running the whole system again, it uncovered an electrical insulation problem. Services finally resumed at 4.35pm, some 10 hours after the disruption. An estimated 90,000 commuters were affected by the breakdown. SBS Transit said it discovered at about 5am Thursday that overhead power cables just south of the Outram Park station had snapped. SBS Transit started repair work immediately, but as extensive work had to be done, normal service

operations at the five stations between Dhoby Ghaut and HarbourFront had to be disrupted. It was the peak hour morning rush and there was a sense of urgency in the air. Instead of a smooth ride to their destination, thousands found themselves disembarking at Dhoby Ghaut station. By 9am, long snaking lines had formed, as affected commuters switched to the free shuttle buses provided. Signs were put up around the station to guide commuters. Staff and "goodwill ambassadors" were also deployed to guide commuters to the free buses. At any one time, there were at least five buses awaiting passengers. It was a similar situation at HarbourFront station. Most commuters told Channel NewsAsia that they heard about the breakdown from in-station and train announcements or from social media updates. But most of them said the best way to notify them is through SMS alerts on mobile phones. Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew was at the Dhoby Ghaut station to assess the situation. Speaking to Channel NewsAsia, Mr Lui said that although SBS Transit managed to handle the situation in an orderly manner with frequent bridging bus services, commuters were not aware that they could make use of normal bus services which were also free. In January, Mr Lui told Parliament that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is working with transport operators SMRT and SBS Transit to allow free travel on bus services that serve MRT stations where train services are disrupted. The arrangement applies across both operators so that affected commuters can continue their journey on either operator's bus services for free, regardless of which MRT line is disrupted. During Thursday's disruption, commuters could travel on either SBS Transit's 124 or SMRT's 190 services for free. But Mr Lui observed that very few commuters were aware of this. "Not many people were rushing to board those buses at all. So we need to do a better job to make sure that people know that there are other services that are also free that will help them to get to their destinations just as quickly," he said. Meanwhile, SBS Transit's senior vice president for Corporate Communications, Ms Tammy Tan, apologised to all affected commuters and thanked them for their patience and understanding. The North East Line is a 20-kilometre track with 16 stations which are all underground. The line was opened on 20 June 2003 and is the first fully-automated heavy-rail system. Unlike other lines which are powered by a third rail, the driver-less trains of the North East Line are powered by overhead catenary, which is a system of overhead cables. The cables supply electricity to the trains. The last major breakdown of the North East Line was in July 2006, which lasted some seven hours. This was due to the loss of traction power resulting from the cut of electricity supply to the trains. - CNA/cc/ir

MRT breakdown: Dislodged rail claws found by SMRT and LTA

Published on Dec 18, 2011

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Parts of the casing for the third rail as well as the rail itself were damaged between City Hall and Dhoby Ghaut stations on Thursday night. The MRT system has a third rail which is fixed alongside the train track and supplies electricity to passing trains. -- PHOTOS: LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY
By Maria Almenoar

After a night of combing the MRT system, engineers from SMRT and the Land Transport Authority have found 21 damaged third rail claws which secure the rail providing power to the train. When these claws are dislodged, the rails are no longer aligned with collector shoes on trains and as such power to trains is disrupted. The claws have since been secured in place with additional steel brackets and cable ties. Thirteen trains have also been damaged and will be taken out of the system to replace their collector shoes.

MRT breakdowns: Technical changes made, experts hired for tests

Published on Jan 10, 2012

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SMRT has made a number of technical improvements in the wake of last month's breakdowns, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said on Monday. -- ST PHOTO: CHEW SENG KIM
By Maria Almenoar, Transport Correspondent

SMRT has made a number of technical improvements in the wake of last month's breakdowns. The train operator has also hired experts to work out how to keep future disruptions to a minimum. Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew elaborated on the changes it has made in a statement to Parliament on Monday. The first involves preventing the 'claws', which hold the third rail in place, from becoming dislodged. If this happens, the rail, which delivers power to the train, can become misaligned. This is believed to be what caused four trains to stall on Dec 15, with another five suffering the same problem two days later. SMRT has now secured all claws on the North-South and East-West lines with cable ties. This applies to both underground and above-ground tracks, and is an interim measure to prevent the claws from becoming dislodged while the operator works on a more permanent solution, said Mr Lui. Last month's two breakdowns affected a total of 221,000 commuters, some of whom ended up being stuck in carriages. Thirteen trains were also damaged. So far, 12 have been repaired and put back into service, said Mr Lui. The 'collector shoes', which draw power from the third rail by brushing against it, are now checked daily for any early signs of damage or abnormality. SMRT is paying particular attention to sections of tracks with 'floating slabs'. These concrete blocks on bearings are meant to minimise vibrations from passing trains. Preliminary investigations have found that they are often in the same location as clusters of dislodged claws. This had led to a theory that excessive vibrations could be behind the problem. SMRT has hired consultants from Australia who are internationally recognised in the field of vibration in railways. They conducted preliminary tests on Dec 22. This allowed them to gather data on the various track and train components so they can develop a proper proposal. They will conduct a series of more detailed vibration tests in the coming weeks, said Mr Lui. After that, the data will be analysed and interpreted, and further tests will be run if necessary.

Free bus rides during extended MRT disruption

By Wayne Chan | Posted: 21 February 2012 1548 hrs

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SINGAPORE: The next time the MRT service is disrupted for more than an hour, there will be free bus rides - SBS Transit and SMRT bus services - from designated bus stops and bus interchanges near affected MRT stations. This means commuters need not wait for the activation of free bus bridging services to the next MRT stations, to continue their journey during a disruption. That is what commuters hit by an extended MRT service breakdown will get as part of efforts to minimise inconvenience. Operators will decide when the bus services should be activated in such situations. The fares on these free bus services will be borne by the operator of the disrupted MRT line. The announcement was made by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), SMRT and SBS Transit in a joint statement on Tuesday. Photos

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Commuters boarding an MRT tra

Since the service disruptions of 15 and 17 December 2011, LTA has worked closely with both operators - SBS Transit and improve measures to manage such incidents. Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew welcomed the move.

But he wrote in a Facebook post it was "a pity that it took the service disruptions of Dec 2011 for us to address this short current practice".

Mr Lui said the free buses must be complemented with better and more timely announcements, so commuters are aware disruptions early and can plan their journeys better. Apart from the free bus services, LTA has also worked with the operators on other measures.

Announcements on free bus services and bus bridging services will be made at affected stations to guide commuters to th points. More signs will be set up at stations to guide commuters to designated bus stops and interchanges. More information panels will also be introduced at stations and designated bus bridging points.

The transport operators hope these will provide commuters with informed choices on transport connections and minimise disruptions. - CNA/al/ms

Govt pledges full review of train ops following MRT breakdowns

Minister: Breakdowns last month disruptive and poorly managed
Published on Jan 10, 2012

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Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew told Parliament that the Government would thoroughly review the regulatory and penalty framework of train operators, and the way it oversees their maintenance routines. -- ST PHOTO: MUGILAN RAJASEGERAN
By Christopher Tan, Senior Correspondent

Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew on Monday sought to restore confidence in the rail system following last month's massive breakdowns, and pledged to completely relook how train operations are run. He told Parliament that the Government would thoroughly review the regulatory and penalty framework of train operators, and the way it oversees their maintenance routines. This will be on top of the findings of the Committee of Inquiry (COI) set up to investigate the breakdowns of Dec 15 and 17, which affected more than 200,000 commuters. He said the disruptions caused great frustration, inconvenience and distress to commuters. They also exposed gaps in the country's emergency preparedness and crisis management, 'and we need to do much better', he added. While admitting that the incidents were disruptive and poorly managed, he said it was the potential safety risks the breakdowns could have posed that made the Government convene the COI. 'The rail system is the backbone of our public transport system, carrying millions of commuters each day, and its safety and reliability must be ensured,' he said in a ministerial statement. 'We have taken a number of immediate measures after the two disruptions and we will continue to improve the MRT system to regain the confidence and trust of commuters.' He assured the House that a Whole-Of-Government approach is adopted when it comes to commuter safety on the public transport system. The police andSingapore Civil Defence Force were activated during the two disruptions, he noted. Even as the COI was under way, improvement measures have been initiated 'so that we are better prepared for a major train service disruption'. These improvements include:

Staff at SMRT's Operations Control Centre can now broadcast directly to passengers on a stalled train, so they get more timely and accurate updates. Plans are also under way to have announcements made in languages besides English.

SMRT will now be able to decide more quickly when passengers on a stalled train can be evacuated. SMS alerts to keep commuters posted of incidents and disruptions are being considered. The two operators - SMRT and SBS Transit - have already improved their bus bridging plans in terms of routes and boarding and alighting points. SMRT will deploy an officer to help bus drivers who may be unfamiliar with the unscheduled routes. LTA is working with both operators to allow free bus travel for affected train commuters to complete their journeys, possibly across the two operators. The operators and the SCDF, police and Land Transport Authority (LTA) have streamlined the way they communicate so that the Government will be alerted more quickly during emergencies. Addressing a theory about the breakdowns that had been floating, Mr Lui assured Parliament that the increased service frequency to cater to higher ridership - 2,000 more trips per week have been added since 2008 - had not compromised the system. 'The additional trips added did not exceed the safe operating parameters of the system,' he said. He added that the present signalling system on the North-South and East- West Lines is designed to safely allow for minimum headways of 120 seconds, or two minutes. It is, therefore, technically feasible and safe for the operator to run trains at two-minute intervals during peak hours. The additional trips that operator SMRT had included were only for periods where the intervals were longer than two minutes previously. 'Where trains were already running at two-minute intervals, no further trips were added,' he said. Responding to a question from opposition MP Low Thia Khiang (Aljunied GRC) on whether newer trains might have contributed to stronger vibrations that led to the breakdowns - another theory tossed up - Mr Lui said 'we do not yet know'. But he said the latest batches were China-assembled Kawasaki trains, which weigh about five tonnes - or about 2 per cent more - than the older trains. 'To what degree did it contribute to the excessive vibrations? We do not yet know,' he said. 'The academics have told us that vibration is, as they always say, quite complicated.' He said that this is why SMRT has brought in an expert to do a scoping exercise. 'They will come up with a detailed plan to measure the different trains, different speeds, different places, and then we will analyse the results and we will then know better thereafter.' Speaking on the COI, the minister said SMRT's maintenance regime will be 'closely scrutinised' by the independent committee. It will take a holistic approach to its investigations and will look at 'larger systems issues' beyond those that SMRT and LTA will cover in their respective probes. More than a dozen MPs queried him on issues such as the composition of the COI and the age of trains. Responding to MP Irene Ng's (Tampines GRC) comment that commuters in London take the notinfrequent breakdowns there in their stride, Mr Lui indicated that the December breakdowns did serve a purpose. Referring to the London situation, he said: 'I'd rather this not be the case in Singapore... I'd rather ours be a situation where the disruptions, particularly the major disruptions that will require us to close stretches of the line, are so rare that when it happens it causes a great amount of unhappiness and we ought to take these matters seriously, get to the root of it, minimise it as much as possible so that we continue to keep our standards high.' Parliament was adjourned to next Monday.