Train left a trail of destruction

It damaged tracks, equipment on its way to depot; 34 rail breaks found in 1.6km stretch

- Vanessa Paige Chelvan

Trains cannot safely operate until the damaged segments are replaced.

The stretch of damaged track is 1.6km long, and over 50 changes of rail would be required to repair the 34 breaks, based on initial calculations. This work was expected to start in the evening on Sept 26.

SMRT said it was aiming to resume full services between Jurong East and Buona Vista by Sept 30.

While the train was returning to the depot on the morning of Sept 25, an axle box on the third of its six carriages dropped onto the tracks near Dover station, causing one bogie, a part of the undercarriage, to come off the running rail.

With one bogie derailed, the train damaged the tracks and equipment on the tracks as it moved towards the depot.

The crippled train put three point machines, used to divert trains onto different tracks, out of operation and dislodged rail fasteners.