EWL train service restoration now 1 Oct, 12 new cracks appeared during stress testing

EWL train restoration delayed to 1 Oct due to 12 new cracks found

The restoration of train service on the East-West Line (EWL) will be delayed again to 1 Oct.

Previously, SMRT put out a statement aiming to restore full service on the stretch of Jurong East to Buona Vista MRT stations on 30 Sept.

This stretch of four stations, including Clementi and Dover, has had no train service at all since the initial disruption on the morning of 25 Sept.

Initially, the hard work of the SMRT and Land Transport Authority (LTA) engineers seemed to allow for a smooth progression to this aimed deadline.

On the night of 28 Sept, SMRT announced that the restoration of all damaged rails had been fully completed.

The various other destroyed equipment like the power-supplying third rail and the point machines had also been replaced or repaired.

SMRT then dedicated the whole of 29 Sept to performing safety tests.

Resumption of EWL services delayed by new cracks

However, Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat announced on Facebook that the track disruption would continue on 30 Sept, with the new targeted resumption date being 1 Oct, Tuesday.

According to both Mr Chee and LTA, SMRT conducted stress tests by running locomotives over the rails.

They also performed endurance tests using passenger trains loaded with bags, with LTA displaying an image of a previous such test as an example.

However, during the testing, the engineers discovered that 12 new cracks had appeared on unreplaced rail segments.

The rail segments had been weakened by the damaged train on 25 Sept but the damage had only become visible during safety tests.

As such, LTA and SMRT had to replace 10 additional rail segments, scheduled to be completed tonight. The engineers would then conduct further safety tests for most of 30 Sept.

Mr Chee added that the new planned date of 1 Oct would also be subject to weather conditions.

Also read: Restoration of damaged EWL rails fully completed, safety tests to be conducted on 29 Sept: SMRT

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Featured image adapted from SMRT on Facebook.