Track Point Fault Causes Severe Delays During Morning Commute
On Wednesday morning, February 8, a major train disruption on Singapore’s North-South MRT Line caused a six-hour delay between Woodlands and Yishun stations.
The disruption, which began around 6:45am, was caused by a track point fault—a malfunction affecting a switch that enables trains to change tracks, SMRT explained in a Facebook update.
Initially, commuters were told to expect an additional 10 minutes of travel time between Sembawang and Admiralty MRT stations. However, as the issue persisted, the estimated delay increased to 25 minutes.
To minimise inconvenience, SMRT provided free regular and bridging bus services between the affected stations. Passengers were also advised to use alternative routes, such as the Thomson-East Coast Line, for city-bound travel.
SMRT staff worked onsite to identify and repair the faulty point machine, a crucial component controlling train movements at rail junctions. As a safety measure, trains operated at a reduced speed of 5km/h during the fault, further extending delays.
Train services resumed normal operations by 12:47pm. SMRT stated that additional personnel were deployed to assist service ambassadors in managing peak-hour crowds at affected stations.
