The New Skytrain (continued for 2019)

[Lakegeneve]

On 7/14/2020 at 7:49 PM, Lakegeneve said:

 

Construction progress as at 30 June:

1) MRT Orange Line: 64.21%

2) MRT Pink Line: 60.31%

3) MRT Yellow Line: 60.94%

4) SRT Dark Red Line: 100% - S&E Installation: 73%

5) BMA Gold Line: 81% - due to commence operations on 1 October.

Construction progress as at 31 July:

1) MRT Orange Line: 66.06%

2) MRT Pink Line: 61.83%

3) MRT Yellow Line: 62.44%

4) SRT Dark Red Line: 100% - S&E Installation: 73% (no update available)

5) BMA Gold Line: 88% - was due to commence operations on 1 October. However, now delayed to late October as testing of the first set has been delayed due to Chinese officials being unable to enter Thailand. Expect further delays on this front.

 

 

[josephbloggs]

On 12/18/2019 at 10:56 PM, josephbloggs said:

Does anyone know how the yellow line will cross the number 7 highway?  The skinny monorail pillars go up to the edge of the motorway (which is elevated here).  How will it span that huge road?  It is seven lanes inbound at that point and 6-7 lanes outbound with no divide between where they can erect a pillar.  There would easily be 2-3 pillars in that space normally, but they can't have any.

Is it going to be a mini suspension bridge?  Or truss?  Just curious to know.

So watching this develop I still have no idea how it will get across.  They have now built support columns either side of the motorway and they are much thicker than the usual supports.  But it is 50/55 metre span between them so I don't see how it can be done in one go, but they obviously will do it somehow (normally the supports seem to be no more than 20 metres apart).  Anyone know?

Interestingly also as soon as it has crossed the motorway it dives down to go underneath the ARL - it also splits in two to go around an ARL support column which is right in the way - before climbing immediately back up into Pattanakarn station.  Seems quite steep too.  I wonder why they didn't go over the ARL as it looks like a lot of extra work to go under.

[ExpatOilWorker]

1 hour ago, josephbloggs said:

So watching this develop I still have no idea how it will get across.  They have now built support columns either side of the motorway and they are much thicker than the usual supports.  But it is 50/55 metre span between them so I don't see how it can be done in one go, but they obviously will do it somehow (normally the supports seem to be no more than 20 metres apart).  Anyone know?

Interestingly also as soon as it has crossed the motorway it dives down to go underneath the ARL - it also splits in two to go around an ARL support column which is right in the way - before climbing immediately back up into Pattanakarn station.  Seems quite steep too.  I wonder why they didn't go over the ARL as it looks like a lot of extra work to go under.

The Airport Link easily span over 8 lanes of traffic around Makkasan. Maybe something Similar.

But, I agree it is a long span over 12 lanes of traffic.

 

 

[josephbloggs]

10 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

The Airport Link easily span over 8 lanes of traffic around Makkasan. Maybe something Similar

Not sure.  This is 13 lanes and a different kind of construction as the monorail beams are single pieces and pretty thin.  

[ExpatOilWorker]

26 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Not sure.  This is 13 lanes and a different kind of construction as the monorail beams are single pieces and pretty thin.  

Maybe steel girders. See page 150-151.

https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/12234092_03.pdf

 

 

[josephbloggs]

2 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Maybe steel girders. See page 150-151.

https://openjicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/12234092_03.pdf

 

 

Nice find, thanks!  I would say definitely a steel girder then as they say maximum length is 60m and I reckon it is 50 metres there.  Also the pillars on either side of the motorway are thick just like these in the picture.  So I reckon that's it!

Inner geek satisfied.  Still would like to know the reasoning for diving down underneath the ARL then straight back up.  Just seems logical (and less engineering) to go over it but I am sure there is a very good reason.
 

[ExpatOilWorker]

12 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Inner geek satisfied.  Still would like to know the reasoning for diving down underneath the ARL then straight back up.  Just seems logical (and less engineering) to go over it but I am sure there is a very good reason.
 

 

In a distant future a high speed rail line will connect Don Mueang, Swampy and Utapao. I imagine it will run partially parallel to the ARL along this section and maybe the high speed rail line is to tall for the moon rail to pass above it.

[Lakegeneve]

On 9/15/2020 at 9:01 AM, ExpatOilWorker said:

In a distant future a high speed rail line will connect Don Mueang, Swampy and Utapao. I imagine it will run partially parallel to the ARL along this section and maybe the high speed rail line is to tall for the moon rail to pass above it.

Actually, the Eastern HSR line will take over the ARL. The ARL will need to be shut down at some point once the ext to DMK is done first in order to do install a new signalling system and finally replace the substandard chinese built rail.

 

However, as mentioned in the previous page the SRT Light Red Line is still planned to be extended to Hua Mark so that will require a new viaduct along the ARL.

[Lakegeneve]

On 9/14/2020 at 4:41 PM, josephbloggs said:

So watching this develop I still have no idea how it will get across.  They have now built support columns either side of the motorway and they are much thicker than the usual supports.  But it is 50/55 metre span between them so I don't see how it can be done in one go, but they obviously will do it somehow (normally the supports seem to be no more than 20 metres apart).  Anyone know?

Interestingly also as soon as it has crossed the motorway it dives down to go underneath the ARL - it also splits in two to go around an ARL support column which is right in the way - before climbing immediately back up into Pattanakarn station.  Seems quite steep too.  I wonder why they didn't go over the ARL as it looks like a lot of extra work to go under.

I was looking for some renders but could not find them. However, you can see in the route video around the 2 min mark the configuration of the line when it passes the Chonburi Motorway. Larger cross support beams will be built on the south side of the motorway. 

 

The reason why the line passes under the ARL is so that the station can be built at a reasonable height as otherwise the station would have to be much higher and the interchange to the ARL would be more cumbersome to construct. It also allows air space for the future SRT Light Red viaduct to be more easily built.

 

 

[Lakegeneve]

On 8/15/2020 at 3:39 PM, Lakegeneve said:

Construction progress as at 31 July:

1) MRT Orange Line: 66.06%

2) MRT Pink Line: 61.83%

3) MRT Yellow Line: 62.44%

4) SRT Dark Red Line: 100% - S&E Installation: 73% (no update available)

5) BMA Gold Line: 88% - was due to commence operations on 1 October. However, now delayed to late October as testing of the first set has been delayed due to Chinese officials being unable to enter Thailand. Expect further delays on this front.

 

Construction progress as at 31 August:

1) MRT Orange Line: 67.84%

2) MRT Pink Line: 63.36%

3) MRT Yellow Line: 64.30%

4) SRT Dark Red Line: 100% - S&E Installation: 73% (no update available)

5) BMA Gold Line: 94% - was due to commence operations on 1 October. However, now delayed to the end of October or more likely early December as further testing is required  Test runs started a couple of weeks ago as you can view in this BMA provided video;

 

 

[Lakegeneve]

Quote

 

6 October 2017

I mentioned in the previous update that I would post a summary of new rolling stock orders;

 

A) BEM Blue Line (MRT) -

BEM finally placed an order with Siemens a few weeks ago for new rolling stock!!! Originally, they were going to order more stock in 2008 but had to defer due to debt restructuring issues so it has been a long wait! BEM has ordered 35 new 3 car sets which will be delivered in 3 stages ; 

1) 3 sets in late 2018,
2) 15 sets in early 2019,
3) 17 sets in late 2019.
(Note: BEM should be moving to 4 or 5 cars sets by now as expected pax after the extension are 750k-800k rising to 1m by 2022)

 

 BTSC Dark Green (Suk) line  (BTS) -

1) The BTSC has ordered for 22 new 4 car sets from Siemens in May 2016 for the when the Samut Prakhan extension. These are being built in Turkey with expected deliveries in late 2018 & early 2019.

2) At the same time, the BTSC ordered 24 more 4 car sets of CRRC (Chinese) for the North ext to KuKot/Lam Lukka rd. These should be delivered in late 2018.

(Note: 4 sets will be kept for reserve/repairs etc)

 

C) BSR Pink and Yellow line (MRT) monorail orders -

1) Pink Line: BSR has ordered 42 Bombardier Innovia Monorail 300 sets  (4 cars)

2) Yellow Line: BSR has ordered 30 sets (4 cars) of the same model.

 

D) SRT Dark and Light Red suburban lines -

Hitachi has the contract to supply rolling stock by 2020. However, the exact number of sets is unclear.

 

E) SRTET Airport Line (ARL) -

1) The order for 7 new 5 car sets is still pending. However, the SRT has promised to place it by the end of the year.

 

Summary:

That's a total of 81 heavy rail sets (3 & 4 cars) and 72 monorail sets (4 cars) on order!

 

BSR MRT Pink line and MRT Yellow line monorail orders

The first sets for both lines have been assembled and shipped on 4 Sept to Thailand. They should arrive by the end of the month.

All other sets will be progressively delivered during next year with final deliveries expected by 1st quarter of 2022.

 

 

[josephbloggs]

58 minutes ago, Lakegeneve said:

I was looking for some renders but could not find them. However, you can see in the route video around the 2 min mark the configuration of the line when it passes the Chonburi Motorway. Larger cross support beams will be built on the south side of the motorway. 

 

The reason why the line passes under the ARL is so that the station can be built at a reasonable height as otherwise the station would have to be much higher and the interchange to the ARL would be more cumbersome to construct. It also allows air space for the future SRT Light Red viaduct to be more easily built.

 

Thanks LG, I was hoping you would pop up with information.  Very interesting and makes sense, thanks for sharing.  I had been wondering about that for a long time.  

[josephbloggs]

9 minutes ago, Lakegeneve said:

BSR MRT Pink line and MRT Yellow line monorail orders

The first sets for both lines have been assembled and shipped on 4 Sept to Thailand. They should arrive by the end of the month.

All other sets will be progressively delivered during next year with final deliveries expected by 1st quarter of 2022.

 

 

They actually look really cool, and much bigger / wider than I was expecting.

[Lakegeneve]

Silom line S4 construction update - Suksa Witthaya

The construction of one of the 2 original missing stations (S4 & N6) is now 50% complete with an expected opening by March 2021. 

 

A couple of pics, credit to Dailynews (26/08/20)

 

 

 

[heina]

What was the reason to build Suksa Witthaya station?

[Lakegeneve]

On 9/25/2020 at 7:20 PM, heina said:

What was the reason to build Suksa Witthaya station?

Since the BTS opened it was always intended to build S4 & N6 once there was sufficient pax density around the area. Given all of the new condos and offices building which has have been built on Sathon rd it was decided in 2016 to build S4. It will also relieve some of the pax congestion at S3.

 

Some of the new lines will also have stations that will be built at a later date.

[Lakegeneve]

On 9/16/2020 at 6:55 PM, Lakegeneve said:

 

Construction progress as at 31 August:

1) MRT Orange Line: 67.84%

2) MRT Pink Line: 63.36%

3) MRT Yellow Line: 64.30%

4) SRT Dark Red Line: 100% - S&E Installation: 73% (no update available)

5) BMA Gold Line: 94% - was due to commence operations on 1 October. However, now delayed to the end of October or more likely early December as further testing is required  Test runs started a couple of weeks ago as you can view in this BMA provided video;

Construction progress as at 31 October:

1) MRT Orange Line: 71.38%

2) MRT Pink Line: 66.54%

3) MRT Yellow Line: 68.31%

4) SRT Dark Red Line: 100% - S&E Installation: 86% (testing has begun)

5) BMA Gold Line: 98% - testing ongoing. Looking like a late Dec opening, perhaps 24-31 Dec?

[ExpatOilWorker]

On 9/14/2020 at 8:44 PM, josephbloggs said:

Nice find, thanks!  I would say definitely a steel girder then as they say maximum length is 60m and I reckon it is 50 metres there.  Also the pillars on either side of the motorway are thick just like these in the picture.  So I reckon that's it!

Inner geek satisfied.  Still would like to know the reasoning for diving down underneath the ARL then straight back up.  Just seems logical (and less engineering) to go over it but I am sure there is a very good reason.
 

 

The MRT bridge near Sirindhorn station might give a hint how the bridge will look like 

 

 

[josephbloggs]

42 minutes ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

 

The MRT bridge near Sirindhorn station might give a hint how the bridge will look like 

 

 

Cool.  And yeah possibly could be the case.

I live just by the Srinakarin / motorway crossing and drive past it every day on my way to work - they seem to be doing some prep work on the pillars either side.  Will update if I see anything happening - I imagine it would be a big operation closing the motorway for an evening to get that lifted in to place.

[josephbloggs]

On 11/10/2020 at 11:02 PM, josephbloggs said:

Cool.  And yeah possibly could be the case.

I live just by the Srinakarin / motorway crossing and drive past it every day on my way to work - they seem to be doing some prep work on the pillars either side.  Will update if I see anything happening - I imagine it would be a big operation closing the motorway for an evening to get that lifted in to place.

So about a week ago they started building some temporary structure on the frontage road about a km from where the bridge will be.  I was wondering what it was, then this morning this had appeared there.  Looks like there is space for one more, so I guess this is the staging area before installation.  To me it seems this thing would only reach halfway so I guess two will need to be joined together on site and then I guess some sort of truss would be needed like in the above picture of the MRT bridge.

 

[Lakegeneve]

Upcoming opening dates

Crossy can confirm the first one....

1) 4 Dec: BTS Sukhumvit line north ext final section from N17 to N24 (PM official opening ceremony 16 Dec). However, do note that this opening date is subject to final system tests.

2) 16 Dec: BMA Gold Line - ditto on final tests 

3) March 2021 SRT Dark Red and Light Red lines: limited free trial services for 3 months. Full opening Nov 2021.

 

I'll do that long promised general update soon.

[Lakegeneve]

On 11/17/2020 at 11:14 AM, josephbloggs said:

So about a week ago they started building some temporary structure on the frontage road about a km from where the bridge will be.  I was wondering what it was, then this morning this had appeared there.  Looks like there is space for one more, so I guess this is the staging area before installation.  To me it seems this thing would only reach halfway so I guess two will need to be joined together on site and then I guess some sort of truss would be needed like in the above picture of the MRT bridge.

 

 

JB, something tells me that this video is going to make you very happy.....

 

 

[josephbloggs]

36 minutes ago, Lakegeneve said:

 

JB, something tells me that this video is going to make you very happy.....

 

 

Oh my God, an entire video just for that, and showing exactly everything in such detail!  Brilliant, thanks. 

[CLW]

On 11/21/2020 at 1:12 PM, Lakegeneve said:

 

JB, something tells me that this video is going to make you very happy.....

 

 

Nice video!

[Crossy]

On 11/19/2020 at 4:53 PM, Lakegeneve said:

Upcoming opening dates

Crossy can confirm the first one....

1) 4 Dec: BTS Sukhumvit line north ext final section from N17 to N24 (PM official opening ceremony 16 Dec). However, do note that this opening date is subject to final system tests.

2) 16 Dec: BMA Gold Line - ditto on final tests 

3) March 2021 SRT Dark Red and Light Red lines: limited free trial services for 3 months. Full opening Nov 2021.

 

I'll do that long promised general update soon.

 

Current planning is for Green Line North to open on the 16th (not earlier), the PM will then ride the train and open the Gold Line later the same day.

 

 

 

[CLW]

On 11/17/2020 at 11:14 AM, josephbloggs said:

So about a week ago they started building some temporary structure on the frontage road about a km from where the bridge will be.  I was wondering what it was, then this morning this had appeared there.  Looks like there is space for one more, so I guess this is the staging area before installation.  To me it seems this thing would only reach halfway so I guess two will need to be joined together on site and then I guess some sort of truss would be needed like in the above picture of the MRT bridge.

 

Any information about the lifting date?

Would like to watch it

[josephbloggs]

32 minutes ago, CLW said:

Any information about the lifting date?

Would like to watch it

No, haven't been able to find out but I reckon fairly soon.  Seems like prep work on the pillars is done and don't expect they would plan to leave those massive steel beams sitting around on the roadside for any longer than necessary.

I would also quite like to watch it.

[josephbloggs]

On 11/24/2020 at 2:15 PM, josephbloggs said:

No, haven't been able to find out but I reckon fairly soon.  Seems like prep work on the pillars is done and don't expect they would plan to leave those massive steel beams sitting around on the roadside for any longer than necessary.

I would also quite like to watch it.

Geek update.  Just drove home from work (late) and they have closed the right hand lane on both sides of the motorway over the Srinakarin crossing and there are teams there - obviously to start dismantling the concrete barriers that separate the two sides of the carriageway to allow this to happen.

My guess is that the lift will happen this weekend, Sunday night would make the most sense.

 

 

[josephbloggs]

On 11/26/2020 at 11:15 PM, josephbloggs said:

Geek update.  Just drove home from work (late) and they have closed the right hand lane on both sides of the motorway over the Srinakarin crossing and there are teams there - obviously to start dismantling the concrete barriers that separate the two sides of the carriageway to allow this to happen.

My guess is that the lift will happen this weekend, Sunday night would make the most sense.

 

 

Update: the crane platforms are in place on Pattanakarn, the middle of the motorway has been demolished and filled for the lorry thing to cross. Just drove past the staging area now and there is a lot of activity. They are attaching yellow rods to the side of the big steel monorail beams - assume these are the lift points. And that monstrous articulated truck thing with about a hundred wheels is in place -  it's quite an impressive sight. 

 

So my guess is it's happening tonight, although I was wrong last time. If I can I'll drive by again later and take a picture and also ask the crew if it is indeed happening tonight and if so what time. 

[josephbloggs]

2 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Update: the crane platforms are in place on Pattanakarn, the middle of the motorway has been demolished and filled for the lorry thing to cross. Just drove past the staging area now and there is a lot of activity. They are attaching yellow rods to the side of the big steel monorail beams - assume these are the lift points. And that monstrous articulated truck thing with about a hundred wheels is in place -  it's quite an impressive sight. 

 

So my guess is it's happening tonight, although I was wrong last time. If I can I'll drive by again later and take a picture and also ask the crew if it is indeed happening tonight and if so what time. 

In the unlikely event any is interested I did do another loop past there on my way home, however it was dark so no photo.  And it was also deserted - not a single person on site so no-one to ask.  The mega truck was still amazing to look at though.

So could be tonight, could be tomorrow, could be next week, no way to know.  But obviously fairly imminent.