MRT-3 broken rails will spell disaster – HK rail inspector

MANILA, Philippines – The Hong Kong-based railway operator tasked to inspect the Metro Rail Transit-3 (MRT-3) warned of a tragic scenario if the train’s broken rails are not replaced

The MRT train that crashed and got derailed at the end of the station on Taft Avenue in Pasay City. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ RICHARD REYES

soon.

In a summary of the report submitted before the House of Representatives transportation committee on Monday, MTR Hong Kong noted that the condition of the tracks is “most alarming and requires immediate attention.”

The railway operator also said the broken rails might lead to a train derailment that will result in “substantial casualties.”

“A broken rail is a serious threat to the safe operation of a railway. It can potentially case train derailment resulting in substantial casualties in a high usage system like MRT-3,” the report read.

“Track condition is found to be in poor and unacceptable condition to allow continuous safe operations of the railway,” it added.

The MTR also said cases of broken rail increased four-fold since 2011. It noted four broken rail incidents in 2011, 11 cases in 2012, and 22 cases in 2013.

“(This) is a clear indication that the current maintenance strategy is insufficient to halt the growth of the defect,” the report read.

The MTR said the government should not wait for a disaster to happen before it replaces the rails

“The fact that broken rail cases in the past had not led to train derailment should not be taken as an indication that it will not happen in the future,” the report said.

The MTR recommends the immediate replacement of the rail sections with severe defects. It also said the stock level of trail tracks should be replenished.

It also recommended machine grinding to remove the defects in early stages.

Hong Kong MTR, one of the world’s leading railway systems, was tasked to look into the MRT’s condition, especially in light of the August 13 accident when an MRT train overshot the tracks at the Taft Avenue station, injuring at least 38 passengers.