Jurong East-Buona Vista train services might resume Oct 1

Train services between Jurong East and Buona Vista MRT stations on the East-West Line will remain disrupted on Sept 30, after 12 new cracks were discovered along a stretch of rail damaged by a faulty train.

Rail operator SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Sept 29 that they are working towards restoring train services along the affected four-station stretch on Oct 1, subject to weather conditions and after thorough testing is done for passenger safety.

Stress tests on Sept 28 found 12 cracks that were previously not visible on unreplaced segments of rail. This means that engineers will need more time on Sept 29 to replace another 10 segments along the westbound track from Clementi to Ulu Pandan Depot, they added in a statement.

After the rail segments are replaced, more stress tests will be done on Sept 30 to “ensure safety and rail integrity before resuming full passenger service”, said LTA and SMRT.

The cracks arose after the rail segments were weakened by the damaged train when it was returning to the depot on Sept 25, they added.

SMRT had earlier aimed to restart services on Sept 30.

So far, engineers and workers have replaced 33 segments of rail on which trains run and damaged stretches of the third rail that supplies power to trains. They have also completed tests on trackside equipment and track point machines that divert trains onto different tracks.

Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said on Sept 29 that weather permitting, rail replacements were expected to be completed that night, and further tests would continue for most of Sept 30.

“I thank commuters for your kind understanding and patience, as the team does our best to safely resume full train services as soon as possible,” he wrote on Facebook.

Tests in the works include stress tests using locomotives, testing components such as signalling and power systems, as well as endurance tests with passenger trains loaded with sandbags to simulate passengers on board. A track inspection team will be deployed after each test to inspect the rails.

According to the National Environment Agency’s website, thundery showers are expected every day from Sept 30 to Oct 3.

Train services have been disrupted since Sept 25, when the faulty train damaged the tracks near Clementi and Dover stations as it was being withdrawn from service. The disruption is expected to affect 2.1 million passengers as at Sept 29.

The first-generation Kawasaki Heavy Industries train, which has been in service for more than 35 years, was travelling eastwards when it encountered a fault near Clementi station at about 9am on Sept 25.

It was later turned around near Queenstown station onto the westbound track, bound for Ulu Pandan Depot.

As it was being withdrawn, a defective component on the train’s undercarriage – known as an axle box – dropped onto the tracks near Dover station, and this caused the wheels of the undercarriage to run off the rail.

This wrought extensive damage to the tracks and trackside equipment as it was being taken to the depot.

The damage triggered a power trip that stalled other trains, and crippled services across nine stations between Boon Lay and Queenstown.

Engineers later found 34 rail fractures, such as cracks or chips, with most of them along 1.6km of tracks between Clementi and Dover stations.

On Sept 29, it was clarified that the fractures were actually across a distance of 2.55km of tracks.

Of the original 34 fractures, 31 were on the 1.6km of tracks between Clementi and Dover stations.

The new 12 cracks spanned 800m just past Clementi station, while the three remaining original fractures were across a distance of 150m beyond that.

The train also damaged three point machines, stretches of the third rail, as well as power cables and rail fasteners.

Since 5pm on Sept 25, shuttle trains have been operating every 10 minutes between Boon Lay and Jurong East stations, and between Queenstown and Buona Vista stations.

Free bridging bus services are also available between Jurong East and Buona Vista. There are also free regular bus services between Boon Lay and Queenstown stations.

Free taxi services at the affected stations will continue to be available for students sitting their N-level examination on Sept 30.

The disruption affected about 358,000 passengers on Sept 25, some 516,000 on Sept 26, about 500,000 on Sept 27, 374,000 on Sept 28 and an estimated 362,000 on Sept 29.