COI Begins Public Hearing on SMRT Disruptions

[CKP]

SMRT's maintenance, dislodged claws among issues at COI public hearings

 

By Hetty Musfirah | Posted: 16 April 2012 2149 hrs

 

 

 

 

SINGAPORE: The Committee of Inquiry (COI), looking into Singapore's train disruptions on the North-South Line last December, began its public hearings on Monday.

 

And the Land Transport Authority (LTA) says the maintenance regime of operator SMRT is generally comprehensive and satisfactory, but there are areas of concern.

 

LTA also noted that SMRT's maintenance expenditure of trains and tracks did not keep pace with the increase in ridership.

 

On its part, SMRT says the disruptions were due to a rare confluence of factors.

 

Second Solicitor General Lionel Yee kicked off proceedings.

 

Mr Yee, who is from the Attorney-General's Chambers (ACG), said though proceedings were held in a courtroom, they are not meant to determine guilt of any legal liability. Instead, the focus is on fact-finding and problem-solving.

 

A total of 108 witnesses will give evidence in the six-week inquiry. They include train drivers, stations managers and three commuters affected by the disruptions on December 15, including one commuter who fainted in a stalled train.

 

Eleven of the witnesses are experts who will be called in to offer their opinion.

 

The AGC, LTA and SMRT seem to agree that the disruptions were caused by dislodged claws. These caused the third rail, which supplies electricity to power the trains, to sag.

 

Current collector devices which draw power from the rail were then damaged, causing the trains to stall.

 

But lawyer Andrew Yeo, representing LTA, pointed to another technical aspect.

 

He said wheels on the train, which have become flat over time, could have caused higher levels of vibrations and dislodged the claws.

 

LTA feels there is room for SMRT to review the wheel maintenance regime. It said SMRT also needs to tighten its record-keeping for maintenance.

 

In response, SMRT's counsel Cavinder Bull said the wheel defects did not occur due to lack of maintenance. He said wheel flats are a general issue faced by all rail operators.

 

SMRT said evidence will show that the disruptions were due to a rare confluence of factors - none of which individually, could have led to the disruptions. These factors include higher vibrations levels, the type of claws at the incident sectors and certain material defects.

 

One manufacturing defect highlighted was the fastener, another component which supports the third rail.

 

Experts say a cracked fastener was the main cause of the disruption on December 15.

 

SMRT's investigations concluded that the incidents on December 15 and December 17 were not independent - that the event on December 15 led to the December 17 disruption.

 

It's probable that the current collector devices became twisted during the incident on December 15 and took its toll on the system.

 

As for the blackout on a train on December 15, where a commuter broke a window for ventilation, SMRT said the blackout was due to back-up batteries running out of power.

 

SMRT said experts had found its regime to be consistent with good practice. They also said that SMRT could not have reasonably foreseen the particular failures which led to the two incidents.

 

Chairman of the COI, Chief District Judge Tan Siong Thye, said there are areas parties should pay attention to in the coming days. These include determining if the 45-minute time limit for back-up batteries to run in the event of a power failure on trains, is adequate.

 

He also noted that bus bridging services are not an effective way in dealing with a disruption and that more solutions are needed.

 

- CNA/de

 

 

This rare confluence of factors sounds familar... like heard and recycled from somewhere?

 

 

Three critical factors led to Mas Selamat's escape

 

Posted: 21 April 2008 1547 hrs

 

SINGAPORE: A confluence of three critical factors led to security lapses that resulted in Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) detainee Mas Selamat Kastari's escape from detention in February.

 

This was the conclusion of the Committee of Inquiry (COI) on Mas Selamat's escape from the Whitley Road Detention Centre on 27 February this year.

 

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin.../342715/1/.html

 

Edited April 16, 2012 by CKP

[Happily1986]

haha, well spotted mate!

[CKP]

haha, well spotted mate!

 

[Vhtfhwlego]

SMRT said evidence will show that the disruptions were due to a rare confluence of factors - none of which individually, could have led to the disruptions. These factors include higher vibrations levels, the type of claws at the incident sectors and certain material defects.

That is why maintenance is require

 

 

 

 

 

[Sabian]

COI for duck?

 

Parrotspeak and nothing material arises?

 

was it really the design and who the cockerel designed it? or faulty parts? then who the hen sold the parts?

[Babyt]

jap also kenna quakes and tremors more often than us...why are their trains so efficient..lol

 

since smrt and lta are pointing fingers...why dont either smrt or lta maintain everything better? i said nationalise the freaking public transport system, eveything let LTA do.

[Hamburger]

all i see is this..........

 

instead of self reflecting on the incident, all parties are finger ponting. In another words, shedding responsibility...........

[Rosschang]

just COI'ed and today morning some dunno-wtf-issue Jurong East MRT Sardin Pack, even effect Lakeside/Boon Lay...

 

Diu Nia Sing...

[Darthrevan]

COI is just another facade for a finger-pointing exercise

[Kingcopa]

wayang wayang. putting up a show to calm the public

[Jpcc]

blames everyone except oneself. sianz.

 

The most laughable thing is both sides employ top two law firms. At the end of the day, time/money spent more on legal matters than finding real root cause. (of course, at the end of the day, MSM can come out with an article saying huge discounts given by law firms on this COI as a public service, blah blah blah....)

 

My take is real root cause is not found by the top lawyers. Any thoughts?

 

[CKP]

COI is just another facade for a finger-pointing exercise

 

 

I will play the devil's advocate here to make thread interesting.

 

 

 

Such public inquiries are common in other countries like UK, US albeit the format differ slightly.

 

The purpose is for transparency and accountability to the public,

 

which is a prelude to solving the problem and also necessary for prevention of future incidents.

 

Think of the inquiry as chapter 1 of a book... and the end of the inquiry only signifies the "end of the beginning".

 

 

 

Even if you are die hard cynic, it is still better for the wayang to be open to the public's scrutiny than behind closed doors.

 

Wayang also must have two opposing parties, then the wayang is not one sided and is more interesting.

 

 

Edited April 17, 2012 by CKP

[Zak7182]

IN the end they will fingerpoint the commuters la...

 

What's new??!!

 

THose 60%, please dun snore and sleep like sleeping beauty!

 

 

[Kb27]

Whatever the case, certainly, wheels are falling apart.

 

Gahmen always claim that old cars break down more often on the roads and that's why they need to get rid of old cars.

 

So perhaps trains should be replaced every 10 yrs with new as well.

Edited April 17, 2012 by Kb27

[CKP]

Day 2 of SMRT's COI public hearings - 17Apr2012

 

 

 

SINGAPORE: Day two of the public inquiry into the December train disruptions centred on the design of the claws on the North-South Line.

 

SMRT had earlier argued that the Land Transport Authority is in charge of the MRT infrastructure and that it had inherited the first and second generation claws from its predecessors, MRT Corporation (MRTC).

 

It said in 1987 during the construction of Phase 2 of the MRT network, the manufacturer, Breckner Willis, had proposed an improved claw design, which included a "split pin locking system" which can help secure the claws even with severe vibration.

 

However, MRTC rejected the idea, even though there were already problems of the older claws dislodging.

 

Instead, retaining clips were fitted to hold the claws in place. But some had still become dislodged as seen in the disruptions.

 

SMRT said the modified claw is used in other various metro systems where no failures have been reported.

 

LTA clarified that the suggested improvements were only proposed for Phase 2 of the MRT network.

 

The suggested improvements did not include stretches that were affected during the disruption as these were built during Phase 1.

 

It is not clear why the MRTC had rejected the idea.

 

Proceedings continued with testimony from the first witness, ASP Roy Lim, who is the lead investigator from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

 

Concerns were raised about the current collector shoes which allow trains to draw electricity from the third rail.

 

Chief District Judge Tan Siong Thye asked for the parties to determine how many collector shoes a train can lose before it loses traction with the third rail and stalls.

 

He said many of the collector shoes in the disruptions did not break off. Instead, the shoes in the incidents were bent, causing damage to the third rail.

 

He said it appears there could be a problem with the design and asked the parties to address this.

 

The job scope of SMRT's patrolmen, who are tasked to conduct checks of the rail, was also questioned.

 

There were concerns over the way they were doing inspections when the rail and claws were covered. This may make it difficult for patrolmen to spot if claws had loosened.

 

Justice Tan stressed the hearings are not meant to be adversarial, but if there were lapses, these would have to be addressed.

 

Edited April 17, 2012 by CKP

[Happily1986]

Day 2 of SMRT's COI public hearings - 17Apr2012

 

 

 

SINGAPORE: Day two of the public inquiry into the December train disruptions centred on the design of the claws on the North-South Line.

 

SMRT had earlier argued that the Land Transport Authority is in charge of the MRT infrastructure and that it had inherited the first and second generation claws from its predecessors, MRT Corporation (MRTC).

 

It said in 1987 during the construction of Phase 2 of the MRT network, the manufacturer, Breckner Willis, had proposed an improved claw design, which included a "split pin locking system" which can help secure the claws even with severe vibration.

 

However, MRTC rejected the idea, even though there were already problems of the older claws dislodging.

 

Instead, retaining clips were fitted to hold the claws in place. But some had still become dislodged as seen in the disruptions.

 

SMRT said the modified claw is used in other various metro systems where no failures have been reported.

 

LTA clarified that the suggested improvements were only proposed for Phase 2 of the MRT network.

 

The suggested improvements did not include stretches that were affected during the disruption as these were built during Phase 1.

 

It is not clear why the MRTC had rejected the idea.

 

Proceedings continued with testimony from the first witness, ASP Roy Lim, who is the lead investigator from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

 

Concerns were raised about the current collector shoes which allow trains to draw electricity from the third rail.

 

Chief District Judge Tan Siong Thye asked for the parties to determine how many collector shoes a train can lose before it loses traction with the third rail and stalls.

 

He said many of the collector shoes in the disruptions did not break off. Instead, the shoes in the incidents were bent, causing damage to the third rail.

 

He said it appears there could be a problem with the design and asked the parties to address this.

 

The job scope of SMRT's patrolmen, who are tasked to conduct checks of the rail, was also questioned.

 

There were concerns over the way they were doing inspections when the rail and claws were covered. This may make it difficult for patrolmen to spot if claws had loosened.

 

Justice Tan stressed the hearings are not meant to be adversarial, but if there were lapses, these would have to be addressed.

 

 

 

We dig dig dig dig dig dig the whole night thru~

 

[Good-Carbuyer]

No mention of the overweight trains bought recently? No mention of abuse/damages due to the overweight trains in use. The experts got expertise to hide the real reasons from the COI/public?

 

[Good-Carbuyer]

SMRT said evidence will show that the disruptions were due to a rare confluence of factors - none of which individually, could have led to the disruptions. These factors include higher vibrations levels, the type of claws at the incident sectors and certain material defects.

That is why maintenance is require

As alibi for other reasons