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Hong Kong collision

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rebmcr

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MTR are of course heavily involved with integrating multiple signalling systems in the Crossrail network. Hopefully there were important lessons learned today.
 

pdeaves

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From https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...ces-commuter-chaos-after-rare-train-collision
Hong Kong faces commuter chaos after rare train collision
Passenger services on network used by 6 million people brought to rush-hour standstill

Two damaged trains in Hong Kong
Two MTR trains sit damaged after they collided during testing of a new signal system in Hong Kong. Photograph: MTR Corporation/AP
A train collision in Hong Kong has threatened commuter chaos during the rush hour, authorities have said.

The rare disruption on a network used by nearly 6 million people every weekday brought services to a halt on Monday between the stations of Central and Admiralty, the rail operator MTR Corporation said.

“The repair will take quite a long time and the service between Central and Admiralty … will not be available for the whole day,” said MTR’s operations director, Lau Tin-shing.

An investigation into the incident has begun, although the trains carried no passengers at the time of the collision, during a trial run of a new signal system.

The drivers of both trains were taken to hospital, the network operator added, urging commuters to use other forms of travel or different rail routes.

MTR’s shares fell more than 1% in early trading, lagging a gain of 0.3% in the benchmark index.

Thank goodness only on test and not crush loaded!
 

flymo

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Happened about 3am or so whilst testing a new signalling system, same or very similar system that apparently caused a collision in Singapore in 2017. The MTR in HK was 'interesting' to travel on today with Admiralty station being more of a zoo than it normally is. Tsuen Wan trains were running but terminating at Admiralty and using the reversing sidings just beyond the platforms. Trains every 3½ minutes so things get real cramped in the rush hours. This will go on for a day or 2 til they get the trains moved, they'll have to wait til the service stops about 1am tomorrow to get the things shifted.

Local media are having a field day. !
 

flymo

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Recovery work, not surprisingly, is going on into Tuesday, no trains again between Admiralty and Central, trains once again using Admiralty sidings to turn back to Tsuen Wan. Going to be another busy day at Admiralty, it was more of a zoo yesterday evening than it normally is.

There are pictures online (Apple Daily) of the crossover in question outside Central showing 2 trains able to be signalled onto the crossover at the same time. Not an issue of they are going straight but a bit of a problem, as seen yesterday, if they are crossing over from down to up or vice-versa !
Both the trains in question were under automatic operation at the time of the incident and it beggars belief that the signalling system permitted both train to cross over at the same time.

Wonder what will come out in any inquiry. ?
 

rebmcr

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There are pictures online (Apple Daily) of the crossover in question outside Central showing 2 trains able to be signalled onto the crossover at the same time. Not an issue of they are going straight but a bit of a problem, as seen yesterday, if they are crossing over from down to up or vice-versa !
Both the trains in question were under automatic operation at the time of the incident and it beggars belief that the signalling system permitted both train to cross over at the same time.

Is it a scissors crossover?
 

edwin_m

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The link above says it was a Seltrac system, the same as was being commissioned on the Hammersmith and City for the first time over last weekend - but is also in UK operation on the Northern, Jubilee and DLR and numerous places around the world, being one of a handful of ATO technologies widely available.

If, as reported, both trains were correctly signalled rather than some kind of unsignalled test working, then this is most likely to be a configuration issue rather than intrinsic to the system itself. The system needs to be configured to know which routes conflict with each other, and once set up the vital processors will prevent such a conflict being created. So I hope someone's looking very hard at their data production and checking processes and how compliance is monitored, especially if they are the same worldwide. Although a different technology, this has some similarities with the collision during the Waterloo remodelling, which was caused by failure to follow required procedures when "configuring" the relay interlocking by introducing extra wiring.
 

Belperpete

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According to Singapore’s Land Transport Authority, the MRT was running both the old signalling system and SelTrac CBTC at the same time.
At the time of the incident, the train was travelling on tracks under SelTrac CBTC’s control.
A series of software faults meant that a safety feature, which ensures there is a sufficient distance between trains, was disabled, as the train moved onto tracks regulated by the older system.


Sounds like an issue with the interface between new and old signalling systems. Interfaces are high-risk, as you need people who understand how BOTH systems work. It is not usually difficult to find experts in one system or another, finding people with a detailed knowledge of both systems can be more difficult.
 

flymo

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Services to Central have resumed this morning with the existing signalling system in place. The damaged stock removed overnight and any infrastructure repaired.
 
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