This morning saw two separate signaling faults on two separate train lines with thousands of frustrated — yet resigned — commuters. Happy humpday, everyone!
Train fault day. #smrt #BusinessAsUsual #EWline #CircleLine
— YawWei (@yawwei) November 15, 2017
What is this smrt ♀️ circle line train fault so I took the trouble and left circle line to take green line and now you tell me two lines are down.. next time I shall just resort to walking also faster
— joke (@joke1993k) November 15, 2017
Both the Circle Line and East-West Line (EWL) were hit by service delays during today’s morning rush hour, with commuters getting stuck in packed trains between stations for up to an hour. The first sign of trouble started at 6:28am, when SMRT tweeted (wow, it actually alerted people!) that a signal fault was causing trains to move slower between Botanic Gardens and Haw Par Villa stations on the Circle Line.
Commuters were told to expect a 20-minute delay, and free bus services were launched.
[CCL]: Due to a signal fault trains are moving slower between #BotanicGardens and #HawParVilla. We are investigating the fault.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) November 14, 2017
[CCL]: Due to a Signal fault between #Farrer Road and # Buona Vista .Pls add 20mins train travel time between #Buona Vista and HarbourFornt on both bounds.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) November 14, 2017
[CCL] UPDATE: Free regular bus services are available between #PayaLebar and
#HarbourFront.— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) November 14, 2017
About two hours later, SMRT made the disheartening announcement that the EWL was also affected by a separate signaling fault. Train services between Jurong East and Joo Koon would be delayed for half an hour, and free bus services were launched as well.
[EWL]: Pls add 20mins train travel time btwn #JurongEast and #JooKoon due to a train fault at #JooKoon. Train svc is available.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) November 15, 2017
[EWL] UPDATE: Due to a train fault, please add 30mins train travel time between #Queenstown and #TuasLink. Free regular bus services are available between #JurongEast and #TuasLink.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) November 15, 2017
Train fault between #CCK to #Jurongeast.#smrt #trainfault #redline #circleline pic.twitter.com/4blUybXDiG
— Ganesh Balakrishnan (@putyourcomments) November 14, 2017
The fault on the Circle Line was eventually cleared at 8:34am, but the stations remained packed with commuters.
[CCL] CLEARED: Fault cleared but trains and stations are crowded. Due to congestion, pls add 5mins travel time towards #HarbourFront. Free regular bus service still available.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) November 15, 2017
Train delay on the Circle Line has apparently been cleared but this is the situation at Buona Vista MRT Station. (Left: To Harbourfront) Passenger service staff instructing commuters to take the bus. Overheard there’s no train to One-North pic.twitter.com/ZG4fLBkwTf
— Elizabeth Neo (@ElizabethNeoCNA) November 15, 2017
Photos of the massive crowd at Serangoon MRT Interchange, sent by my colleague at 8.57am, almost half an hour after SMRT declared the Circle Line train fault “cleared”. pic.twitter.com/CrKFZbcLlz
— Eisen (@eisen) November 15, 2017
As of 9:58am, the signaling fault still continues to dog train services on the EWL.
[EWL] UPDATE: Please add 15 mins train travel time between #JurongEast and #TuasLink. Free regular bus services are still available between #JurongEast and #TuasLink.
— SMRT Corporation (@SMRT_Singapore) November 15, 2017
