Insulation of third rail was likely cause of July 7 MRT disruption: SMRT

The insulation of the MRT system's third rail, which supplies power to trains, is the likely cause of last Tuesday's massive breakdown, SMRT said in a media release on Thursday. 

PHOTO: SPH

JUL 16, 20155:41 PM

[SINGAPORE] The insulation of the MRT system's third rail, which supplies power to trains, is the likely cause of last Tuesday's massive breakdown, SMRT said in a media release on Thursday.

The July 7 breakdown disrupted service on the entire North-South, East-West network for more than two hours during the evening rush hour. SMRT's investigations have narrowed down the likely cause to this insulation, which is part of the trackside infrastructure that protects the power cables supplying the third rail. "Intensive, round-the-clock investigations and re-enactments of the incident point to the likelihood that the insulation of the third rail could have affected the supply of traction power," said SMRT.