Senior Vice President of SBS Transit Corporate Communications Tammy Tan said the water leakage in an MRT train was "due to an electronic failure in the air-conditioning control system". That's bull and you don't need an engineering degree to know it.
Air conditioners work by removing moisture from the environment to give us a feeling of comfort. The water extracted from the air during operation falls down the cooling coils and drains into the base and channels or passages to the discharge outlet. Air conditioners "sweat" when the air filters are dirty or the discharged channels clogged. In other words, assuming the system was installed correctly in the first place, it is an issue of poor maintenance.
The on-going 6 hour disruption for the Dolby Ghaut to Harbour Front NEL is attributed to a connecting cable of the overhead power supply located south of Outram Park station which had snapped. No doubt it is due to another failure of the maintenance system, or the lack there of.
The real worry is the falling e-clip, last detected at the Clementi section. Manufacturer PANDROL introduced their e-PLUS System in 2000 as a retrofit system for older ‘e’ clip sleepers installed in locations with very high lateral forces, such as the curving section at Clementi when centrifugal forces kick in. SMRT is still using the old ‘e’ clips.
The SMRT spokesperson with the fancy job title said the "indoor rainfall" fault has since been rectified. Let's see how she comes up with another story when a train flies off the track.
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It never cease to amaze me how they still have not learnt their lesson, of just coming out to tell the truth - plain and simple. The lack of sense of accountability and transparency still prevails. Seriously, after getting a major $1.1b injection fund from taxpayers, the least they could do is not to insult our intelligence with a cock and more cock story.
ReplyDeleteNow I see the good reason for $1.1B is put into good use for ferrying pax in between stations that are affected by frequent train breakdown.
DeleteTrain delays particularly during morning peak hours are still fairly common. Commuters traffic flow at interchange stations are not looked into and looked like a cowboy town most of the time. Stations are very crowded and it is a recipe for stampede situations. Feedback to LTA n transport operators were ignored totally without even a template reply. Nobody seems to be working. This is our much talked about 1st world transport system.
ReplyDeleteIt's rather worrisome, our ne line run by SBS is rather new line with newer trains, however, it's also having frequent break down ?
ReplyDeleteWhat is happening ? Who is the CEO of ne train line ? I hope some competent personel will take over. Ne line will be more dangerous should anything happen as this line is drvierless !
Our public transports is really in dire situation, no wonder pm does not dare to consider by election soonner ...
Well the ex-CEO has now a new blog titled 'i saw, isphy. I think 'sphy' means or supposed to read as 'spy"? Let's see what she is intending to spill. Maybe she will do a conscience tell-all just like the Goldman Sach executives after reaping millions for the firm, denounced it a morally bankrupt monster...lol
ReplyDeleteMy opinion is that resource for maintenance in terms of expertise, manpower and funds has been sidelined for revenue generating projects. Coupled with INFLUX of foreign talents or workers who lack the acute awareness of local conditions seems to me to be the perfect recipe for things to fall apart.
ReplyDeletehow much of these breakdowns have to do with unforseen(like so many other things in this country which claims to plan long-term) occurrences? like extra load on trains? was the NEL built to carry the load it does now? or just the load back dunno when it was being built?
ReplyDeleteanother major factor is poor maintenance. basically, singapore has a big time maintenance issue. ie things are not maintained. when people here have problems with whatever, these are chucked out, or pulled down.
pipes leaking in your flat? sell it, or better still, move to en bloc the entire estate. machine doesn't work? chuck it out. old people not performing? ship them off to another country.
this throwaway mentality is costing us billions and using up too mcuh resources. it is so very wasteful too. how long can we continue with this kind of irresponsible attitude? we cant even keep our drains clean anymore!!
right now, the country can hardly afford not to take in more foreigners, just in construction. among the things being built - a new plane terminal, a sports centre, mucho condos, hundreds of HDB flats, new hospitals and medical centres, several waterways, major highways, industrial estates, more attractions at the IRs....
anyone who says it is possible to cut back on foreign labour with all this going on in just ONE area, is an utter fool. and a liar!
since you ask..the autopilot has been going on for many years now. maybe some people ought to look into those so-called 'maintenance' expenses and see where the money has really gone. starting from PUB to SMRT etc.
Deletehttp://www.sqlhack.net/2012/03/14/singapore-must-achieve-more-with-less-by-ngiam-tong-dow-published-march-14-2012/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=singapore-must-achieve-more-with-less-by-ngiam-tong-dow-published-march-14-2012
As for those amateurs 'futurists' who claim to have vision in 'long-term planning'..please open your eyes and stop buying those impossible talents' koyok they try to sell you.
http://www.centreforaviation.com/analysis/singapore-changis-decision-to-close-budget-terminal-could-backfire-as-need-for-third-runway-grows-69323
I think all these 'competitive' talk etc is just the way government feels they need to send a message of (contrived) progress, that it’s a place moving forward with a master plan (a bit like having to ‘look’ busy in your own workplaces). We are already over engineered, and we are getting ahead of ourselves to make everything more complex when it can be simpler. Nationalize the whole damn transportation.
ReplyDeleteNow already so many problems cropping up & remaining unsolved, what if we reach the targetted 6M population that our leaders say is ideal for Singapore ?
ReplyDeleteWill our train/bus fares, hospital fees, flat & COE prices, etc., 'explode' out of control ?
Singapore population = 5 million plus.
ReplyDeleteUSA population = 312 million plus
Do you still think our leaders deserve higher salary than USA President Obama?
Obama.
Now that's a guy who really has a right to say that he has too many national and international
things on his agenda to worry about the Hougang by-election.
Anybody here agrees?
Agreed! Then again President Obama will not say that. He cannot, will not, have no reason to!
DeleteOur MIWs think we should be bigger but we are just a little red dot so they need higher salaries to feel a little more important (dignified, they say). It may not be long before they demand to be UN General Secretary, if not a seat on the Security Council.
ReplyDeleteWho is Obama? At the very most he will have one more term before being put out to pasture, without even a emeritus title.
Saycheese
I feel sorry for Minister LTY having to come back during his leave (thats what is reported) but there again if you pay me millions a year, I can even forgo my annual leave.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is even he is at the scene, what change does he make? He had been there at most of the train problems but life goes on. Say, say and forget. Got more problem, say say again. I also want this job. Stress free lah. When challenged, just say something that no one can understand. "The cable is suppose to carry 10 times the intended weight, we have no idea why it breaks." When the metal clips came off, we will not blame lack of maintenance.
It is obvious to citizens that no maintenance is the cause of all these problems but no one will admit. What can we the commuters do? Sigh!
Why feel sorry for a Minister who chose to defend the fare rise and NOT do anything to reform the transport system into a real first world one? FromTaxi to Bus to SMRT..he is not stepping up the plate and reform where it really matters. It is the millions of commuters that should be sorry that they have no viable choices in this critical area where it impact their lives day in/day out. Just showing up your 'face' is good hands-on attempt, but that really is the job for the acting CEO, rather than the Minister to execute. He is focusing on the wrong priorities.
DeleteThis is the guy who said, "With no changes to fare adjustments, the disabled and polytechnic students will not get to enjoy any fare concessions." We asked him to reduce fare,and this sick mind thinks of fare increases. Tuck Yew, man!
DeleteTwo more bus depot will be built. There should be more buses to use whenever the trains breakdown. As it is, (train)breakdowns are getting more frequent.
ReplyDeleteThey are trying hard to solve the problems of a 'privatized' PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM. Are they using the right method as in providing the most effective and equitable solution to the Rail/Train Problem???
patriot
Is been 3 mths since the last fiasco. I have never since so many of our MSM all scrambling to be the Comms centers for SMRT/SBS. From Today, STcom, CNA to even TOC & other News blog sites are 'repeating' the same transport news (delay or resume). They went from ZERO communication to the public to 200% communications overkill. You get the same tweets all over again every time there are such cases. Do you ever see The Telegraph, Guardian, NYT or for that matter SCMP help these public releases?!!! While I commend on the increased efforts, isn't it time SMRT/SBS have their own alert portal and manage it themselves? The longer all MSM are handholding them, the longer I am convinced they are not holding it together on their own strength.
ReplyDeleteONLY in Singapore
We pay millions of tax payer's dollars to our Ministers.
ReplyDeleteAnd what do the Ministers end up doing?
They end up micro-managing a private transport operator's operational problems.
If this is not a welfare mentality I don't know what is.
So how about using your welfare mentality to subsidize human beings instead of private, profitable bus companies instead.
As for the bus & train companies?
If you have to micro manage their operations, you might as well nationalize them\ too.
At least Singaporeans can "enjoy" the PTO's profits, while paying our high priced local talents to micro-manage the PTOs operational problems.
A lot of things in Singapore don't seem to work well. Obviously our high-paying politicians are sleeping on their job. With this state of public transport, how can people be persuaded not to use cars?
ReplyDeleteThis Will Not Definitely Be The Last SMRT Breakdown!
Precisely.!
Deletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSQliTs4h3M
ReplyDeleteThe next time TODAY wants to cover a press briefings, the least they can do is to please show the screen of the content when the EVP Wong Wai Keong is explaining why/how/what happened. People wants to see the 'content' NOT the face of the speaker lah!!! Another common sense that is not so common apparently.
"...when a train flies off the track."
ReplyDeleteWell, you are not too far off. I hope it will never happen.
SMRT has a serious operational/maintenance problem. If the trains are not safe, they should be grounded immediately.
At least the disruptions this time is well-handled, and the crow management to logistical back up were all orderly, unlike the Dec incident. They have clearly learned from the episode. Let's hope they continue to up their service and satisfaction levels across the board (both SMRT & SBS transit). Taxis is another area that is giving lots of angst. For the high price and complexity of fares, there is none when you need them. SG still far from first world transport hub.
ReplyDeleteyou know the transport system is truely fugged when there is a breakdown even before the investigative report on the last previous breakdown is completed....
ReplyDeleteexternal train consultants must be very busy laughing all the way to the bank now...
this is SBS Transit, not SMRT. You have confused the two
ReplyDelete