SMRT trains mechanical faults!

kawasaki2 SG

For a period of time, it has come to my attention that several SMRT trains, regardless of their age and technical status, have been exhibiting strange and unusual sounds and behaviour.

This includes:
Some trains have loud banging and rumbling sounds which seem to be coming from either the engine or the wheels, which are not the normal sounds a properly maintained train will emit. Sometimes, it's several cars of the train that are affected, the whole train, or just a single car.

Wheels grinding against the tracks violently.

I have come to notice that a train that has the above-mentioned faults sometimes causes the whole platform to vibrate, especially the one at Bishan station.

According to my observations, I have experienced this constantly on many trains that I have boarded since 2004.
An unrefurbished C151 train had it's air-conditioning system not working at all, this was in the second car from the front. This happened in 2004.

Three trains that I boarded in three days had technical faults which caused them to be terminated at Ang Mo Kio station. They are, 1G, 2G, 1G. Happened in 2004.

Even some third-generation trains sometimes exhibit such faults. There is one particular 3G train car, I can't remember it's car number, it seems to be one of the center motor cars, it always had an extremely serious rumbling sound whenever I encountered it. Sometimes the wheels seem as if they grinding on the track, not rolling properly.

I wonder if this is what they call 'maintenance'.

Up to today, there are still some SMRT trains that are allowed to run on the network DESPITE HAVING SUCH MECHANICAL FAULTS.

Where has the standard of service gone to? Down the drain?

I KNOW that these mechanical faults exist, and passengers who commute daily on the MRT should seriously bring this matter up.

Novawin SG

Last Thursday, I took 323/324 (3G train) and it produced too many "clicking" sound whenever the train was accelerating or moving at constant speed. If you are standing, you can feel the "clicking" vibration too.

So I think it should be 323/324 train which you encountered rumbling sound.

EXCO SG

It might be over judgemental to call such occurances as "mechanical faults".

As is the norm in mechanical and even aerospace engineering, there are always fields of tolerence, unless the problem is flagged as unsafe, it is still within the limits of safe and daily operations, so one need not read too much into such things.

SMRT 32373238 SG

relac la... its not crap standards. I'm sure I know what are u talking about.

The constant thumping sound that is heard whenever the train is moving is caused by the wheels.

u have to understand that the wheels have to support 35 tonnes of mass excluding passenger weight and the non-peak trains grind metal between wheel and rail all day. the grinding causes the wheels to lose its round shape and that causes the noise.

Its perfectly safe dont worry and just go notice at any particular station. sometimes the train floor height is higher than the platform floor and sometimes its lower... if its higher it probably points that they changed the wheels.

Oceane SG

It's not really a fault actually... if you were to compare our trains with the other countries', SG's one are much much better...

Sometimes, it's due to the gear frequencies in which they operate that cause rumbling sounds. Banging sounds are caused when a train passes through a crossover track with different train frequencies, and that causes the banging sounds.

To date, there are a few 1G trains with rumbling sounds during travel. Extremely noisy.

093/094
107/108
127/128
131/132

And some more... I forgot a few of the numbers.

107/108 causes banging sounds when it passes by crossovers.

Maintainence? They do service the trains everyday, clean up, etc. How do you expect SMRT to keep changing gear frequencies? In fact, do they even have the machinery to hold it up? Stop grumbling. 1G trains are manufactured from 1986 ~ 1989, of course more problems surface from these trains. SMRT has tried to improve 1G commuter comfort standards by refurbishment, but I doubt there is any way they would be able to lift up the trains to change their gears... even then, do you know how much it costs for a set of gears?

Singaporeans simply love to complain. Trains in other countries have frequencies of like 15 mins per train, and NO ONE complains. People here complain when train frequencies during peak hours are like, 2 minutes? How fast do you want trains to go? 10 second per train?

Grow up, SMRT is already providing the best of the best service of trains to Singaporeans, compare this to other countries, whereby trains are super faulty, dirty floors, and the tracks are not filled with gravel stones. Then what do you want SMRT to do? Provide rocket trains that comes every 5 seconds?

Now...

1) Bishan platforms vibrate NOT BECAUSE of the train, come on... common sense tells you that next door they are building CCL stations for Bishan... that doesn't cause vibrations?

2) Air-con fault is understandable, because SMRT technicians are able to fix air-cons.

3) Come on, you mean trains from 10, 20 years ago still MUST run perfectly today? Technical faults do happen. It's just whether you're "lucky" enough to board a faulty train.

Please, stop complaining. Have some brains to know which things can be done, which can't. If you LOVE to complain so much, why not be a SMRT technician?

SMRT 32373238 SG

i think the vibration and noise he's talking about refers to the banging sound everytime each wheel passes near the middle portion of the SB track...

i find the noises bearable and understandable... i only cant stand the NEL braking always got the high pitch screehing sound... when the NEL started operations got the screeching sound liao... the brakes wear off that fast eh Mad

Manager433 SG

Laughing

Let me answer some of your tough questions.

There ish no such thing a 1st generation, 2nd generation or 3rd generation trains. This ish no handphones Mr. Green This ish a train.

Old trains you first took in late 80s/early 90s: C151
German trains used for the woodlands line extention: C651
Latest trains for Changi Airport lines: C751

Most of the trains are more than 20 years old ( in design too ) Laughing

Manager433 SG

That is so call friction braking. The high pitch sound is from the brake shoe. Its normal. Even japanese make cars or vans ( motorcycles ) do have this sound once in a while.

Oceane SG

Meh... you work for SMRT leh... of course you know everything lah! Surprised

oOprinceOo SG

so in conclusion. the trains arent really well maintained but they are still safe for operation.

Manager433 SG

Compare Sinkies and Japanese. Which one is more 'pro'? Laughing

201911 SG

or maybe, they SEEM not well maintained but are actually quite ok. (better than in several other countries)

Oceane SG

You joking? Our trains have the best quality standards of passenger comfort here... just that people keep complaining to create propaganda...

tintinspartan SG

Trains are going to sound like choo choo train axle sound.

Edit and FYI: I posted my lucky 777th post here.

jetabt767400 SG

Actually I find those flat wheel sounds make a train sound, although it may not be so in a positive way...
Quite alot of Japanese trains I took in their home country also have flat wheels, many tracks have heavy grades and snow/wet conditions, this increases by time. And those wheels cannot reuse again, its not like they can be re-grooved. New wheels have to be made, so cost increases too.
Flat wheels are subjected to monitoring, as long as they have not passed the standards, they can still run like a normal wheel.

kenneth88 SG

On a side note, some Taiwanese have voiced concerns over Taiwan High Speed Rail's shaking problems (click to watch news clip).