How SMRT does rail maintenance while Singapore sleeps

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Every night, workers race against time to replace worn or defective sections of the running rails, which trains travel on. The Straits Times visited an MRT tunnel to see a track renewal operation by rail operator SMRT.

In a dimly lit tunnel about 100m from Bugis MRT station, a rail-cutting machine roars to life in the dead of night.

The lines are more than 30 years old and 102km long in total. A train track is made up of two rails and with a track running in each direction, this means there are about 200km of tracks and 400km of rail on the NSEWL that need to be maintained. Saturday’s rail change operation was a relatively straightforward one, involving the replacement of about 18m of rail near Bugis station, and could be completed in one go.

Workers measuring the distance between the running rail and the power rail, which supplies electricity to the track. Precision is key so that trains that run on the tracks can draw power. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAHThis was because the joint holding the pieces of rail together is the weakest point, and can pose a risk if the welding is not done properly.

Mr Lam said: “These are the challenges when you only have three hours a night, and you really have to make effective use of it. With the heavy machinery being used, and the extreme heat generated by the welding equipment, which can go up to 2,000 deg C, Mr Lam said safety is paramount.“Underground, we work in tight spaces, and it gets hot, so we turn on the tunnel ventilation fans so that the heat gets dissipated, and the guys get good air,” he said.“This does create some noise, and we hope Singaporeans and residents who are near these areas understand the need for this.

Source: Holiday News (holidaynews.net)

 

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