His midnight missions keep the MRT running

This SGRail scholar leads critical maintenance teams to ensure safe and reliable rail service for millions of commuters

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The train doors were not closing properly and Daniel Fung was determined to find out why. After a meticulous inspection, he discovered the culprit: a small piece of hard candy stuck in the doors' guide rails.

"I can still remember smelling the lychee flavour," says the 28-year-old Singapore Rail (SGRail) Industry scholar.

"It is a perfect example of how even the smallest anomalies can affect an entire train service. When the doors malfunction, we have to take the whole train out of service."

As a deputy engineering maintenance manager at SMRT Trains Ltd, Daniel leads nine teams of around six staff each in the Rolling Stock Maintenance department at Bishan Depot, ensuring trains operate in peak condition through round-the-clock maintenance and analysis.

"The depot is essentially like a clinic for trains. No train leaves until we have certified it is safe and healthy for service," he says.

"Once trains return to the depot after midnight, we have about four to five hours for preventive and corrective maintenance."