Singapore
Train disruption on East-West Line may last several days after faulty train damages tracks
Train services between Jurong East and Buona Vista remain disrupted due to extensive track damage caused by a faulty train on 25 September. Land Transport Authority stated in a 26 September Facebook post that repairs may take several days.
Train services along the East-West Line between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations remain severely disrupted, with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) warning that repairs may take several days following a serious incident on 25 September 2024.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, 26 September, LTA provided an update on the situation, confirming that extensive damage to the tracks and equipment had been discovered, resulting in prolonged disruptions for commuters.
Rail operator SMRT, with LTA’s support, is working continuously to restore services, aiming for partial resumption by 27 September.
The disruption, which is now the second-longest in Singapore’s rail history, has affected approximately 874,000 commuters over two days.
According to LTA’s Facebook post, a defective axle box on a first-generation Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) train caused the derailment of one bogie—a structure beneath the train carriage that holds its wheels—between Dover and Clementi stations.
As a result, the faulty train, which had been in service for over 35 years, severely damaged 1.6km of track, leading to 34 rail breaks, including cracks and chips.
LTA’s post detailed the additional damage caused by the incident, which included three point machines—critical devices used to switch trains between different tracks—sections of the third rail, which powers the trains, as well as power cables and rail clips.
The damage to the tracks was so severe that engineers have been working overnight since the accident to address the issues.
It is said that LTA and SMRT are making every effort to restore services. However, the Facebook post reiterated that train services between Jurong East and Buona Vista would not resume in either direction on 26 September.
Instead, a partial shuttle train service on the less severely damaged eastbound track is expected to begin on 27 September, running every 20 minutes.
SMRT has deployed 80 double-deck buses to provide free bridging services between Jurong East and Buona Vista stations in both directions, offering some relief to the many affected commuters.
To maintain service reliability and safety, all KHI trains currently in operation have undergone rigorous checks, specifically on their axle boxes, which passed the required functionality tests.
This move was taken to prevent further disruptions, with LTA emphasizing that restoring full services remains the top priority.
Besides the shuttle service between Jurong East and Buona Vista, SMRT has implemented additional shuttle train services between Buona Vista and Queenstown stations and Jurong East and Boon Lay stations.
In addition, 620 personnel from LTA, SMRT, SBS Transit, Tower Transit, and police officers were on-site to assist with managing the crowds, particularly during peak hours on 26 September.
This unprecedented incident, which LTA confirmed is the first of its kind in Singapore’s rail history, has caused widespread inconvenience.
Commuters who rely on the East-West Line are being encouraged to make alternative travel arrangements until full services are restored. They are also urged to follow announcements from LTA and SMRT closely, while shuttle services remain in place to mitigate the disruption.
