2 young lives lost

[skyleon]

“NSEWL is not a true city subway or metro system for getting around town” – Academic explains complex issues plaguing MRT system

October 20, 2017
Why hasn’t the Singapore government found a way to solve the MRT issue by now? Can’t they tell that people are frustrated?

Singapore Institute of Technology’s Vice-President of Planning, Mun-Heng Tsoi, stepped up to answer this pertinent question posted on an online forum yesterday, explaining the complex issues plaguing Singapore’s rail transport system.

Writing on online question-and-answer forum Quora, Tsoi – who has formerly served with organisations like the Ministry of Defence and the Republic of Singapore Air Force – shed light on the issues that caused the Singapore rail system to be in the poor state it is in today:

“We allowed the MRT system to be run on economic (or profit making) considerations, assuming that somehow the market will result in “efficient allocation of resources”. We know what happened. Engineering and maintenance was sacrificed to maintain profitability. Knowledge and skills were allowed to leak out. Over time, attitudes deteriorated. That fatal accident involving irregular release of people to work on a live track is a symptom of an attitude problem.”

Tsoi’s comprehensive response is the type of response one might expect a government representative to express. Read it here in full:

The MRT issue is a complex one – and complex issues are inherently difficult to solve. The second question is easier to answer. Of course they can tell – it was one of the causes of the election results in 2011 and the post of Transport Minister has proven to be a truly hot seat. So one could surmise that the “Singapore government” is desperately trying to resolve the MRT issue before they get another setback at the next election.


But why is it so complex?

To begin with , there are multiple systems involved: trains, power supply, tracks, weather/climate, control and signalling systems, even platform doors. A look at the problems that have cropped up in recent years have shown up problems in all these diverse systems. A simple thing like a faulty switch on a platform door can hold up the trains (I was caught in that – gave up waiting). Some are difficult to even troubleshoot – like the malfunctioning train that was sending out spurious signals and took a team of expert engineers to tease out the fact that problems happened when this particular train was passing by.

The more systems there are, the more ways in which they interact, the more ways in which seemingly small failures can affect the larger system.

The current signalling upgrade is causing a lot of problems – partly because of the complexity of the system. There is no way to detect some of the design flaws until you run it on full operating load. Then you have a failure. And upset a lot of people.

One factor which few really understand is the environment. Singapore is a hot and wet country – this causes problems like corrosion, and the ingress of water in the tunnels. Most of the systems in use were designed and used in cooler and drier climates – our climate is an additional stress on the system. Hence we had that power trip caused by water seeping into electrical systems, and the recent flooding incident.

Another factor is the fact that this is a live system where maintenance and upgrading work is restricted to a few hours a night. Upgrading old systems take months and years because of this.

Yet there are examples of complex systems that work reliably. The difference is people. Or more specifically, their knowledge, skills and attitudes. At the centre of this are the engineers and technicians who keep the hardware running. And here is where the answer lies. We allowed the MRT system to be run on economic (or profit making) considerations, assuming that somehow the market will result in “efficient allocation of resources”. We know what happened. Engineering and maintenance was sacrificed to maintain profitability. Knowledge and skills were allowed to leak out. Over time, attitudes deteriorated. That fatal accident involving irregular release of people to work on a live track is a symptom of an attitude problem.


continue reading here : http://www.theindependent.sg/nsewl-i...ng-mrt-system/


Putting the right people with the right mind sets and skills will certainly go a long way . And that means it has to start from the top . By getting the right CEO and Managing Director with the relevant background will surely imrove the situation on the ground . Don't you think so ? Disclaimer : I do not have engineering background but I used the mrt frequently . Have already encountered 3 train disruptions so far myself . You can understand how frustrated we are when ever there is a breakdown in mrt services . Is it fair to me that I am late for my work and appointments ?

[skyleon]

Peak-hour travel fares might rise as costs of new rail infrastructure and renewal works mount

October 20, 2017

Public Transport Council Chairman Richard Magnus has indicated that public transport fares for peak hour commuters may be raised as the Council “cannot turn a blind eye” to the mounting costs of maintaining new rail infrastructure and renewal works on existing infrastructure, as it has to ensure the “viability of the public transport system.”

In a blog post on the PTC’s website, titled Balancing Sustainability and Affordability, Magnus revealed that the government intends to invest S$20 billion in new rail infrastructure over the next five years, on top of S$4 billion to renew, upgrade and expand rail operating assets. An additional S$4 billion will be set aside for bus contracting subsidies over the same period.

He wrote:


“While these investments are a necessary part of the Government’s push to improve the public transport experience, they raise operating costs and impose a heavy cost burden on taxpayers.”

To combat this, the PTC is studying differentiated transport pricing for peak hour, off-peak hour and pre-peak hour commuters.

Magnus said that the Council is considering whether free pre-peak travel and lower off-peak travel fares should be instated permanently to incentivise off-peak travel:


“The concentration of travel within a few hours each day is resource-intensive and inefficient. A more sustainable solution is to spread out travel demand across the day.

“The council is therefore evaluating travel patterns to determine how a differential fare mechanism can best help smoothen travel demand in Singapore.”

However, this likely means that peak-hour travel fares might rise as off-peak and pre-peak fares decline, in the effort to “spread out travel demand across the day” and protect the viability of the increasingly costly system.

Magnus ended his post by asserting “Singapore’s rail fares are among the lowest in Asia, and considerably lower than those in Australian, European and North American cities,” before assuring:

“We must, and will, continue to keep the voices of our commuters firmly at the forefront, even as we consider the rising costs.”

The PTC is presently in the midst of its annual fare review exercise, and is reviewing the 2017 fare adjustment and rail operators’ proposals “against this background” of mounting costs.

The Council aims to strike a balance between “keeping our public transport fares affordable and ensuring the long-term viability of the public transport system.”



continue reading here : http://www.theindependent.sg/peak-ho...l-works-mount/


Service so fucked up still want to increase fares ? So you still want to vote for PAP ?

[skyleon]

Khaw must accept full responsibility and step down


Protected October 20th, 2017 | Author: YourSDP


In keeping with the PAP culture of claiming all the glory while avoiding any responsibility, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan has yet again placed blame on everyone but himself in the latest incident of flooding in the MRT tunnel.

Mr Khaw pointed his finger at the SMRT staff and said that they had “failed us”. As a result, the leader of the unit in charged of anti-flooding maintenance was removed and the team members will have their bonuses cut.

Such action would have sufficed if the incident was an isolated one. But breakdowns and other serious lapses of the train system are a common, even regular, occurrence that have gone on for years.

The breakdown of the Downtown Line 3 during its open house is just the most recent one in a multitude of train system malfunctions. Glass panels at train stations have shattered, the inside of train carriages have leaked during heavy rains, and brand new trains have even been found to have cracks in them.

In 2016, two SMRT workers were killed at the Pasir Ris Station. Investigations showed that the tragic accident occurred because safety procedures were not followed – for 14 years.

All this took place under Mr Khaw’s watch. Yet, the Transport Minister has managed to cast the blame on someone or something else on each and every occasion. Disciplinary action against staff members have been taken and fines imposed.

But as the minister-in-charge of such a shambolic system, Mr Khaw remains in his post and continues to enjoy the enormous salary that he clearly does not deserve.

SMRT CEO Mr Desmond Kuek blamed the woes that have plagued the system on “deep-seated cultural issues” within the company.

Such an observation is indicative that the problems extend well beyond employees of SMRT. It falls on the lap of the minister whose responsibility it is to change the organisation’s culture if it is found wanting.


continue reading here : http://www.tremeritus.com/2017/10/20...and-step-down/


Do you guys agree ?

[skyleon]

Sit-in protest to be held for frequent train breakdowns and latest flooding incident at NSL


Protected October 20th, 2017 | Author: Editorial


Mr Gilbert Goh, the founder of Transitioning.org is organizing another sit-in protest at Hong Lim Park on 4 November (Saturday), in light of the recent major service disruption in the train system at North South Line on 7 October (Saturday) and breakdown at Downtown Line on last Sunday.

According to Gilbert, the planned two-hour sit-in-protest seeks to allow Singaporeans to show their displeasure at the frequent train break down and the latest mishap which was badly managed by the leadership of the transport company.

“Singaporeans have suffer immensely and silently from their train failures for many years and its time we step up our protest so we wont be seen as taking it lightly” Gilbert reportedly said.

In a press conference by LTA and SMRT on Monday (15th Oct), it was revealed that the flooding of the MRT tunnel which caused a twenty-hours termination of service for six stations was caused by poor maintenance of the anti-flooding system. A few days later, the Vice-President of Maintenance at SMRT was replaced to placate angry commuters.

Mr Desmond Kuek, Chief Executive Officer of SMRT said at the press conference that deep-seated cultural issues remain within the company that need more time to root out, despite some progress being made.

“Indeed, many of our major disruptions in the past have been attributed in some part, or all, to human error or failure,” Mr Kuek said. ” We regret that this is so.”

Khaw Boon Wan, who is the minister in charge of LTA said at the same press conference that if the anti-flooding system was well-maintained, the reservoir to hold the excessive rainwater should be empty before it starts to flow.

There were plans to replace the water pumps on 29 September, but it was delayed, said Mr Khaw.


continue reading here : http://www.tremeritus.com/2017/10/20...cident-at-nsl/


Thank you Mr Gilbert Goh for organising the event . Please support this event if you are not satisfied with the mrt service in Sillypore .

[skyleon]

Delays on Downtown Line 3 due to defective train, emergency button activation: SBS Transit



21 Oct 2017 05:21PM (Updated: 21 Oct 2017 06:50PM)



SINGAPORE: Delays on the Downtown Line 3 (DTL3) during its opening day were caused by a defective train as well as the activation of an emergency button, said SBS Transit on Saturday (Oct 21).

"This afternoon on the DTL, a defective train was withdrawn from service at the Tampines West Station which caused a delay of about five minutes," said SBS Transit in a statement.

"Following this, a passenger activated the emergency communication button on another train as it was approaching the Tampines East Station," SBS Transit added. "This added a further delay of about 15 minutes."

The transport operator added that it was investigating the cause of the train fault.

Commuters reported delays on the new line a few hours after it officially opened.

At around 2pm, commuters took to social media to complain, with Twitter user T.O.P_KING posting that the train he was on had stopped "at every station for a short while".

Delays were reported at various stations along the line including at Tan Kah Kee, Sixth Avenue, Tampines and Bedok North.

Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...rgency-9331834


New line also got problem . So how Mr Khaw ? What excuse are you giving this time ? Still want to vote for PAP ?

[skyleon]

Commuters experience Downtown Line delays on first day of DTL 3 opening

The soft launch a week ago also experienced delays.

By Guan Zhen Tan | 5 hours


Commuters on the Downtown Line 3 on Saturday, Oct. 21, are reporting delays on the first day the line opens to the public.

The commuters say they are “stuck” at some stations such as Bedok North station and Mattar station.

The Straits Times reported that the delay is due to a train fault, and the defective train was pushed out.

One train had stopped at Promenade station and moved only after 20 minutes.

Social media has been peppered with posts about the DTL delay:



continue reading here : https://mothership.sg/2017/10/commut...dtl-3-opening/


Such world class transport system . Still want to raise fares ?

[SiaSuay]

Seriously new line also have problem ??? So I wonder what Ah Khaw will do now ? He must be thinking what excuse to give and to find some one or something to blame . This sort of minister only good at playing taiji . I wonder why people vote for him.

[hatga]

Originally Posted by skyleon

Khaw must accept full responsibility and step down


Protected October 20th, 2017 | Author: YourSDP


In keeping with the PAP culture of claiming all the glory while avoiding any responsibility, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan has yet again placed blame on everyone but himself in the latest incident of flooding in the MRT tunnel.

Mr Khaw pointed his finger at the SMRT staff and said that they had “failed us”. As a result, the leader of the unit in charged of anti-flooding maintenance was removed and the team members will have their bonuses cut.

Such action would have sufficed if the incident was an isolated one. But breakdowns and other serious lapses of the train system are a common, even regular, occurrence that have gone on for years.

The breakdown of the Downtown Line 3 during its open house is just the most recent one in a multitude of train system malfunctions. Glass panels at train stations have shattered, the inside of train carriages have leaked during heavy rains, and brand new trains have even been found to have cracks in them.

In 2016, two SMRT workers were killed at the Pasir Ris Station. Investigations showed that the tragic accident occurred because safety procedures were not followed – for 14 years.

All this took place under Mr Khaw’s watch. Yet, the Transport Minister has managed to cast the blame on someone or something else on each and every occasion. Disciplinary action against staff members have been taken and fines imposed.

But as the minister-in-charge of such a shambolic system, Mr Khaw remains in his post and continues to enjoy the enormous salary that he clearly does not deserve.

SMRT CEO Mr Desmond Kuek blamed the woes that have plagued the system on “deep-seated cultural issues” within the company.

Such an observation is indicative that the problems extend well beyond employees of SMRT. It falls on the lap of the minister whose responsibility it is to change the organisation’s culture if it is found wanting.


continue reading here : http://www.tremeritus.com/2017/10/20...and-step-down/


Do you guys agree ?

No, I don't agree .... his boss must step down as well

[ibanezjem555]

At Sembawang last GE, i vote sexy Kervyn n spectacle man. My OC's mum also. A single model mum n young specky man will be more honest than this bloody Kaw.

KWB say Downtownline is makan line.. yes, he makan $1mil, never do anything, jia liao bee n blame others... MRT makan our time with delays... really makan line..

Today NS line delay.. but again reporters no say.. rather report on brothel in hbd.. knn.. important thing plse report lah !

[xofirexo]

Originally Posted by ibanezjem555

At Sembawang last GE, i vote sexy Kervyn n spectacle man. My OC's mum also. A single model mum n young specky man will be more honest than this bloody Kaw.

KWB say Downtownline is makan line.. yes, he makan $1mil, never do anything, jia liao bee n blame others... MRT makan our time with delays... really makan line..

Today NS line delay.. but again reporters no say.. rather report on brothel in hbd.. knn.. important thing plse report lah !

Very typical mah, those white-controlled media always use other headlines to cover up their failures

[skyleon]

SMRT to hire 40% more rail engineers, set up teams to audit maintenance work


PUBLISHED 59 MIN AGO

Adrian Lim

Transport Correspondent


SINGAPORE - SMRT has set a target of hiring 40 per cent more rail engineers by 2020, beefing up the total number to 700 from the current 500.

It will also set up readiness inspection teams, which will report independently to an audit and risk committee, to audit maintenance works. The teams will serve as an additional layer of checks and balances.

These measures to boost MRT reliability were announced by SMRT chairman Seah Moon Ming on Monday (Oct 23).

"We have a long road ahead of us as we drive towards rail excellence. We must win back the public's trust and confidence in SMRT," said Mr Seah in a speech, his first public remarks since last week's press conference to address a tunnel flooding incident earlier this month.

"This is why we need engineers with a high level of competence, applied courageously and leveraged through the right connections," he added.

Mr Seah was speaking at the Nanyang Technological University at One-North to 250 SMRT engineers who are attending a postgraduate certificate course jointly run by SMRT and the University of Birmingham.

Mr Seah said that even as SMRT works with the Land Transport Authority to upgrade older rail lines and to improve maintenance, engineering expertise will also be called upon to build resilience in the network with more "fail-safe" and "fail-soft" features.

This means that even when the rail system breaks down, it fails in a safe manner and it does not fail totally, with back-ups in place, he said.


continue reading here : http://www.straitstimes.com/singapor...intenance-work


Hope you hire Singaporeans first and give them the necessary tools to do their job well.

[skyleon]

Are MRT disruptions “normal accidents”?


By Adrian W J Kuah

Published: 7:30 PM, October 23, 2017

Updated: 7:35 PM, October 23, 2017



Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system has suffered disruptions of increasing frequency and severity in recent years. The latest one occurred on Oct 7 on the North South line, caused by the dramatic flooding of the tunnel between the Bishan and Toa Payoh stations.

Are such disruptions the new normal for the MRT system? Or as the sociologist Charles Perrow might ask, are they “normal accidents”?

Prof Perrow coined the term “normal accident” in his study of the 1979 Three Mile Island Accident, in which cascading and interlocking technical and human failures resulted in a nuclear reactor meltdown. He argued that normal accidents are both inevitable and inherent in systems that exhibit “tight coupling” and “catastrophic potential”.

The elements of a tightly-coupled system – both technological and organisational – not only interact with each other but are interdependent. In fact, the different parts of the system are so enmeshed together that it is usually necessary to shut down the entire system in order to fix errors or even to maintain it.

And because of tight coupling, small failures in different parts of the system quickly and unpredictably combine to create a major failure that cascades throughout the system.

Does the MRT system exhibit such characteristics that make it prone to normal accidents? A train system is not usually the first example that comes to mind when we talk about complex systems.

The underlying technology is mechanical and is governed by the laws of linear, Newtonian physics. And the overarching organisation is a top-down hierarchy that is focused on command and control, and operates on the principle of a clearly-defined division of labour. Just think of every boxes-and-lines organisational chart you have ever seen.

Beyond a certain threshold, though, a linear and predictable engineering system can tip into a non-linear and unpredictable complex one.

For a public train system, it happens when the number of components of the system increases: from a basic configuration of North South and East West lines in 1987 to one markedly different today in terms of new lines and interconnections.

Also, the sheer spike in passenger volume over the years has pushed the MRT system to operating at capacity, and in the process eroded SMRT’s ability to effectively monitor and govern the system.


continue reading here : http://www.todayonline.com/singapore...rmal-accidents


Seriously what kind of an article is this ? Why can't Singapore MRT system perform like that of Hong Kong ; China & Taiwan ? And I wonder why doesn't the government form a committee to look into the frequent mrt disruptions ?

[Rupp]

Now heavy rain I wonder if the mrt tunnel will get flooded or not .

[skyleon]

Commuters report train delays on East-West Line


BY
KENNETH CHENG

9:41 AM, OCTOBER 24, 2017
UPDATED: 10:03 AM, OCTOBER 24, 2017

SINGAPORE — Commuters are reporting that several stations along the East-West Line are seeing large crowds on Tuesday (Oct 24) morning, with some saying the trains they are on have not moved for as much as 25 minutes.

Pictures posted on social media show platforms – from Pasir Ris to Bedok – overrun with commuters.

Massive train delay on EW line and no one is reporting about it. 15 min and counting. cc @SMRT_Singapore pic.twitter.com/e9blAbtXrI

— Liane Ng (@angmohlian) October 24, 2017

The line's operator SMRT has not posted updates on any delay, as of 9.30am. TODAY has approached SMRT for comments.

Hey @SMRT_Singapore what's happening at Pasir Ris? pic.twitter.com/sLmayqiDy4

— Farah Daley (@farahdaley) October 24, 2017

Commuter Lee Pei Zi, 26, said she waited 15 minutes to board a train at Bedok MRT station. The financial analyst, who was heading to Raffles Place MRT station, said announcements at the station blamed the delay on issues with the signalling system that was affecting the entire line, asking commuters to add an extra 10 minutes to their travelling time.

On Twitter, a user with the handle Mr Mo said he had just entered Simei MRT Station when a train delay resulting from a "signalling fault" was announced.


continue reading here : http://www.todayonline.com/singapore...east-west-line


So now become no more incident reporting from SMRT & LTA ? Running out of excuses to give ? So how Mr Khaw ? Is that what you call " That's Life " ? Still want to vote for PAP ?

[sionglim]

Thk for update,
About to check on stopage becos of the rain,
I notice the ppl there dont pray seventh month.