SMRT checking replaced EWL tracks nightly until confident in stability of repairs

SMRT checking replaced EWL tracks nightly, repairs hampered by weather

Following the resumption of train services, SMRT is inspecting the repaired East-West Line (EWL) tracks nightly.

Train service from Boon Lay to Queenstown, a stretch of nine stations, went down in the morning of 25 Sept.

Despite repairs, service at four stations from Jurong East to Buona Vista remained out of commission until 1 Oct.

SMRT engineer shocked by extent of damage

According to Lianhe Zaobao, Mr Shazni Jaffar, an SMRT senior engineer, said that stepped-up checks will continue every night until the team is confident about the repairs being stable.

He expected this to last a week before a change to the usual weekly checks.

In an SMRT Facebook video, Mr Shazni said he was “shocked at the extent of damages” when he saw the photos from the assessment.

He thought to himself that repairs would take a considerable amount of time.

The westbound track from Clementi MRT station suffered 34 rail fractures initially.

After repairs and stress testing, SMRT found 12 new fractures, totalling 46 for a 2.55km stretch of tracks.

Furthermore, three point machines for switching tracks and the third rail for power supply were damaged.

SMRT had to replace 43 sections of rail, with each section being 18 metres long and weighing one tonne.

Due to the damage to the track, replacement rail sections had to be moved manually on a jig to the site, which could be up to 700 metres away.

EWL repair work hampered by heat & rain

Over 800 personnel worked on the repairs, 500 of them from SMRT.

Mr Zailani, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) deputy director for trackwork, said that the LTA moved in 300 workers from external contractors to assist with the repairs.

SMRT’s shifts during the repair work lasted up to 12 hours long, with the workers hampered by the weather.

The personnel had to replace tracks under Singapore’s scorching heat, which also caused the tracks to expand and hampered rail cutting.

When it rained, the tracks became slippery and workers were exposed to lightning risks.

Downpours also affected rail welding, causing SMRT to erect tents to shelter the welders.

Thanks to the hardworking efforts of the engineers and technicians, the issue was resolved by 1 Oct.

Mr Shazni expressed his gratitude for the public’s patience and their words of encouragement for the SMRT workers.

Also read: EWL disruption under investigation by LTA, SMRT & MOT, findings will be released to the public

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Featured image adapted from SMRT on Facebook and Facebook.