SMRT To Investigate Root Cause of Cracked Rail at Track Crossing Near Promenade Station of Circle Line

Images: SMRT/Facebook and Screengrab from SGTrains.

Commuters taking the Circle Line (CCL) on Friday (Sep 29) were affected by longer waiting and travelling times due to a 14-hour train service disruption that was caused by a cracked rail, which affected certain sections of the MRT line, said SMRT.

14-hour Circle Line Disruption Caused by Cracked Rail

Cracked rail detected during engineering hours

SMRT’s rail replacement team rectifying the cracked rail on a track crossing near Promenade MRT station on Friday (Sep 29). (Image: SMRT/Facebook)

During routine maintenance inspections at about 2:20am, after train service had ended, SMRT said that rail technicians had detected a crack on the running rails of the track crossing for trains departing Promenade MRT station towards Esplanade or Bayfront MRT stations.

A track crossing — also referred to as a crossover track or a track switch — is a section of track that allows trains to switch to an adjacent track or to continue its present direction.

When a crack surfaces at any point in a track section, it can lead to severe safety and operational issues such as rough rides, further damage to trackside infrastructure and — in the worst-case scenario — a derailment of the train.

Following the detection of the crack, rail operator SMRT then broadcasted the first disruption notification at 5am, near the start of the first train service.

RELATED: How Did Faulty Track Point Device Cause 6-Hour Train Service Disruption? »

Single track operations deployed to avoid affected stretch

Train Service Status on SGTrains indicating “train shuttle services” available, together with free travel on public bus services and bridging bus services during the disruption. (Image: Screengrab from SGTrains)

SMRT’s rail replacement team began to replace the rails of the track crossing near Promenade MRT station “so as to restore the safe use of the tracks” and had targeted a completion time of about 5pm.

This meant single-track operations — or “train shuttle services” — had to be deployed, leading to slower train services from Dhoby Ghaut to Promenade MRT stations and from Marina Bay to Stadium MRT stations.

The rail operator had advised commuters to factor in an additional 30 minutes of travelling time along the affected sector and had also advised commuters to use alternate MRT lines at interchanges along the affected sector.

“The [rail replacement] work is complex and involves a detailed survey as well as the movement of heavy rails and equipment using engineering trains to the affected stretch,” said SMRT.

Circle Line train services resume 14 hours later in the evening

Free public bus services and bridging bus services were also available at designated bus stops on Friday (Sep 29). (Image: SMRT/Facebook)

Fourteen hours after the notification of a train disruption, SMRT gave the all-clear and resumed train services on the CCL at about 7:15pm.

It added that it “will be investigating the root cause of this crack at the rail crossing” and is “sorry for affecting your commuting experience today”.

Check Out Other Related Posts

How Did Faulty Track Point Device Cause 6-Hour Train Service Disruption?

How Could a Safety Feature Delay Train Services for 60 Minutes?

Train Service Resumes on Thomson-East Coast Line after 3-hour Disruption

Related Links
Circle Line – SGTrains
Train Service Status – SGTrains

External Links
“[UPDATE on the track fault on the Circle Line]” – SMRT/Facebook [Accessed 29 Sep 2023]
“05:01 AM – [CCL]: Due to a track fault, train services between #DhobyGhaut / #MarinaBay and #Stadium are affected. Train shuttle services are available between #DhobyGhaut/ #MarinaBay and #Stadium. Please add 30 minutes additional travel time between #DhobyGhaut/ #MarinaBay and #Stadium.” – SMRT/Facebook [Accessed 29 Sep 2023]

Images: SMRT/Facebook, Screengrab from SGTrains, SMRT/Facebook.
This article first appeared on SGTrains.