21/1/2008 - Train Disruptions on EWL?
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is that an actual picture this morning? or a "file" picture of a NAC taken last time? cos the bus so empty.. and no signage at the bus number place.. is old photo rite? u shld timestamp/datestamp your photos -.- lol.. so many photos here..Originally posted by ^tamago^:
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I think it occurred around two in the morning.Originally posted by Vigelic:According to CNA, "Residents living next to the MRT tracks where the disruption occurred, told Channel NewsAsia that they heard a loud sound on the tracks before dawn. SMRT said there were some damages to the maintenance works train."
Any idea what time this occured? Did the railgrinder collide into another maintenance train?
The rail grinder collided into a flatbed trailer which is parked on the tracks, but this is only my theory lah... -
For the 2 of u guys above.Originally posted by Manager433: -
Yes, saw it liao...Originally posted by Pitot:For the 2 of u guys above.
Doesn't it look like that it has collision damage?
Thats the theory loh... -
check the EXIF.Originally posted by Vigelic:is that an actual picture this morning? or a "file" picture of a NAC taken last time? cos the bus so empty.. and no signage at the bus number place.. is old photo rite? u shld timestamp/datestamp your photos -.- lol.. so many photos here.. -
i think a crane will solve the situation faster and better.
towing back maybe will need a lot of hours. -
the vehicle not light wor. SMRT does not have the equipment to lift whole cars off the track in that kind of timeframe.Originally posted by hiphop2009:i think a crane will solve the situation faster and better.
towing back maybe will need a lot of hours.
now maybe they could loan one to do the job since it's parked at the eastern end.
tow back has its advantages also. no need to retrack it at the depot, can straight away send to repair yard and put on the platform for repairs. -
[quote]Originally posted by SBS9889U:
[b]My friend kena this morning. Sv67 suddenly many bendies missing/replaced
Ironic though most pax going to Bedok took 67 that day -
Add on:
My friend also mentioned that trains changed platform that morning (My friend boarded Westbound train and middle platform) -
wa i wasted half an hr going to school.nearly late
struck at bedok there... -
ya but u uploaded to a dec07 folder -.- confusing..Originally posted by ^tamago^:check the EXIF. -
so how did the train leave pasir ris today am?Originally posted by ^tamago^:the vehicle not light wor. SMRT does not have the equipment to lift whole cars off the track in that kind of timeframe.
now maybe they could loan one to do the job since it's parked at the eastern end.
tow back has its advantages also. no need to retrack it at the depot, can straight away send to repair yard and put on the platform for repairs. -
i saw the picture long ago BUT the problem is there's this guy with the reflective X shape on his back in between the two cars blocking view so I can't tell if the two cars are being coupled or they collided.. cos there appears to be some space between the two..Originally posted by TIB1224Y:Yes, saw it liao...
Doesn't it look like that it has collision damage?
Thats the theory loh...
realli realli collided ah? today straits times reported "witnesses" (by sound) hearing a loud sound at 3 am and they thought it was a plane crash.. -
Yeah I read through the papers too...Originally posted by Vigelic:i saw the picture long ago BUT the problem is there's this guy with the reflective X shape on his back in between the two cars blocking view so I can't tell if the two cars are being coupled or they collided.. cos there appears to be some space between the two..
realli realli collided ah? today straits times reported "witnesses" (by sound) hearing a loud sound at 3 am and they thought it was a plane crash..
Seems so lah... no way the cab would go forward in that manner...
Bad man... So now removed? Lols... -
even at chinese garden station, all of us also affected very badly.....wait for more than half an hour!!!!!!!! KNN!!!!!!!
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I agree that the whole incident is very messed up. Even though the accident occurred early in the morning, SMRT has at least a couple of hours to prepare for the morning crowd that will be coming. Plus, it is a known fact that the load in the trains in peak hours is very high. Trains can carry far more passengers than buses and thus they should have anticipate that coming and have done preparations within that few hours.
From this incident, SMRT has shown to the public that 2 to 3 hours of preparation is insufficient to cater to the transportation demand of the public if the MRT has broken down.
Just my 1 cent worth of thought. -
i sometimes use a folder for 2 months.Originally posted by Vigelic:ya but u uploaded to a dec07 folder -.- confusing.. my pic put jan21. -
And then... lots and lots of complaints...
SMRT needs more robust recovery plan
TRAIN services were disrupted on Monday morning. I arrived at the Pasir Ris MRT station at 8am during the disruption and was advised to take the free shuttle bus to Tanah Merah Station.
Although SMRT responded rapidly by providing 70 buses to ferry commuters to Tanah Merah Station, I had to spend 1 hour and 10 minutes in the bus from Pasir Ris to Tanah Merah - a journey that would usually have taken about 20 minutes by road.
The shuttle bus, which was already packed when it left Pasir Ris, tried to pick up affected commuters at Tampines and Simei. Not surprisingly, few of the commuters at Tampines and Simei got on board as the bus was already crowded.
Furthermore, the journey was made on trunk roads with numerous traffic lights. The usually heavy traffic in the morning was made worse by the large number of shuttle buses that had been dispatched.
As a result, my usual 30-minute journey from Pasir Ris to Raffles Place took one hour and 40 minutes.
SMRT should have managed the situation better by dispatching shuttle buses from each of the affected stations to Tanah Merah instead of sending them on a lengthy route through Tampines and Simei.
Also, the shuttle buses should have used the expressways so that more trips could have been made.
This would have made better use of limited resources and commuters would have got to their destinations faster.
In addition, the Land Transport Authority should have coordinated relief efforts with the Traffic Police. Despite the heavier-than-usual traffic, throughout my journey there were no traffic policemen at intersections to direct traffic. The only police vehicle that I saw was stuck in the traffic jam itself.
If Singapore is to rely heavily on the bus and MRT network to move commuters, then there should be a more robust and effective recovery plan by SMRT and the authorities.
Cheah Khuan Yew
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_199088.html
Alert commuters to disruption via radio, TV
AS THE disruption in train service on the East-West Line on Monday occurred early in the morning, train operator SMRT had more than enough time to run a notification on the radio or morning TV news.
A lot of Singaporeans and people living in Singapore tune in to either the radio or morning TV news for news updates and information on the weather and traffic conditions.
By working closely with the radio and TV stations in providing news and updates on any future breakdown, it would reduce the chaos at train stations and time lost for tens of thousands of commuters.
Armed with the news and updates on a disruption in service, affected commuters would be able to plan alternative travel routes or take other transportation services.
Providing free shuttle buses to run between the affected stations helps but please don't deprive commuters of the chance to make alternative travel plans early.
Ong Lee Lian (Ms)
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_199087.html
Shuttle passengers taken on 1 1/2-hour tour of east
I AM writing to express my concern about the way SMRT handled the disruption in train service on Monday morning.
My wife was in the train at 6.15am heading towards Pasir Ris and she had to disembark at Tanah Merah Station for what was to be a 1 1/2-hour bus tour of the east.
The driver of the shuttle bus that SMRT engaged did not know the route to take from one station to the next. He was going in circles and, after many passengers approached him, he finally admitted that he had lost his way. His normal route is in the Sembawang area and he had not been briefed on how to get from Simei Station to Tampines and then to Pasir Ris. Finally, after being given directions, he was able to get to Pasir Ris Station.
As a result of SMRT's lack of preparation, many students on the bus were late for classes as well.
I would like to hear from SMRT what preparation it has made for such a situation and if it briefs the drivers of the shuttle buses on the route they would be taking.
Tng Kok Khim
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_199083.html
SMRT and the authorities should work out concrete plans to handle train crises better
I WILL like to share my view on the train disruption that occurred on Monday morning.
Firstly, it exposed the inadequacy in SMRT's contingency plan when such a crisis occurred. My friend who lived in Pasir Ris took almost two hours to reach Buona Vista station.
This is because he tried to take the shuttle bus to Tanah Merah station. However, it would be definitely faster should he take a direct bus service.
Though I live in Clementi, I was affected seriously too. As the train arrival was delayed, the platform was so packed that people stood beyond the yellow line. And no staff was seen on the platform doing crowd control. This definitely shows the poor planning on SMRT's part.
Secondly, this also shows the weakness in our train network. With no new train line announced in the next five years, it can be immediately seen that there are insufficient train services plying along the East-West line. This is an important line which the majority of the train passengers have to take because it passes by Tanjong Pagar, Bugis, Jurong (NTU, industrial estates). With this line extending further west by 2009, we can see that it is being over-stretched. In fact, Clementi residents find it especially hard to squeeze into the trains during the morning peak hours.
I hope the authorities and SMRT can work out concrete plans to handle train crises better and increase the available train capacity. The current train network will not be able to take more passengers when the Circle Line opens.
Lim Boon Wah
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Online%2BStory/STIStory_198981.html
Train operator failed miserably with its contingency plans
I WAS one of the thousands of people caught in the disruption at Simei station on Monday morning.
Thinking that there would be a feeder service, I waited patiently in line. One hour later, I was still in line and I found the reason for the slow movement of people. The buses came at 15-minute intervals and, worse, they were already jam-packed by the time they arrived at Simei. Apparently, they had picked up passengers from Tampines first. What was the point?
In the end, I took an SBS bus to Tanah Merah MRT. While on the bus, I watched TV Mobile and found that although the disruption had occurred four hours earlier, there were no news updates during the morning show to inform commuters heading to MRT stations of the disruptions. Ironically, there was a headliner that announced SMRT's opening of a $2m gallery showcasing SMRT's 'progress'.
I was disappointed by the way the whole episode was handled. There was nobody to provide updates to the people in the queue snaking over 200m long and we only got updates if we left our queue to go to the station to make enquiries.
SMRT failed miserably with its contingency plans.
Latifah Ahmad (Mdm)
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Online%2BStory/STIStory_198972.html
I actually find it VERY ironic that people complain that they are late/no time bla bla bla WHILE they actually have the time to write a complain and send it to ST editor. Ironic right? It only shows how bad their ego is. -
Originally posted by Oceane:
And then... lots and lots of complaints...
[b]SMRT needs more robust recovery plan
TRAIN services were disrupted on Monday morning. I arrived at the Pasir Ris MRT station at 8am during the disruption and was advised to take the free shuttle bus to Tanah Merah Station.
Although SMRT responded rapidly by providing 70 buses to ferry commuters to Tanah Merah Station, I had to spend 1 hour and 10 minutes in the bus from Pasir Ris to Tanah Merah - a journey that would usually have taken about 20 minutes by road.
The shuttle bus, which was already packed when it left Pasir Ris, tried to pick up affected commuters at Tampines and Simei. Not surprisingly, few of the commuters at Tampines and Simei got on board as the bus was already crowded.
Furthermore, the journey was made on trunk roads with numerous traffic lights. The usually heavy traffic in the morning was made worse by the large number of shuttle buses that had been dispatched.
As a result, my usual 30-minute journey from Pasir Ris to Raffles Place took one hour and 40 minutes.
SMRT should have managed the situation better by dispatching shuttle buses from each of the affected stations to Tanah Merah instead of sending them on a lengthy route through Tampines and Simei.
Also, the shuttle buses should have used the expressways so that more trips could have been made.
This would have made better use of limited resources and commuters would have got to their destinations faster.
In addition, the Land Transport Authority should have coordinated relief efforts with the Traffic Police. Despite the heavier-than-usual traffic, throughout my journey there were no traffic policemen at intersections to direct traffic. The only police vehicle that I saw was stuck in the traffic jam itself.
If Singapore is to rely heavily on the bus and MRT network to move commuters, then there should be a more robust and effective recovery plan by SMRT and the authorities.
Cheah Khuan Yew
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_199088.html
Alert commuters to disruption via radio, TV
AS THE disruption in train service on the East-West Line on Monday occurred early in the morning, train operator SMRT had more than enough time to run a notification on the radio or morning TV news.
A lot of Singaporeans and people living in Singapore tune in to either the radio or morning TV news for news updates and information on the weather and traffic conditions.
By working closely with the radio and TV stations in providing news and updates on any future breakdown, it would reduce the chaos at train stations and time lost for tens of thousands of commuters.
Armed with the news and updates on a disruption in service, affected commuters would be able to plan alternative travel routes or take other transportation services.
Providing free shuttle buses to run between the affected stations helps but please don't deprive commuters of the chance to make alternative travel plans early.
Ong Lee Lian (Ms)
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_199087.html
Shuttle passengers taken on 1 1/2-hour tour of east
I AM writing to express my concern about the way SMRT handled the disruption in train service on Monday morning.
My wife was in the train at 6.15am heading towards Pasir Ris and she had to disembark at Tanah Merah Station for what was to be a 1 1/2-hour bus tour of the east.
The driver of the shuttle bus that SMRT engaged did not know the route to take from one station to the next. He was going in circles and, after many passengers approached him, he finally admitted that he had lost his way. His normal route is in the Sembawang area and he had not been briefed on how to get from Simei Station to Tampines and then to Pasir Ris. Finally, after being given directions, he was able to get to Pasir Ris Station.
As a result of SMRT's lack of preparation, many students on the bus were late for classes as well.
I would like to hear from SMRT what preparation it has made for such a situation and if it briefs the drivers of the shuttle buses on the route they would be taking.
Tng Kok Khim
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_199083.html -
Originally posted by Oceane:
SMRT and the authorities should work out concrete plans to handle train crises better
I WILL like to share my view on the train disruption that occurred on Monday morning.
Firstly, it exposed the inadequacy in SMRT's contingency plan when such a crisis occurred. My friend who lived in Pasir Ris took almost two hours to reach Buona Vista station.
This is because he tried to take the shuttle bus to Tanah Merah station. However, it would be definitely faster should he take a direct bus service.
Though I live in Clementi, I was affected seriously too. As the train arrival was delayed, the platform was so packed that people stood beyond the yellow line. And no staff was seen on the platform doing crowd control. This definitely shows the poor planning on SMRT's part.
Secondly, this also shows the weakness in our train network. With no new train line announced in the next five years, it can be immediately seen that there are insufficient train services plying along the East-West line. This is an important line which the majority of the train passengers have to take because it passes by Tanjong Pagar, Bugis, Jurong (NTU, industrial estates). With this line extending further west by 2009, we can see that it is being over-stretched. In fact, Clementi residents find it especially hard to squeeze into the trains during the morning peak hours.
I hope the authorities and SMRT can work out concrete plans to handle train crises better and increase the available train capacity. The current train network will not be able to take more passengers when the Circle Line opens.
Lim Boon Wah
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Online%2BStory/STIStory_198981.html
Train operator failed miserably with its contingency plans
I WAS one of the thousands of people caught in the disruption at Simei station on Monday morning.
Thinking that there would be a feeder service, I waited patiently in line. One hour later, I was still in line and I found the reason for the slow movement of people. The buses came at 15-minute intervals and, worse, they were already jam-packed by the time they arrived at Simei. Apparently, they had picked up passengers from Tampines first. What was the point?
In the end, I took an SBS bus to Tanah Merah MRT. While on the bus, I watched TV Mobile and found that although the disruption had occurred four hours earlier, there were no news updates during the morning show to inform commuters heading to MRT stations of the disruptions. Ironically, there was a headliner that announced SMRT's opening of a $2m gallery showcasing SMRT's 'progress'.
I was disappointed by the way the whole episode was handled. There was nobody to provide updates to the people in the queue snaking over 200m long and we only got updates if we left our queue to go to the station to make enquiries.
SMRT failed miserably with its contingency plans.
Latifah Ahmad (Mdm)
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Online%2BStory/STIStory_198972.html
I actually find it VERY ironic that people complain that they are late/no time bla bla bla WHILE they actually have the time to write a complain and send it to ST editor. Ironic right? It only shows how bad their ego is.[/b] -
Extra reading for those who have not seen the thread in singapore buses =)
Singapore Buses > SMRT train disruption - 21 jan 2008
http://www.sgforums.com/?action=thread_display&thread_id=304425 -
I actually find it VERY ironic that people complain that they are late/no time bla bla bla WHILE they actually have the time to write a complain and send it to ST editor. Ironic right? It only shows how bad their ego is
maybe they complain after they finish work and went home? -
ya lor. how is it ironic? its not like they were writing the letter while on the shuttle bus to tanah merah? lol.Originally posted by Dead_Man_Inc:maybe they complain after they finish work and went home?
I sincerely hope that there will be MAJOR changes to SMRT following this incident. and i don't mean a $1 mil fine by LTA. that's crap seriously.Originally posted by tanjun:I agree that the whole incident is very messed up. Even though the accident occurred early in the morning, SMRT has at least a couple of hours to prepare for the morning crowd that will be coming. Plus, it is a known fact that the load in the trains in peak hours is very high. Trains can carry far more passengers than buses and thus they should have anticipate that coming and have done preparations within that few hours.
From this incident, SMRT has shown to the public that 2 to 3 hours of preparation is insufficient to cater to the transportation demand of the public if the MRT has broken down.
Just my 1 cent worth of thought.
renew the management! THE WHOLE LOT! Reduce the peak train frequency to 1 min..
and please la.. can the SMRT management ride their network to and from work, home, and for leisure? Every employee MUST take smrt transport! Why work for something that you don't believe in?
And crisis management was complete rubbish.. nobody knew what was wrong even when they get to the train stations..
SMRT always uses the "Disruptions" word as a cover for everything. i bet they'd put "disruptions, pls go to another station" even if it was a terrorist attack -.- -
MRT disruption caused by damage to rail grinding vehicle
By Gamar Abdul Aziz, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE : A seven-hour disruption to MRT services on Monday was caused by a locomotive which damaged its rail grinding vehicle (RGV).
SMRT said about 57,000 passengers were affected when train services between Pasir Ris and Tanah Merah stations were disrupted from 5.28 am to 12.45 pm on that day.
SMRT is still investigating why the RGV was damaged.
It explains that the RGV is used to grind tracks to level uneven edges for a smoother train run.
And this is performed daily during off-service hours.
On Monday, recovery was slow because of the nature of the damage as well as site constraints.
This was compounded by the fact that SMRT staff were moving cautiously to avoid damage to tracks so that service can be resumed after the maintenance vehicles were removed.
Once the extent of the situation was determined, over 300 SMRT staff were activated, as early as 4.40am.
They include senior management, engineers, station staff, service leaders and corporate services staff who worked to arrange for alternative transport services.
On the ground, more than 100 staff were deployed to the affected stations to help commuters.
A total of 70 buses were deployed to ferry affected passengers to Tanah Merah station.
SMRT says this was the "maximum number of buses deployable without severely impairing the bus services islandwide".
There were also westbound shuttle train services to ferry commuters from Tampines and Simei stations to Tanah Merah station.
This train was travelling on the unaffected stretch of the track.
And because "cautious driving" was imposed, the train was driven in manual mode of 15kph, instead of the normal average speed of 45kph.
SMRT adds that it recognises there is room for improvement and will take all feedback into consideration to refine its plans. - CNA/de
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/324522/1/.html -
SMRT responded rapidly to service disruption
I REFER to media reports and feedback from passengers affected by the train service disruption between Pasir Ris and Tanah Merah MRT stations on Jan 21.
The disruption arose as a result of damage to our rail grinding vehicle (RGV) by a locomotive, the cause of which we are still investigating.
The RGV is used to grind tracks to level uneven edges for a smoother train run and this is performed daily during off-service hours. Due to the nature of the damage and site constraints, the recovery was slow. This was compounded by the fact that we were moving cautiously to avoid damage to tracks so that we could resume service after the maintenance vehicles were removed.
Once we determined the extent of the situation, over 300 SMRT staff were activated from as early as 4.40am to assist with the provision of alternative transport services and preparations for resumption of train service. On the ground, more than 100 staff were deployed to supplement staff strength at the affected stations.
In a situation where service is interrupted or degraded, commuters will be inconvenienced. And at the operational level, there are many pressing concerns key of which are to connect commuters so that they may continue on their journey as soon as possible.
On the morning of Jan 21, bus bridging services commenced at 5.38am to coincide with the start of train services to ferry passengers from Pasir Ris, Tampines and Simei MRT stations to Tanah Merah MRT station, where they could continue their journey on the unaffected stretches of the network.
In anticipation of the morning rush hour, we injected more buses bringing it to a total of 70 buses (40 SMRT and 30 SBS). This was the maximum number of buses deployable without severely impairing the bus services islandwide.
But there was still congestion at the stations as the heavy traffic conditions on the roads along the affected stations delayed the pace at which the buses could transfer commuters.
We also introduced westbound shuttle train services to ferry commuters to Tanah Merah MRT station. The train was travelling on the unaffected stretch of the track and cautious driving was imposed, which meant the train was driven in manual mode of 15kph, instead of the normal average speed of 45kph.
Information on the service disruption and alternative travel modes was disseminated through train and station announcements, notices, rail travel information system in the stations and electronic signboards at the entrance of stations.
Regular updates were also sent to radio and television channels. With the media's support, there were regular announcements to keep commuters updated on services available and to encourage those not already in the network to seek alternative modes of transportation.
We recognise there is room for improvement and will take all feedback into consideration when refining our plans.
However, as with all things mechanical and electrical, there will always be failures and in this instance, resulting in service disruption. Under such circumstances, SMRT is committed to directing its energies to connecting commuters to available services so that they can continue on their journey, providing timely updates to commuters, and recovering the system to resume normal operations as soon as possible.
Goh Chee Kong
Vice-President,
Corporate Marketing and Communications
SMRT Corporation Ltd
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_199456.html