Singapore’s Today Online reported that the “Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SMRT have not been able to determine the source that caused the “intermittent loss of signalling communications” on the Circle Line (CCL) late last month”. This has led to several days of train service delays, and continues two weeks after the LTA began investigations.
“On Aug 29, persistent signal interference, which automatically activated the trains’ emergency brakes, had caused travel delays on the CCL. This went on for about five days. In an unprecedented move, the LTA and SMRT suspended mobile signals at four stations as part of investigations,” reported Today Online.
According to Today Online, the plan moving forward is to enhance the resilience of the line’s signalling system by installing spectrum analysers within the CCL tunnels to detect the presence of any interfering signal. “The LTA and SMRT will also conduct feasibility studies on enhancements such as electromagnetic shields, which can be installed on the trains to minimise the impact of interfering signals.”
“We will also explore the possibility of changing the signal system frequency and/or modifying the system to provide redundancy in the event of signal interference,” they said in a statement on September 21st.
The signalling systems on newer rail lines, such as the Downtown Line, and current lines undergoing upgrading, such as the North-South and East-West Lines, are already equipped with new features that provide redundancy in the event of signal interference, they said.
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