Irregularities found before Dec 17 disruption
By Hetty Musfirah | Posted: 30 April 2012 2139 hrs
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SINGAPORE: Fresh scratch marks on the third rail cover and a cracked mirror that may have affected readings taken during checks were some of the unusual irregularities found during preventive maintenance work before the second major train disruption on 17 December.
Now into its third week, the public inquiry into the train disruptions saw maintenance personnel taking the stand on Monday.
Five trains had stalled during the morning disruption on 17 December.
The cause was traced to a sagged third rail on the southbound track, between Newton and Orchard stations.
Before the start of service hours at nearly 1.30am, the Multi Function Vehicle was deployed to conduct checks on the third rail.
SMRT's assistant engineer Yew Kai Png, who was manning the vehicle, said he encountered a loss of readings on the same stretch.
Meanwhile, at Dhoby Ghaut station, he realised a mirror of the vehicle needed for readings to be recorded had cracked.
Mr Yew said till this day he does not know why the mirror had cracked.
He said it was his first time experiencing it though he knew of at least two other instances where the mirror had cracked before.
He said it has to do with something that was protruding from the third rail area.
Mr Yew said he reported the loss of readings and the cracked mirror to his night duty officer.
Fearing he may have computed the wrong data into the vehicle, he had asked for follow-up checks to be done over a larger area, beyond where the loss of readings had occurred.
It is unclear at this point of the inquiry, if the area inspected had included where the third rail had sagged.
So far, investigations have shown that the maintenance personnel did not find any abnormalities, before service hours commenced on 17 December.
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By Hetty Musfirah | Posted: 30 April 2012 2139 hrs
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An SMRT train approaching the platform at a train station in Singapore. (File pic) | |||||||||||
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SINGAPORE: Fresh scratch marks on the third rail cover and a cracked mirror that may have affected readings taken during checks were some of the unusual irregularities found during preventive maintenance work before the second major train disruption on 17 December.
Now into its third week, the public inquiry into the train disruptions saw maintenance personnel taking the stand on Monday.
Five trains had stalled during the morning disruption on 17 December.
The cause was traced to a sagged third rail on the southbound track, between Newton and Orchard stations.
Before the start of service hours at nearly 1.30am, the Multi Function Vehicle was deployed to conduct checks on the third rail.
SMRT's assistant engineer Yew Kai Png, who was manning the vehicle, said he encountered a loss of readings on the same stretch.
Meanwhile, at Dhoby Ghaut station, he realised a mirror of the vehicle needed for readings to be recorded had cracked.
Mr Yew said till this day he does not know why the mirror had cracked.
He said it was his first time experiencing it though he knew of at least two other instances where the mirror had cracked before.
He said it has to do with something that was protruding from the third rail area.
Mr Yew said he reported the loss of readings and the cracked mirror to his night duty officer.
Fearing he may have computed the wrong data into the vehicle, he had asked for follow-up checks to be done over a larger area, beyond where the loss of readings had occurred.
It is unclear at this point of the inquiry, if the area inspected had included where the third rail had sagged.
So far, investigations have shown that the maintenance personnel did not find any abnormalities, before service hours commenced on 17 December.
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