Regular train service between Jurong East and Buona Vista will not resume on 27 September, Friday. According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SMRT, they are working towards a partial restoration of train services instead, in the form of a single line train shuttle service that will run every 20 minutes between Jurong East and Buona Vista. This shuttle service has yet to be confirmed. In a statement posted to Facebook on 26 September, Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said, “The team from SMRT and LTA are working on a shuttle train service option between Jurong East and Buona Vista. They are currently assessing whether this can be done and they will update later today if the shuttle train service can be implemented tomorrow.”
Background
The disruption of train services along a stretch of the East-West Line between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations could persist for days after checks found that a faulty train had caused extensive damage to tracks and trackside equipment on 25 September. Rail operator SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are aiming to partially restore services on 27 September and run a shuttle train service every 20 minutes along the affected stretch.
Shuttle train services between Buona Vista and Queenstown, Boon Lay and Jurong East stations to continue
In the meantime, the shuttle train services between the Buona Vista and Queenstown stations, as well as the Jurong East and Boon Lay stations, will continue, SMRT and LTA said in a joint press release. Free regular and bridging buses have also been activated to and from the affected stations. About 620 ground staff from LTA, SMRT, SBST, Tower Transit, and police officers from TransCom, Traffic Police, and Land Divisions have been managing the crowd onsite since the morning peak of 26 September. LTA and SMRT added on 26 September, “For this morning’s peak hour commute, we have observed orderly queuing and boarding of the buses. We thank commuters for your patience and understanding.”
Extensive damage to tracks and trackside equipment found
LTA and SMRT said engineers who worked through the night found extensive damage to the track and trackside equipment. This included a total of 34 rail breaks across 1.6km of tracks between Clementi and Dover stations, and damage to three point machines which are used to divert the train to different tracks, to the third rail which supplies power, as well as to power cables and rail clips. Investigations revealed that a defective train axle box on the train dropped, which caused one bogie to come off the running rail between Dover and Clementi stations. SMRT engineers and technicians have been working continuously since 25 September to restore and replace the track and trackside equipment, and works are still ongoing. Chee added that following the repairs, engineers from LTA and SMRT will need to carry out tests and checks to ensure commuter safety before fully restoring train services.
Damaged train
Train service was first disrupted on the morning of 25 September when a train that had been in service for over 35 years developed a fault. As it was being withdrawn, it damaged the tracks, including the running rails and a third rail supplying power to the train. This led to a power fault that affected train services between Boon Lay and Queenstown MRT stations along the East-West Line. An expected delay of 20 minutes was later extended to a total cancellation of train services along that stretch. Approximately 850 passengers were also detrained and had to walk along the tracks to Clementi MRT station. The train that caused the power trip was identified as a Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) train. LTA and SMRT said on 26 September that they have conducted checks on the KHI trains, and that all such trains put in service on 26 September have passed Axle Box functionality checks.
Future implications
The ongoing disruption and extensive damage have highlighted the vulnerabilities in the ageing train infrastructure. The incident underscores the need for regular maintenance and timely upgrades to prevent such occurrences in the future. Commuters are advised to stay updated through official channels for further announcements regarding the restoration of full train services. The authorities are expected to provide more information on the progress of repairs and the feasibility of implementing the shuttle train service.
