Train disruption on EWL might persist for days
The disruption of train services along a stretch of the East-West Line between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations might persist for days, after checks found that a faulty train had caused extensive damage to tracks and trackside equipment on Sept 25.
Rail operator SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are aiming to partially restore services on Sept 27, and run a shuttle train service every 20 minutes along the affected stretch.
The second-longest rail disruption in Singapore to date has affected about 874,000 commuters - 358,000 on Sept 25, and 516,000 on Sept 26.
It was triggered by a first-generation Kawasaki Heavy Industries train, which encountered a fault at around 9am on Sept 25 and was withdrawn to Ulu Pandan Depot, said LTA and SMRT in a statement.
While en route to the depot, a defective axle box on the third carriage of the six-carriage train dropped onto the tracks near Dover station, causing one bogie to come off the running rail. This is the first time such an incident has happened.
A bogie is a structure below the train carriage with two sets of wheels. Each wheelset has two axle boxes attached to it.
With one bogie derailed, the train - which has been in service for more than 35 years - damaged the tracks and equipment on the tracks as it was being withdrawn from service.
This caused a power trip at around 9.25am, disrupting train services between Boon Lay and Queenstown stations.
Engineers found a total of 34 rail breaks, such as cracks or chips, along 1.6km of tracks between Clementi and Dover stations after overnight checks. The train also damaged three point machines, which are used to divert the train to different tracks, stretches of the third rail which supplies power to trains, as well as power cables and rail clips.
LTA and SMRT said their priority is to resume train service as soon as possible, adding that SMRT’s engineers and technicians have been working continuously since Sept 25 to restore and replace the damaged tracks and equipment.
The shuttle service between Jurong East and Buona Vista will ply only along the eastbound track, which is less severely damaged and requires fewer repairs than the westbound track.
Besides this service, SMRT will continue to operate shuttle train services between Buona Vista and Queenstown stations, and between Jurong East and Boon Lay stations.
About 80 double-deck buses have been deployed to provide free bridging services for affected commuters in both directions between Jurong East and Buona Vista.
In addition, 620 ground staff from LTA, SMRT, SBS Transit, Tower Transit, and police officers helped manage the crowds during the morning peak period on Sept 26.
LTA and SMRT also carried out checks on the axle boxes of all Kawasaki trains before these were put in service, and all passed the functionality checks.
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