Cracked track sets trains back

Passengers had to wait an extra three to five minutes for a Tsuen Wan Line train after a crack was found on the tracks near Tsim Sha Tsui Station.

At around 8am yesterday, the MTR Corp announced that the rail defect added 15 to 20 minutes to the total journey time between the Tsuen Wan and Central stations.

Engineers immediately installed temporary reinforcement components and finished repairs at around 11.30am.

"However, Tsuen Wan Line trains will operate at a slower speed from Jordan to Tsim Sha Tsui for the sake of caution," the company said.

This extended the total journey time between the Central and Tsuen Wan stations by three to five minutes. "Longer wait times on Tsuen Wan Line platforms can be expected and we apologize for any inconvenience caused," MTRC said.

The company said engineers are closely monitoring the broken section and will replace it once trains stop operating at night.

Lawmaker Gary Zhang Xinyu said the crack should have split the track section in two but it is safe to keep operating with temporary reinforcement and trains slowing down.

"Currently, engineers conduct visual inspections on the Tsuen Wan Line nightly and ultrasonic track detection every two weeks," he said.

However, Zhang admitted it is difficult to completely avoid sudden cracks due to the track material. He urged the company to ensure sufficient maintenance time and develop a good maintenance and train service team.

Roundtable lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun said the crack was found on a track intersection and that it must have been a big one as it also caused unstable voltage for the signaling system.

Tien urged the MTRC to import technology into maintenance work as soon as possible to improve inspection efficiency.

The rail giant announced last June that it would spend over HK$65 billion over the next five years for rail facility renewal and technology deployment.