Joo Koon's train accident, or sometimes referred to as the collision of Joo Koon's train , was an accident that occurred on November 15, 2017, when the C151A train traveled at a speed of 16 kilometers per hour (9.9 mph) rear-ended stationary C151A train at Joo Koon station on the East West MRT Line, resulting in 38 injuries. The stationary train is in the process of being pressured by a train fault. Both trains operate under the newly installed Thales SelTrac CBTC signaling system at the time of the incident, and Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan stated that he was "disturbed" by preliminary findings that "critical safety software" was accidentally removed from stationary trains, possibly because the signal circuit is not working, causing the accident. This incident was the second train collision in the history of Singapore's MRT, following Clementi's train crash.
Video Joo Koon rail accident
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The East West MRT line, at the time of the incident (and to this day), is in the process of transition between the old fixed block signals Westinghouse ATC and the newer Thales SelTrac CBTC moving block. Both systems are used on the same line, but only newer CBTC signaling equipment is available for the West Tuas Extension between Joo Koon and Tuas Link. As a result, trains were asked to switch from Westinghouse signals to Thales signals in Pioneer before heading to Tuas Link, and vice versa in the other direction.
Previously there was a high rail interruption in June 2017 during the pilot phase at the South North MRT Line, when it transitioned to CBTC Thales SelTrac. The incidents were discovered as a result of human error when new software was installed. Prior to this accident, SMRT originally planned a full line test of Thales CBTC to launch on the East West Line in December 2017.
Maps Joo Koon rail accident
Incident
The first train, Kawasaki-Sifang C151A to Tuas West, had to be removed from service due to a train fault at 8.18 caused by a separate signal error. The second train goes in the same direction, the other C151A, stops behind the first train while the automatic platform gate is opened manually to allow the drain of the first train to occur. The second train has 517 passengers. When the first damaged carriage door was closed, the second train suddenly accelerated to a speed of 16 km/h and hit the back of the first train. Witnesses outside the train reported hearing a loud noise. This resulted in 38 injuries, including two members of the SMRT Train staff. Many of the injuries caused by passengers lose their balance and affect the floor or equipment, and range from vomiting to broken teeth. The injured passengers and staff were treated at National University Hospital and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.
Responses and investigations
Reactions
This accidents increased public outrage and pressure on Corporate Corporations and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) SMRT, recalling the massive flood incidents weeks earlier, resulting in the discovery that maintenance workers of SMRT had failed to perform the necessary maintenance work on their pumps and had falsified records. Both organizations described the accident as a train "in touch" with other trains in their initial media release, and this was criticized by commentators and the public in an attempt to play down the incident. The later statement by LTA turned it into a collision.
The opposition also responded to the incident. The Democratic Party of Singapore called on transport minister Khaw Boon Wan to step down, while the Workers' Party asked the authorities to start an investigation. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong admits that the flood of the tunnel and the accident Joo Koon has "hurt much public trust". Nevertheless, Prime Minister Lee insists that Singapore's public transport remains "first class".
Transport Minister Khaw initially apologized to the commuters involved. Later, Khaw stated that he was "distracted" by the preliminary findings that "critical safety software" was accidentally ejected from stationary trains, presumably due to a malfunctioning signal circuitry, which caused the crash.
Investigation
Initial investigations conducted jointly between SMRT Trains, the Land Transport Authority, and Thales found that the first train already had safety protection features released when the train passed the wrong signal circuit. The security protection feature was designed to fix known bugs that mistakenly accused six-car trains as three-car trains under certain degraded modes, such as when two onboard computers in the train's Thales CBTC system could not communicate with each other..
While the first train is being soaked and the platform door automatically opened, separate protection modules are activated to block the entire platform at Joo Koon station. This module tells the computer signaling the second train that the western platform of Joo Koon station is occupied and to avoid the platform. The second train stopped at the right distance behind the first train while the platform door automatically opened. However, once the door is closed, the platform long protection module has been removed. When the signal on the second train detects the first train because only three cars instead of six, it starts to move to close the gap felt between the two trains for a distance of three cars, thus allowing the acceleration of the second train and the rear-end collision with the first train. SMRT then explained that when the first train stopped on the platform, a signal was released to show that the platform was occupied. However, when the screen door of the platform is closed, the protection is then removed, allowing the second train to hit the first.
Aftermath
Service suspension
Following the incident, SMRT announced that the service at Tuas West Extension will be suspended on November 16, 2017 for security checks on signaling systems. This is then extended until November 20, 2017, when SMRT announces that TWE will reopen but operates separately from the rest of the line for at least a month. The eastward train from Tuas Link will end at the Gul Circle, while the westward train from Pasir Ris will end at Joo Koon, allowing two different signal systems to be isolated until a solution is found. The service between Gul Circle and Joo Koon was suspended on that date and a free bus bridging service became available. On November 21, 2017, in a media statement made by Khaw Transport Minister, SMRT and LTA announced that the service between Gul Circle and Joo Koon will be suspended further until mid-2018, while indicating an increase in the remaining lines is expected to be completed, to prevent any other collisions in future.
Initial close on NSEWL
Upon investigation, SMRT announced that the operating hours at NSEWL will be reduced to facilitate more maintenance work and complete transition to the CBTC signaling system. From December 8, 2017 to December 31, 2017, 17 stations on the East Line from Tiong Bahru to Tuas Link and 2 stations on the North South Line from Bukit Batok to Bukit Gombak will close early at 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, while opening will be delayed until 8 am on Saturday and Sunday, and the station is closed all day on Sunday (10 & amp 17 December 2017). The closing of the second round planned for January 2018 will affect the line from Paya Lebar to Pasir Ris and Changi Airport. In closing the final round, all stations on the East West Line will close early at 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and open later on Saturday and Sunday throughout the month, with two days having an early closing time. This is to facilitate additional maintenance work along the line as it switches to a new CBTC signaling system.
See also
- Shanghai Railway Accident 10, 2011 collision between two trains involving CBTC signaling during the testing phase resulted in 271 injuries
- Pasir Ris railway accident, fatal accident in which train hit track maintenance workers
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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