Shuttle trains would risk delay to East-West Line service restoration: SMRT
The disruption to the East-West Line (EWL) will stretch to at least five days, with SMRT aiming to restore full service next Monday (30 Sept).
Previously announced plans to operate a shuttle train service between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations have also been shelved.
East-West Line disruption set to persist over the weekend: SMRT
The latest timeline for EWL service restoration was given by SMRT in a Facebook post on Thursday (26 Sept) night, after two days of disruption.
Source: SMRT on Facebook
Earlier in the day, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) had said in a news release that there would be no normal train service between Jurong East and Buona Vista for a third day, on Friday (27 Sept).
However, the latest update means the disruption will now persist over the weekend.
Plans for shuttle train service scrapped
LTA also initially announced that it was working towards “a partial restoration of train services” on 27 Sept.
This would have taken the form of a shuttle train service between the two stations, operating at 20-minute intervals.
However, the latest announcement from SMRT meant this plan has been scrapped.
Source: @young.isy on TikTok
Better to prioritise repair & restore East-West Line service earlier: SMRT
Engineers and technicians had tried their best to make the shuttle train work by expediting repairs on one of the tracks, SMRT said.
While it has been determined that the shuttle train can be run, repairs cannot be done when it is in operation.
Thus, operating the shuttle train would slow down repairs to the damaged parallel rail — risking delaying the restoration of full service by “at least a few days” after 30 Sept, SMRT added, explaining:
On balance, it is better to prioritise repair and expedite restoring full service earlier, rather than run a 20-minute shuttle between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations.
Free bus services still available
Like on Thursday (26 Sept), free regular and bridging bus services will be available between Jurong East and Buona Vista in both directions, with 80 double-deck buses deployed, LTA said.
Image courtesy of Clarence Tan
Shuttle trains will also operate between Queenstown and Buona Vista, and between Jurong East and Boon Lay.
They will run at 10-minute intervals.
Source: SMRT on Facebook
34 rail breaks found along 1.6km of track
According to LTA, the lengthy disruption was caused by a defective axle box that had dropped from a train.
Source: Land Transport Authority – We Keep Your World Moving on Facebook
It led to one bogie coming off the running rail between Dover and Clementi stations.
A bogie is a low framework on wheels that is put under a vehicle such as a rail carriage so it can move.
Overnight checks found extensive damage on the tracks and trackside equipment, including 34 rail breaks along a 1.6km stretch of track between the stations.
Source: Land Transport Authority – We Keep Your World Moving on Facebook
LTA also said:
The incident also resulted in damage to 3-point machines, which are used for diverting trains onto different tracks, as well as the third rail that supplies power, and several power cables and rail clips.
Restoring train services safely and promptly is LTA’s top priority, it added, so it will continue to provide updates as the situation progresses.
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Featured image from MS News and adapted from @young.isy on TikTok.
