Normal service on Yellow Line to resume this month after track repairs
Repair work on the southbound Yellow Line monorail train track between Kalantan (YL16) and Sri Udom (YL23) stations in Bangkok is progressing as planned and normal train operations would resume by the end of this month, a top official of the Rail Transport Department said on Friday.
On March 28, a conductor rail on the inner side next to the emergency walkway on the southbound track heading to Samrong station fell onto a supporting beam, after which its mountings fell on the road, damaging three vehicles. No injuries were reported.
The department’s director-general, Pichet Kunathammarak, said that the operator of the Yellow Line, Eastern Bangkok Monorail Co, had removed the faulty rail and was preparing to install a new one. The company is waiting for imported spare parts to arrive in Thailand on May 15, after which it will perform a test run. It expects to open the section for public use by late May, he added.
Since March 29, the operator has made some adjustments to train frequency in order to allow technicians to work on the affected section. Yellow Line monorail trains from Lat Phrao (YL01) to Hua Mak (YL11) stations will depart every 10 minutes, and every five minutes during rush hours.
Trains running from Si Iam (YL17) to Samrong (YL23) stations will depart every 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, trains running on the section affected by the incident, from Hua Mark (YL11) to Si Iam (YL17) stations, will depart every 25 minutes. Passengers travelling beyond this section will be required to change trains, and only one side of the platform will be opened.
The company has offered a 20% discount on the train fare throughout the route until the normal train schedule is restored.
Witthaya Phanmongkol, acting governor of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA), said that after the incident the agency had discussed with the operator to evaluate the risks of malfunctioning and accidents to prevent future incidents on the Yellow Line.
The MRTA has also tasked the operator with updating contingency and evacuation plans in case of emergency to ensure the safety of passengers and the public, he said.
The incident on March 28 came just two months after a rubber wheel of a Yellow Line train fell on Theparak Road in Samut Prakan province, damaging a taxi but causing no casualties.
