The Singapore Rail system - MRT

[JR 500系]

Just starting a thread here about the rail system we have here in Singapore: called the MRT, or Mass Rapid Transit for short...

 

It's a great system, really! Just that the operators are REALLY profit orientated... They haven't been maintaining the tracks much since 7th November, 1987... And now we are seeing much trouble the trains will face.  

 

There had been multiple incidents involving train delays due to electric failure, tracks etc... The government then decides to 'sub' out its public transport, saying it is easier to maintain and will be cheaper.... Now it is run by an organisation that is somewhat related to the government, and only profit orientated...

 

Here's a sad news today: https://sg.news.yahoo.com/incident-on-track-halts-train-service-between-041428593.html

 

The system is good, just the operators otherwise. I thought public transport were supposed to be, for the public as what its name suggested? It is now more like a business, only aiming at maximising the profits through raising fares and poorer services. Till now, we have yet to see a train schedule in stations, since they cannot be met...

 

Hong Kong, on the other hand, have a very much similar system, but they managed it so much better ~

Edited March 22, 2016 by JR 500系

[Das Steinkopf]

I use to admire Singapore many years ago and enjoyed the time I spent there in 2008, the MRT was a fairly cheap and efficient way to travel and was far more comfortable than the buses, when I returned last year on my way back from Japan I was far from impressed with what I had seen when compared to my previous trip. To me now Singapore has become the fiefdom of the Lee family and their cronies, average Singaporeans seem to be doing it tough to make ends meet and are working harder and harder whilst the rich just seem to be sitting back raking in the money from investing in what were public owned businesses.

[JR 500系]

I use to admire Singapore many years ago and enjoyed the time I spent there in 2008, the MRT was a fairly cheap and efficient way to travel and was far more comfortable than the buses, when I returned last year on my way back from Japan I was far from impressed with what I had seen when compared to my previous trip. To me now Singapore has become the fiefdom of the Lee family and their cronies, average Singaporeans seem to be doing it tough to make ends meet and are working harder and harder whilst the rich just seem to be sitting back raking in the money from investing in what were public owned businesses.

 

Great summary there ~

 

However, we try as much not to touch politics here, but the rail system really needs to change... I mean, maintenance staff dies? That's so uncalled for... There seem to be no safety working procedure at all...

[JR 500系]

I barely call this an investigation...

 

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/smrt-tragedy-no-records-of-staff-coordination-to-121803487.html

 

Quote from the article (in red, my queries to the best of my train knowledge):

 

On Tuesday at 8.08am, a signalling condition monitoring device installed along the tracks near Pasir Ris MRT Station registered a warning.

 

At 10.54am, two teams were authorised to move down from the station platform, cross the track and access the maintenance walkway to the location of the device.

 

The teams comprised 15 members: one engineer, five assistant engineers, five technical officers and four trainers. They moved in a single file along the maintenance walkway beside the track towards the device.

- 15 men maintenance team is huge. If they were authorised, wouldn't there be enough systems to actually make sure that the on-coming trains are stopped?

 

The team was led by an experienced assistant engineer. Nasrulhudin and Muhammad Asyraf were following immediately behind the lead assistant engineer.

Walking along a Live track, shouldn't someone of a higher post than Lead assistant engineer, be leading the 15 men team?

 

The team walked in the direction facing oncoming train traffic.

This is the most strange. In Singapore, the trains, like the cars, move on the left, like Japan. According to the picture:

 

That track, walking away from the platform, would be walking along the direction of the train, not against. Of course, if the incoming train to the station then that would be going against. Then again, the on-coming train should then be on the right track and needed to be switched over to the left one to enter the station, where the men were. So if that is the case, the switching of the turnout had been done wrongly, turning the oncoming train to the team on the tracks!

 

 

SMRT pointed out that before the team is allowed to step back onto the trackway, the team must coordinate with the signal unit at the station for oncoming trains to be brought to a stop, and to ensure that no trains enter the affected sector. There were no records that the procedure took place, SMRT said.

The statement further explained that the Pasir Ris MRT station is a terminal station with two platforms, and trains can cross from one platform to the other as they approach the station.

Amazing. Couldn't believed their procedures were so simple and playing with their staff's lives...

 

“In this accident, the train moving in automatic mode was routed to Platform 2. When the train captain saw staff on the track, he immediately applied emergency brakes but was unable to prevent the accident,” said the statement.

Huh? Automatic mode with a train captain? The train was moving into a station, it should be somewhat slow right, like 20/30km/h? Couldn't stop in time? There were ample braking distance once the team were spotted on the tracks, unless of course someone is not looking...

Edited March 24, 2016 by JR 500系

[Das Steinkopf]

How is a train captain able to see staff on the line and apply the brakes immediately when the trains have no driver or controls in the actual train itself, I worked as an electrician for the SRA which was the government owned railway in New South Wales when I was younger and was well aware of safe working procedures on the lines, I even worked inside the tunnels on Eastern Suburbs line as well as the City Circle. In situations where a large number of staff were on the lines flagmen would protect the line and set detonators on the track to warn the staff as well as the train driver, 2 detonators means proceed with caution whilst 3 detonators means stop immediately, the flagmen also had radios to contact the staff. I know in Singapore that system is not viable due to the trains being driverless but they should still have had some form of safeworking available with the centralized traffic control centre being in radio contact with the work crew to inform them of train movements. I know fatalities do happen as one of my friends who was a signal electrician was killed by a train, sadly though he let his guard down and was not situationally aware whilst taking a shortcut. These days the SWP 's on the railways in Australia are very strict and there are several government agencies that oversee them, breaches by companies where a fatality occurs can lead to large fines and in some cases suspension of operations.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Das Steinkopf

[kvp]

A few comments:

-there were two teams, apparently out on an educational trip with trainees

-they went on the safe walkway, but the 1st team apparently stepped onto the tracks to access the faulty box without looking around first

-the station is a terminus and the crossover is further along the line, so both tracks are bidirectional

-the train was probably stopped by the guard with the emergency stop after the first person was hit

 

So looking around for trains on an active line is always a good idea. Staying out of the loading gauge except for crossing the tracks is also important. I would add that it's useful never to assume a fixed running direction, especially on bidirectional tracks.

[westfalen]

When I was in Singapore in 2007 the 'train captain' or what ever they are called sat in the drivers seat and basically just operated the doors and gave the train the command for the train to proceed to the next station unless it was raining when he cut in the controls and drove normally, I learned this from talking to a driver at a terminus station, the same appears to be the proceedure in Hong Kong from my visit there last year.

 

If you are not actually driving the train you attention to the road ahead may tend to lapse because you don't need to keep an eye out for signals etc, I usually see workers at trackside before they see me.  I admit a bit of bias but I've always thought driverless trains, even with someone sitting in the front for appearences sake, was a receipe for eventual disaster.

[kvp]

Driverless trains are safe as a driverless elevator as long as you treat them like one. The same is true for any automated systems like conveyor belts or assemly line robots. If you know the limitation of the system and the operation of the sensors that determine the situational awarness of the system, you can know what is a safe action and what isn't.

 

ps: stepping onto the tracks of a driverless train is as wise as stepping into the shaft of a driverless elevator

[JR 500系]

I really hope to be able to challenge the 'report' with the few pointers as above, including those contributed by West san and KVP san, but in Singapore, it's not wise to be challenging the government...  :( 

 

Why do we have to wait until someone dies to know the problem? You know, prior to this accident, there were several fatal accidents involving commuters either 'dropping' or jumping into the MRT tracks with an oncoming train... So much so until they FINALLY decided to spend their fat pockets on actually installing platform screen doors....

 

We seriously lack of Japan's service standards... And we actually call ourselves word-class standard... I wonder why ~

[kvp]

The platform doors are nice, but infrared barriers are also good. They are in use on all metro lines in hungary for years, including one driverless and two automatic (conductor only) lines and they work nicely to prevent accidents. Having a trench between the rails is also good for intentional jumpers as the trains can pass safely above them. For singapore, i would say static infrared sensors around the accessible tracks would help if they get connected to the safety, signalling and p.a. systems. (going near the platform edge triggers an audio warning for the passengers and any station staff, remaining there triggers a 'slow' aspect for any incoming train and going over it (getting on the tracks) triggers a block stop and can also cut power. Most larger items also trigger the same alarm as in the past there were small fires that were triggered by trash getting between the 3rd rail and the pickup shoes. For this reason, there are automatic sprinklers on many stations at track level too, just to be sure. No platform doors anywhere...

 

ps: Personally i see the problem with the company's track safety habits, but nothing that seems political as the technology itself is world class, it just has to be used right.

[JR 500系]

Not rail related, but something a little more political to why we are one of the most expensive cities in the world...

 

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/no-nonsense-explanation-why-cars-000047735.html?linkId=23228134

 

A good read (extract from the article above):

 

Here is an example of how a $17,000 Mitsubishi ASX becomes $104,000 in Singapore.

 

 

OMV $16,991 ARF $16,991 Excise Duty & GST $4,825 COE (Cat B) $46,502 Basic Cost

(Inclusive of $140 registration fee)

$85,450

 

Dealer’s Margin $18,799 (22%) Final Sale Price $103,999

[katoftw]

Driverless trains are safe as a driverless elevator as long as you treat them like one. The same is true for any automated systems like conveyor belts or assemly line robots. If you know the limitation of the system and the operation of the sensors that determine the situational awarness of the system, you can know what is a safe action and what isn't.

 

ps: stepping onto the tracks of a driverless train is as wise as stepping into the shaft of a driverless elevator

I don't know what to say about these "interesting" comments.  Driverless elevators hardly have to content with humans, animals, trees, cars etc interring their operational area.  I don't see their operational safety needs as the same.  The two are not comparable.

Edited April 8, 2016 by katoftw

[katoftw]

 

Not rail related, but something a little more political to why we are one of the most expensive cities in the world...

 

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/no-nonsense-explanation-why-cars-000047735.html?linkId=23228134

 

A good read (extract from the article above):

 

Here is an example of how a $17,000 Mitsubishi ASX becomes $104,000 in Singapore.

 

 

OMV $16,991 ARF $16,991 Excise Duty & GST $4,825 COE (Cat B) $46,502 Basic Cost

(Inclusive of $140 registration fee)

$85,450

 

Dealer’s Margin $18,799 (22%) Final Sale Price $103,999

 

Normal for a small country at needs taxes to for services.  But being a south east Asian country, you need more money collected to pay for politicians huge holidays and mansions with very little accountability for those in power.

Edited April 8, 2016 by katoftw

[kvp]

Driverless elevators hardly have to content with humans, animals, trees, cars etc interring their operational area.

Driverless trains are almost always operated in a grade separated environment with no human access except at designated stops. Most driverless elevators work in a similar environment. As almost nobody is foolish enough to enter the right of way of an operational elevator, nobody should be foolish and enter the right of way of an operational driverless train. The builders of such lines always make access to unsafe areas hard and entering them while the system is operating is like climbing atop a power line mast under power, it's possible but rather unsafe. Just treat these trains as elevators and assume they are blind and can only sense stop locations and door obstructions. Many of them are actually really limited to these two and as you can't expect an elevator to look below itself while descending, you can't expect a simple driverless train to look before itself while moving. Most of the time they just move from marker to marker.

[katoftw]

With the caveat added for driverless rail systems.  Then yes that makes sense.

[Das Steinkopf]

Not rail related, but something a little more political to why we are one of the most expensive cities in the world...

 

https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/no-nonsense-explanation-why-cars-000047735.html?linkId=23228134

 

A good read (extract from the article above):

 

Here is an example of how a $17,000 Mitsubishi ASX becomes $104,000 in Singapore.

 

I suppose it's the Singaporean elites plan to ensure that they won't have to worry about being stuck in traffic whilst driving their expensive European cars, they can enjoy the roads to themselves whilst watching the peasants walk the streets or catch the MRT. The PAP is an absolute joke or to be more frank an insult to democracy, where is the People and where is the Action that they are supposed to support and represent, it's a family dynasty that looks after the vested interest of the well heeled at the expense of the greater population.

 

Sorry about the rant JR 500系 as I know it is difficult for the bulk of the population there and I know that voicing ones opinion is frowned upon especially if it is aimed at the government, the repercussions for doing so can have some rather dire consequences from what I have seen personally and read about.

Edited April 9, 2016 by Das Steinkopf

[JR 500系]

I suppose it's the Singaporean elites plan to ensure that they won't have to worry about being stuck in traffic whilst driving their expensive European cars, they can enjoy the roads to themselves whilst watching the peasants walk the streets or catch the MRT. The PAP is an absolute joke or to be more frank an insult to democracy, where is the People and where is the Action that they are supposed to support and represent, it's a family dynasty that looks after the vested interest of the well heeled at the expense of the greater population.

 

Sorry about the rant JR 500系 as I know it is difficult for the bulk of the population there and I know that voicing ones opinion is frowned upon especially if it is aimed at the government, the repercussions for doing so can have some rather dire consequences from what I have seen personally and read about.

 

Wow Das san you seem to understand quite a fair bit of Singapore ~ Amazing!

 

Yap it's the unspoken truth which we must hush hush about... We cant do anything about it, except to remove ourselves if we are unhappy here... Singapore is more than willing and happy to take in richer expats that can and will contribute to taxes. While Singapore still has a lot of good factors like security and convenience, it is rather sad to be living here with minimum recreation and maximum day to day spending...

 

Sorry about hitting a political stump here, guess we should move back to trains ~  :)