ICA adds cones, blinker lights to increase lane visibility at land checkpoints
At Singapore's Tuas and Woodlands checkpoints, cones and blinker lights have been added to help vehicles merge more safely during temporary changes in lane directions. The buffer zone now stretches 10 to 20 metres. These measures follow a crash between a bus and a car during a contraflow operation at Woodlands Checkpoint last weekend. Kate Low reports.
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Jail for man who punched taxi driver for overtaking him
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SMRT fined S$3 million after six-day East–West Line breakdown: A closer look at what went wrong
SINGAPORE: When trains grounded to a halt on the East–West Line (EWL) from Jurong East to Buona Vista on September 25, 2024, half a million commuters found themselves in limbo for six days. On Tuesday, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced it will impose a S$3 million penalty on SMRT, citing the gravity of the incident and the costs already borne by the rail operator. Here's how a seemingly small mechanical failure cascaded into one of Singapore's most disruptive rail incidents in recent memory—and how both LTA and SMRT are racing to ensure it never happens again. How a dislodged axle box sparked six days of chaos On the morning of Sept 25, a Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) train was being withdrawn from service near Dover Station on its way back to Ulu Pandan Depot. That routine move took a sudden, unexpected turn: one of the axle boxes—an essential housing that supports the train's wheels—came loose and fell off the track. As the train continued on its journey, the third carriage's bogie (wheel assembly) derailed, gouging 2.55 km of rail and trackside equipment, including power cables and the third rail that supplies electricity. Passengers on board felt a burning smell; SMRT immediately halted the train at Clementi and evacuated riders safely. But the derailed bogie had already ripped up track and cables between Dover and Ulu Pandan, forcing LTA to suspend EWL services for six days until repairs were completed on Sept 30. Services resumed on Oct 1, but not before thousands of journeys were severely delayed or rerouted. LTA's findings: Degraded grease and deferred maintenance LTA's thorough investigation—supported by an independent forensic analysis from SGS Testing and Control Services—could not pinpoint a single 'smoking gun,' but it zeroed in on a likely culprit: degraded grease within the axle box. Over time, this grease failed to lubricate the bearings properly, causing excessive friction and heat. High temperatures, hidden alerts : A Hot Axle Box Detection System (HABDS) near Lavender station had registered 118°C on the affected axle box in the hours before the derailment—nearly twice the normal operating temperature of 65°C. Unfortunately, an internal system error at SMRT meant that maintenance staff could not identify which train had triggered the alert. As a result, no follow-up action was taken. : A Hot Axle Box Detection System (HABDS) near Lavender station had registered 118°C on the affected axle box in the hours before the derailment—nearly twice the normal operating temperature of 65°C. Unfortunately, an internal system error at SMRT meant that maintenance staff could not identify which train had triggered the alert. As a result, no follow-up action was taken. Chevron springs and catastrophic failure : As the bearings overheated, the rubber layers between the chevron springs (metal plates bonded with rubber) began to burn. LTA's report found traces of burnt rubber and metal debris along the track, indicating that the springs disintegrated first. With support weakened, the axle box eventually dislodged completely. : As the bearings overheated, the rubber layers between the chevron springs (metal plates bonded with rubber) began to burn. LTA's report found traces of burnt rubber and metal debris along the track, indicating that the springs disintegrated first. With support weakened, the axle box eventually dislodged completely. Extended overhaul intervals: Regular preventive maintenance on this train on September 10, 2024, showed no anomalies, and the bearings and springs appeared nominal. However, SMRT had twice extended its overhaul intervals—beyond the stipulated 500,000 km—first to 575,000 km in August 2022, and then to 750,000 km in August 2024, citing overall fleet reliability. By the time of the incident, the train had clocked 690,000 km since its last overhaul in 2018. LTA notes that, had this train been overhauled 'in a more timely manner,' degraded grease could have been replaced sooner. The S$3 million penalty: Proportionate costs and public interest In determining the penalty, LTA weighed several factors: SMRT had already spent over S$10 million on emergency repairs, free shuttle buses and trains, and allowing commuters free travel between Jurong East and Buona Vista for the six-day duration. Rather than funnelling the fine to general revenue, LTA will channel the S$3 million into the Public Transport Fund, which supports lower-income families with travel subsidies—an acknowledgement that no matter how many repairs happen behind the scenes, commuters shoulder the immediate impact. SMRT Trains posted a net profit of S$7.5 million on revenues of S$886.7 million—meaning a S$3 million fine, while significant, is proportionate. Lessons learned, and the road ahead For half a million daily riders, six days without EWL service underscored how a single mechanical failure can ripple across an entire city's routines—from late-night hospital shifts to early-morning school commutes. LTA's final report makes one thing clear: routine maintenance and monitoring data must be treated as urgent red flags, not background noise. SMRT Trains president Lam Sheau Kai acknowledged at a briefing that, despite decades of reliable service, 'a convergence of factors'—delayed train deliveries, extended overhaul intervals, supply-chain bottlenecks—'caught them off guard.' He added, 'In hindsight, we could perhaps have exercised greater caution in how we managed the transition and decommissioning of older trains.'
