Partial Suspension of Tuas West Extension Train Services

In the morning of 15 November 2017 at around 8:20 am, a moving train collided into the rear of a stationary train at the westbound platform of Joo Koon MRT Station, leaving at least 36 people injured. Preliminary investigations found the new CBTC signalling system to be at fault. (More incident details contained within this article)

Following the incident, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) & SMRT Trains made arrangements to suspend train services between Joo Koon & Gul Circle to avoid complications involved with operating two signalling systems concurrently on the EWL.

Main Incident Article: MRT Trains Collide at Joo Koon MRT Station

Content Sections:

1. No Train Service between Joo Koon & Gul Circle from 20 Nov 2017
2. No Train Service between Joo Koon & Tuas Link from 16 -19 Nov 2017
3. Planned Reduction of NSL Train Services on 16 Nov 2017 (Not carried out)
4. Resumption of Train Service on 27 May 2018

No Train Service between Joo Koon & Gul Circle from 20 Nov 2017

To enable engineers to carry out further assurance checks on the new signalling system, train services between EW29 Joo Koon and EW30 Gul Circle will be suspended from Monday, 20 November 2017 till June 2018. However, train services between Tuas Link and Gul Circle continue to operate as per normal.

This arrangement is done to separate the old signalling system-equipped section between Pasir Ris and Joo Koon from the new signalling system-equipped section between Joo Koon and Tuas Link, hence no longer requiring trains to switch signalling systems at Pioneer (Tracks between Pioneer and Joo Koon can be operated on either the old or new signalling system).

From Monday, 20 November 2017 until further notice, bridging bus services were available between Joo Koon and Gul Circle MRT stations. Refer to Joo Koon—Gul Circle Free Shuttle Bus Service for further details on the Shuttle Service. The LTA added on 21 November that the arrangement is expected to continue until the East West Line re-signalling works are completed in 2018, when the entire EWL, including the TWE, can be operated on the new CBTC signalling system.

Shuttle Services are initially operated by Tower Transit, SBS Transit & a minority of SMRT Buses. In December 2017, the SMRT Buses became the anchor operator of the Shuttle Bus Service, under service “JKGC” as reflected in bus timetables. SBS Transit & Tower Transit also operates the Shuttle Service during peak hours on Weekdays.

Commuters may alternatively rely on existing bus services at Joo Koon to reach the Tuas Industrial Area. Refer to Joo Koon—Gul Circle Free Shuttle Bus Service for further details on the Shuttle Service.

No Train Service between Joo Koon & Tuas Link from 16 -19 Nov 2017

Train Service between Joo Koon & Tuas Link were suspended entirely from Thursday, 16 November 2017 to Sunday, 19 November 2017 for Thales engineers to carry out detailed assurance checks on the new signalling system. As such, all Westbound trains terminated at Joo Koon and no trains proceeded towards Tuas Link.

Details (Click to expand)

Under normal operating conditions, trains operate with CBTC Signalling System between Pioneer and Tuas Link. With the suspended train service, trains will operate on the legacy fixed-block Westinghouse signalling system between Pioneer and Joo Koon.

The following MRT Stations are affected by the suspended train service:

• EW29 Joo Koon
• EW30 Gul Circle
• EW31 Tuas Crescent
• EW32 Tuas West Road
• EW33 Tuas Link

A free Bus Bridging service was provided at the following Bus Stops, serving the affected MRT Stations:

EWL Rail Bridging Service: 16 – 19 Nov 2017
Westbound Towards EW33 Tuas Link	Eastbound Towards EW29 Joo Koon
Joo Koon Circle – Joo Koon Stn Exit B EW29 Tuas Rd – Gul Circle Stn Exit A EW30 Pioneer Rd – Tuas Cres Stn Exit A EW31 – Tuas West Rd Stn Exit A EW32 Tuas West Dr – Tuas Lk Stn EW33	Tuas West Dr – Opp Tuas Lk Stn EW33 Pioneer Rd – Tuas West Rd Stn Exit B EW32 – Tuas Cres Stn Exit B EW31 Tuas Road – Gul Circle Stn Exit B EW30 Joo Koon Circle – Joo Koon Stn Exit B EW29

This free bridging bus service was reflected as Service 602 in the Trapeze CFMS System.

The LTA announced that 33 buses from SMRT Buses, SBS Transit and Tower Transit were deployed on the Free Bridging Bus service on 16 November. This is the first occasion where Tower Transit contributed resources to running a Rail Bridging Service under the Bus Contracting Model (BCM). In addition, several bus trips were added to key trunk services in Tuas to better serve commuters in the area.

See also: East West Line Rail Bridging Bus Service

Planned Reduction of NSL Train Services on 16 Nov 2017

As a precautionary measure, there were plans to operate the North South Line (NSL) with a reduced number of trains on 16 November 2017 for safety reasons. Commuters were advised of potential delays and a bus bridging service to supplement the NSL was planned. These arrangements were never carried out.

Details (Click to expand)

Resumption of Train Service from 27 May 2018

As part of the East West Line CBTC Signalling Trials in 2018, train service between Joo Koon and Tuas Link will resume on Sundays between 29 April 2018 and 27 May 2018, during which the Free Shuttle Service will not operate.

On 28 May 2018, weekday trials for the new signalling system began, in which the Shuttle Service ceased to operate as train service between Joo Koon and Gul Circle had resumed.

Gallery

External Links & References:

• Update on Train Incident at Joo Koon Station – LTA
• LTA Update on Train Services on Tuas West Extension – LTA Official Facebook Page