Technicians have inspected a Yellow Line train after metal parts fell from the track between Kalantan and Si Udom stations last Thursday. Despite some vehicle damage, fortunately, no injuries were reported. The Metropolitan Rapid Transit’s (MRT) Yellow Line has now resumed limited services as of Friday with a 20% fare discount until further notice after the incident.
On Friday, Eastern Bangkok Monorail Co Ltd (EBM), the operator of the Yellow Line service, announced that a meeting was held with representatives from EBM, the Transport Ministry, the Department of Rail Transport, and the Mass Rapid Transit Authority (MRTA) to investigate the incident that caused the suspension of services on the 30.4-kilometre line.
An initial investigation revealed that a finger plate on the rail’s expansion joint had slipped as a train passed, resulting in the plate and other debris falling. The missing metal parts affected the electrical systems between Kalatan (YL12) and Si Udom (YL16) stations.
The Yellow Line service has resumed with adjusted train frequencies to aid technicians in replacing the affected rail and equipment. Additionally, EBM is offering a 20% fare discount along the route until services return to normal. Trains between Lat Phrao (YL01) and Hua Mak (YL11) stations will now depart every 10 minutes, increasing to departures every five minutes during rush hours. For the section impacted by the incident, trains between Hua Mak (YL11) and Si Iam (YL17) stations will depart every 25 minutes.
EBM advises passengers to allow extra time for their journeys due to expected delays. They have also arranged for additional public buses to operate along the Yellow Line route. Furthermore, the company is working with an insurance firm to assist owners of the 12 vehicles (nine cars and three motorcycles) that were damaged by the incident.
This marks the second mishap on the monorail system, with a previous incident on Jan 2 where a wheel fell and hit a taxi below. Following this, an order was issued for the replacement of wheel ball-bearings on all Yellow Line trains to ensure public safety. The Yellow Line service, which commenced in July last year, continues its efforts to provide safe and efficient transportation for passengers.
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