2 young lives lost

[sionglim]

ligtning strike , faraday cage, effectives must do a simulation test on the driver compartment,high volt,low current.
Say is like tat faraday cage, maybe insulation konk??

conduction only when resistance is low,
If train head receive the strike,not the cage.
Driver kenna.

[skyleon]

Joo Koon train collision: Signalling system provider Thales 'could have done better', says Khaw Boon Wan

Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan speaking to reporters after a joint press conference on Nov 21.

21 Nov 2017 06:27PM (Updated: 21 Nov 2017 06:45PM)


SINGAPORE: The French company which supplied the new signalling system for the East-West Line (EWL) on which a train collision happened last week "could have done better", said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Tuesday (Nov 21).

He acknowledged that Thales was faced with a "challenging situation", having to deal with two different signalling systems on the EWL. Most of the line runs on the old signalling system, while a segment of the Tuas West Extension (TWE) runs on the new system provided by Thales.

"Still, Thales could have done better. They have acknowledged their mistake and have apologised," said Mr Khaw.

The minister was speaking after a news conference by the Land Transport Authority (LTA), train operator SMRT and Thales detailing their findings on the train collision at Joo Koon MRT station on Nov 15.

The collision was caused when a protective "bubble" around the first train was "unexpectedly disabled" when it passed a trackside device at Clementi. This device had not been modified to be compatible with the new signalling system.

As the second train did not sense the protective "bubble", which ensures safe distances between trains, it started to move forward automatically and hit the first train, said SMRT and LTA.

"There was no human error in this case," the transport operator added.

For the time being, the signalling systems on the TWE and the rest of the EWL will be kept separate to "reduce the complications" of operating two different systems, said SMRT and LTA.

This means there will be no train service between two stations - Joo Koon and Gul Circle.

"I think that is a good decision," said Mr Khaw. "To end their (Thales') misery, we just keep this complete separation."

Read more at http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/...-could-9425970


Again someone open his big mouth and blame someone else instead of accepting accountability and responsibility . How can we trust the PAP ? Somemore the Tuas side is only a few months old and this sort of thing can happen which injures 38 people . Do you think it is fair to those commuters ? Such incompentencies from those in charge . In Japan they would have committed harikiri .

[skyleon]

SMRT driver involved in lightning incident discharged


By Cynthia Choo



A train captain in his 20s has been injured, after lightning struck the MRT train he was driving towards the Bedok station on Monday evening. Photo: Jason Quah/TODAY


Published20 November, 2017

Updated 21 November, 2017



SINGAPORE — A train captain who had to be taken to the hospital after a lightning incident has been discharged, SMRT said on Tuesday (Nov 21) in an update on his condition.

It was initially reported that lightning had struck the MRT train he was driving towards the Bedok station around 4pm on Monday. The driver, who is in his 20s, was subsequently taken to the Changi General Hospital.

SMRT, which had earlier said it was investigating a "possible lightning strike", clarified on Tuesday that lightning did not strike the train. A thorough inspection by its engineers found no burnt marks.

Trackside equipment, however, was affected and a number of track circuits "experienced failure", said SMRT Trains chief executive Lee Ling Wee on Tuesday. He was speaking at a briefing on the Joo Koon collision on Nov 15, which injured at least three dozen commuters.

In a separate reply to queries from TODAY, SMRT said the train captain had been on medical leave for two days prior to the incident, adding: "After the lightning incident, he reported that he was feeling unwell and as a precautionary measure to ensure the wellbeing of our staff, he was admitted to hospital for observation."


continue reading here : http://www.todayonline.com/singapore...-mrt-train-ewl


Glad to hear that he had been discharged from hospital .

[skyleon]

Lightning bolt did not strike MRT train & driver warded in hospital was previously on MC

The lightning strike affected trackside equipment instead.

By Sulaiman Daud | 3 hours


On Nov. 20, it was reported that a lightning strike had disrupted train services along the East West Line, between Paya Lebar and Tanah Merah MRT stations.

The train captain who felt unwell had to be taken to hospital by the SCDF.


Investigation concluded

It was initially reported that lightning had struck the MRT train itself, but SMRT have conducted an investigation and found that this was not the case. The lightning bolt had instead affected trackside equipment.

Here’s the statement, from SMRT’s Vice President of Corporate Communications Patrick Nathan:


“We have completed our investigations into the west-bound train that stalled as it was approaching Bedok MRT station yesterday. Our engineers, upon inspection, confirm that the train was not hit by lightning. Instead, lightning affected trackside equipment.

After the lightning incident, the train was immediately able to recover and move on its own power, moving passengers safely to Bedok station. At Bedok station, passengers alighted and the train was promptly withdrawn from service to allow for a thorough inspection by our engineers .

We would like to reiterate that passengers’ safety, as well as that of our staff, is of paramount importance to us. We wish to assure all passengers that it is safe to travel in our trains during a lightning storm because trains are protected by a “Faraday Cage”. This is an enclosure formed by conductive material that blocks electric fields and electric currents, such as lightning strikes, from entering the trains. During lightning, the electric current will travel through the outside shell of the train and not into the cabin. It then travels through the wheels to the track.”

As mentioned in our earlier article, it is safe to travel in trains even during a lightning storm as the passengers inside are protected similarly to trains and planes.

Injured man was on MC

But if that’s the case, why was the train captain warded in hospital?

Well it turns out that he had been on MC prior to the incident and was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.



continue reading here : https://mothership.sg/2017/11/lightn...viously-on-mc/

[ItsEileen]

Whenever I take the mrt I will always wonder if I can arrive at my destination safely or not . Wonder what is wrong with Singapore mrt system ? So many breakdowns .

[sionglim]

so strike on power electronic.
Now they say got lightning absorber..??
thor not happy liao..

[skyleon]

SMRT: Who is Thales?

November 22, 2017


Thales is the signalling expert working with SMRT, and a French multinational company that designs and builds electrical systems and provides services for the aerospace, defence, transportation and security markets.

With 62,000 employees in 56 countries, Thales reported sales of €14 billion in 2015. Thales Group is ranked the 475th largest company in the world by Fortune 500 Global. It is also the 10th largest defence contractor in the world and 55% of its total sales are military sales. The CEO of Thales Group is Patrice Caine who has been in the top post since December 2014.

THALES IN SINGAPORE

A software update, developed and tested by Thales, was installed on the new signalling system on the North-South Line (NSL) this year, according to SMRT. The upgrade was carried out in the nation’s two oldest lines, the North-South Line and the East-West Line.

Currently, most of the East-West Line still runs on the 30-year-old signalling system while only a segment of the Tuas West Extension (TWE) – a four-station, 7.5km-stretch that extends from Joo Koon station – is using Thales’ new signalling system, which allows trains to arrive at up to 100-second intervals, instead of the current 120 seconds.

Thales has been present in Singapore for over 40 years, providing state-of-the-art solutions for customers in the aerospace, defence, security and transportation (S&T) domains. Thales employs over 600 people in the country today.

Thales has been providing the Singapore Armed Forces with equipment in air defence, communications and naval sensors, and continues to be a partner in safeguarding the security and sovereignty of Singapore. It is also involved in building up local industrial capabilities in avionics production & Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO).

Thales professes that it works closely with the government of Singapore, lending its expertise to develop cutting-edge defence technologies with its research arms DSO National Laboratories and the Future Systems & Technology Directorate.

In June 2016, Thales appointed Kevin Chow as CEO of Thales Singapore. Mr Chow is the first Singaporean designated with this key role at Thales. He holds a Masters of Science degree in Aerospace Vehicle Design from Cranfield University, UK and Diplome d’Ingénieur (Masters degree in Engineering) from Ecole Nationale d’Aviation Civile in Toulouse, France. Mr Chow was also a former Vice President and General Manager from ST Aerospace.



continue reading here : http://www.theindependent.sg/smrt-who-is-thales/

[nitecrawllerr]

Wow. Everyone is apologising. Now Thales learning fast from Cow

[SiaSuay]

1 ) Track fault

2 ) Train fault

3 ) Signalling fault

4) Train stalled

5) Emergency brake fault

6 ) Door not opening on platform .

7 ) Glass panel on platform came off

8 ) water leaked in train cabin

9 ) Freon gas leaked in train cabin .

10 ) fire in tunnel

11 ) flooding in tunnel .

12) Software problem ( EWL}

13 ) the melting was caused by an electrical arcing - similar to the one which sparked a trackside fire between Marina Bay and Raffles Place stations on Oct 7, and which was caused by a build-up of debris.

14) train overshot the platform have to reverse

15 ) defective train stalled rescue train dispatched also stalled . What a joke .

16) train colliding with train

17) 'inadvertent' removal of software protection feature

18 ) Every time Mr Khaw open his big moth something serious happen

19 ) Finally PM LHL speaks about the mrt problems .

20 ) After PM LHL speaks lightning strike at mrt equipment forcing train to stall .


It certainly looks like even God is not please with PAP & SMRT .

1) Tunnel flooding

2) Train collision

3) lightning strike


One would have thought that with the government taking over the rail assets and spending millions of taxpayers money on the infrastructure one would assume that services would improve . But did it ? Now commuters have lose faith in Singapore mrt system and PAP . Certainly someone is not doing their job well . Someone need to take accountability and responsibility . So what happens if there is another serious incident ? Would the PM and Mr Khaw take responsibility since PM LHL and PAP has thrown his full support behind Mr Khaw ?

[SiaSuay]

Originally Posted by nitecrawllerr

Wow. Everyone is apologising. Now Thales learning fast from Cow

Apologise also not use . Disruptions are still happening . Someone should commit hari kiri . Well that's life isn't it ?

[sionglim]

its happening, 545pm.
clementi track fault now.

[nitecrawllerr]

Originally Posted by SiaSuay

Apologise also not use . Disruptions are still happening . Someone should commit hari kiri . Well that's life isn't it ?

Cow still insist he on the right track woh

“I gave myself 4 years. We are halfway through. If not for (the Joo Koon collision) as well as the flooding incident, we were actually making good progress, as PM Lee described before,” he said, with Channel NewsAsia capturing the moment.

So hes not going to step down or hara kiri.

https://www.msn.com/en-sg/news/singa...ocid=ACERDHP17

[skyleon]

All S’pore’s public buses set to be green in colour because the LTA will own them

It's not because they're becoming the Hulk.

By Joshua Lee | 7 hours



If you’ve been keeping your eyes peeled on the road, you might have noticed that slowly, but surely, more of our buses are turning green.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced in 2016 that all buses will don the same kind of livery to create a “unified and distinctive identity for our Singapore Bus” once all buses return to the government’s ownership.

Increasingly, commuters are seeing public transport being consolidated and centralised under the control of the government, although they still insist that public transport is not being nationalised now or anytime soon.

How did we get here?


‘A World Class Land Transport System’

In 1996, the newly formed LTA released a land transport White Paper, titled ‘A World Class Land Transport System‘, which documented the initiatives the government was going to take to make public transport the main mode of transport for 75% of the population.

Page from the 1996 public transport White Paper. Via NAS.

Operating a world class land transport system was meant to be a partnership between the government, the public transport operators (PTOs), and the commuter.

For example, when it came to financing the rail network, the White Paper urged commuters to bear in mind that fare increases were going to be part and parcel of an improving public transport services.

The government also decided to to finance our public transport operations in the following way:
•Government pays for the infrastructure (viaducts, tunnels, tracks)
•Government pays for the first set of operating assets (trains, signalling system)
•Cost of future operating assets (new train, new system) shared by PTO (who pays the equivalent of the price of the first set of operating assets) and government (pays the balance)
•Commuters will pay fares that cover the operating costs, including depreciation.



continue reading here : https://mothership.sg/2017/11/singap...terventionist/

[skyleon]

Khaw: Aside from the flooding incident and MRT collision, we are “actually making good progress”

November 22, 2017




Social media is rife with fresh citicism over Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan’s comments last night that aside from the flooding incident and MRT collision, “we were making good progress”:

“I gave myself 4 years. We are halfway through. If not for (the Joo Koon collision) as well as the flooding incident, we were actually making good progress, as PM Lee described before”

The Minister was referring to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s comments on the public train transport here, while he was speaking at the PAP Convention last Sunday.

Pointing to the train collision at Joo Koon station earlier this week that caused at least 36 people to sustain injuries and the MRT tunnel flooding incident last month that caused a 20-hour service disruption, PM Lee said: “We have made progress, but there have been setbacks.”

Commenting that the government’s standards must have dropped if this is considered “good progress,” netizens trolled Khaw mercilessly:

The Transport Minister’s comments came after a statement released by SMRT and LTA yesterday that 17 East-West Line (EWL) MRT stations and 2 North-South Line (NSL) MRT stations will be fully closed on Dec 10 and Dec 17 and that will close earlier on Fridays and Saturdays (11pm) and open later on Saturdays and Sundays (8am).



continue reading here : http://www.theindependent.sg/khaw-as...good-progress/


People cannot wait for you for 4 years to improve your lousy mrt network . What happen if there is another serious incident that injures or even kill your commuters ? Will you and the PAP take responsibility ?

[skyleon]

Majority think MRT is not well run, and are not confident things will improve soon: Survey


Published21 November, 2017

Updated 22 November, 2017



SINGAPORE — A poll conducted by a market research company has found that public confidence in the MRT system has been severely dented by several high-profile disruptions recently, with 65 per cent of respondents saying they do not think the system is well run.

The findings bear out an observation made by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Nov 19) that the incidents have “hurt public confidence a lot”.

Slightly more than half (55 per cent) rated the current train performance poorly, in the survey by Blackbox Research of 1,000 people aged 15 and older which was conducted from Nov 10 to 16 — a period that covered the train collision at Joo Koon station on Nov 15 that injured 38.

About six in 10, or 59 per cent, of the respondents do not think that things will improve in the next 12 months, although the authorities have said the signalling system upgrade on the North-South East-West Lines is expected to be completed within this period, bringing greater reliability to the train network.



continue reading here : http://www.todayonline.com/singapore...ve-soon-survey


However some people will still insist that the train reliability has improved.