The New Skytrain (continued for 2019)

[digbeth]

5 hours ago, burner2014 said:

I am still trying to follow when they start building the  Light Rail Train system's Bangna - Suvarnabhumi Airport line.

 

https://www.hospitalitynet.org/announcement/41006359/cross-vibe-bangkok-udomsuk-station.html

That should come after South Terminal is finallized, 

[burner2014]

1 hour ago, digbeth said:

That should come after South Terminal is finallized, 

Where can I follow the South Terminal progress? Any ETA on this?

South Terminal is what exactly? Of the Airport?

[Lakegeneve]

On 6/7/2019 at 6:12 PM, Lakegeneve said:

When the BTS ext from On Nut to Bearing opened in August 2011 (2 years late due to a BMA official being scared to issue the S&E tender), provision was made for a spur line to run down Bang Na-Trat rd to the airport. You'll see the viaduct widen after Udom Suk and a little before the intersection - actually right at suk soi 103/4 where the huge block of land is for the future "largest shopping center in asia" and just adjacent where the new Eastern Bus terminal will be located.

 

This spur line was never part of the original BTS expansion plans nor the original M-Map Master plan, but was added as an idea by the BMA around 2006/7 to cater for the future T3 at the airport and provide an alternate route for the then yet to be built ARL. M-Map has since been updated in 2017, but still does not include this line.

 

Subsequently, Samak Prakan City Hall proposed to OTP in MOT that it be a light rail line. However, they also had the idea 3 years ago to build a LRL providing a link from City Hall up Srinakarin rd to Bang NaTrat then east so they need to resolve these two ideas. Currently, we need a bunch of lines and exts (Purple South, Blue west, Orange west, Brown line, BTS Silom west est) to progress to tendering before this line is resolved.

 

Someone asked me a few years in the previous thread when this will be built. At the time, I suggest not until after 2023-2025 at the earliest but now the latter date is more plausible. The delays with construction of T2 and with T3 not even being approved also delay this line as it will essentially run to T3 and the APM that will be built linking the terminals. That's not to say a line along the Bang Na - Trat corridor is not currently needed, only that there are other pieces of the network that need to be in place first.

Quote

I am still trying to follow when they start building the  Light Rail Train system's Bangna - Suvarnabhumi Airport line.

Burner, this was my previous reply to you 2 years ago (page 2 of this thread).

 

Given delays to other projects & extensions (SRT red lines, MRT Orange line west, MRT Purple Line south, MRT Brown lines, the BMA Grey line - which may revert back to the MRTA, the 3 BTS exts) then it is very safe to say that you can add 3-5 years on my previous timeframe. Realistically, it most likely will be part of the post 2029 plans. Also, remember that once the ARL is taken over by the Eastern HSR line the consortium will not want any other mass transit link to compete with them. One of the perils of the private concessionaire model as we have seen with BEM opposing the small extension of the MRT Yellow line to Ratchayothin junction.

 

The BMA did commission a study of the project which began in June and is expected to take 18months to 2 years to complete. Let's see how that progresses. It might be that the MRTA ends up taking over the project in the future?

Quote

The project will be divided into two phases. The first phase will see 12 stations built between Bang Na intersection and Thana City Housing Estates -- namely Bang Na, Prapha Montri, Bang Na-Trat 17, Bang Na-Trat 25, Wat Sri Iam, Prem Ruethai, Bang Na Km 6, Bang Kaew, Kanchanaphisek, Wat Salud, King Kaew and Thana City stations. The second phase will connect Thana City with Krirk University and Suvarnabhumi airport, Mr Sakoltee said.

 

[Lakegeneve]

16 hours ago, burner2014 said:

Where can I follow the South Terminal progress? Any ETA on this?

South Terminal is what exactly? Of the Airport?

Yes, it is T3 of the Airport (essentially a reverse duplicate of the current terminal) which won't start construction for many years. Wait for T2 to open first.

 

This map should give you a clear idea of where the line is proposed to run (as well as the list of stations in my above post).........you can check earlier pages in the thread for other maps and info....

 

[burner2014]

Thanks @Lakegeneve , yeah 2 years is a long-time I remember there was one person that knows it all so its you ???? That's why I ask here I think there are not many people that know more about the whole building plan of the BTS/MRT etc system than you in BKK.  So again thanks for the help. 

 

But good update so I will check back in 3 years ???????? .. my god the Wikipedia article is from 2015 or so?  Love how fast the Thais are. 

No joke they sold me Condos here with "BTS comes soon in the prospect" didn't know it takes 5 years more ???? I just want to have a nice way to go from Mega Bangna in Town via BTS and back someday when I am 40+ . 

 

And I still think this line I am talking about will be heavily used to bring people to Mega Bangna and to bring workers to work in Central Bangkok via Udom Suk, traffic is always high here due to being a hub between different highways.

[burner2014]

@Lakegeneve wow okay if I waited 1 day (funny co-incident) I would have read this one now in Bangkok Post https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/2167687/study-begins-on-rail-line-along-bang-na-trat-road?fbclid=IwAR0eP5LuD898iNKo8uBddg_zYzD_i-ElhAg3oFX4__pPc78Pb8D6ozeqIo4

As you said 2 years study okay

[Lakegeneve]

On 8/19/2021 at 2:23 PM, burner2014 said:

Thanks @Lakegeneve , yeah 2 years is a long-time I remember there was one person that knows it all so its you ???? That's why I ask here I think there are not many people that know more about the whole building plan of the BTS/MRT etc system than you in BKK.  So again thanks for the help. 

 

But good update so I will check back in 3 years ???????? .. my god the Wikipedia article is from 2015 or so?  Love how fast the Thais are. 

No joke they sold me Condos here with "BTS comes soon in the prospect" didn't know it takes 5 years more ???? I just want to have a nice way to go from Mega Bangna in Town via BTS and back someday when I am 40+ . 

 

And I still think this line I am talking about will be heavily used to bring people to Mega Bangna and to bring workers to work in Central Bangkok via Udom Suk, traffic is always high here due to being a hub between different highways.

Well people purchased condos along Phahon Yothin back in the mid 00s based on the fact that the Mo Chit to Saphan Mai ext was originally due to open by 2008 according tp the then BTS ext plans in 2000. All the real estate agents exaggerate their sale pitch based on potential, future mass transit lines.

 

I can't see this being built prior to 2029 especially with Covid and T3 delays. It will probably it up being 15yrs+ from the date when the agent told you ""BTS comes soon". "Soon" has a relative context.....

[Lakegeneve]

On 8/16/2021 at 1:03 PM, Lakegeneve said:

Still expecting the MRT Brown line and MRT Purple line southern exts (delayed from March and August 2020 before that) to be tendered before the end of the year. I've promised for over 6 months now to do a comprehensive update. Hopefully, this week that will be done. I'll also include some info on the post 2029 plans for new lines.

Tender updates:

1) MRT Orange line west ext (13.4km) - previous tender date of Sept 2020 was cancelled by the MRTA due to Administrative Court challenge by the BTSC consortium after they change the MRTA change the TOR. Still some outstanding matters to resolve in litigation. New tender date of October 2021. Hopefully, contracts then signed in Dec and works to commence early 2022.

 

2) MRT Purple line south ext (23.6km) - previous tender date of March 2020 delayed to April 2021 due to Covid has been subsequently further delayed to avoid the same problems that occurred with the MRT Orange line. A new bid date of 8 October 2021 with contracts planned to be signed in Jan 2022.

 

3) MRT Brown line (22.3) - the design of the line and the N2 Expressway has been completed. The N2 Expressway EXAT tender is planned for Nov/Dec 2021 which means this section of the MRT Brown line will be built first. For the rest of the line, there are some Cabinet approvals for land expropriation that need to be granted an then the tender will most likely be done in the first half of 2022 - can't estimate a more exact timeframe yet.

 

[Gaccha]

3 hours ago, Lakegeneve said:

Tender updates:

1) MRT Orange line west ext (13.4km) -

Interestingly, the bridge and road to the West of Siriraj Hospital has been radically transformed over the last 2 years. The bridge got widened and a bridge was built on top of the bridge (!) to alleviate the extraordinary commuter traffic congestion in that area.

 

But it looks like they decided to not allow the construction worksite to go to waste for the future Orange Line, so below the bridge on the South side, in addition to a new entry-road, they curved a road near the old rail track. This odd curved spot of the road seems to be one future entry/exit point for Siriraj underground station. 

[JoePai]

On 8/19/2021 at 12:45 PM, Lakegeneve said:

Yes, it is T3 of the Airport (essentially a reverse duplicate of the current terminal) which won't start construction for many years. Wait for T2 to open first.

 

This map should give you a clear idea of where the line is proposed to run (as well as the list of stations in my above post).........you can check earlier pages in the thread for other maps and info....

 

Perfect thank you

 

[Lakegeneve]

On 9/17/2021 at 3:18 PM, JoePai said:

Perfect thank you

Proposed Bang Na junction to Swampy Airport line:

Some more information for those interested in this line regarding the BMA funded evaluation study. The current idea is to build the 19.7km line in 2 phases;

 

Phase 1: Bang Na to Thana City - 14.6km/12 stations

Phase 2: Thana City to Southern Terminal (T3) - 5.3km/3 stations

 

1) There's an informative webpage regarding the study. Of interest it that it refers to the project as LRT and yet they have heavy rail pictures on the website......

 

2) And this video overview

 

 

3) And this map....

 

Edited September 22, 2021 by Lakegeneve

[burner2014]

15 hours ago, Lakegeneve said:

Proposed Bang Na junction to Swampy Airport line:

Some more information for those interested in this line regarding the BMA funded evaluation study. The current idea is to build the 19.7km line in 2 phases;

 

Phase 1: Bang Na to Thana City - 14.6km/12 stations

Phase 2: Thana City to Southern Terminal (T3) - 5.3km/3 stations

 

1) There's an informative webpage regarding the study. Of interest it that it refers to the project as LRT and yet they have heavy rail pictures on the website......

 

2) And this video overview

 

 

3) And this map....

 

Thanks you awesome. Checking it out asap.

If that gets approved my house value will just double ???? love it. 

[Lakegeneve]

Very good BKK Post Editorial here on the prolonged, fundamental ticketing problem. It is well beyond a joke that there is still no resolution and really what the govt agencies need to be doing for new operation tenders is to ensure contract clauses that compulsory implement a common ticketing platform. If your company won't implement the Mangmoon card then you don't get to operate any more extensions or new lines. Easy fix.

 

Flagfall issue dogs train network, BKK Post Editorial, 26 Sept 2021

 

In about a month's time, Bangkok commuters will have to add yet another travel card to their wallet if they want to access the depth and breadth of the city's public transport network, as commercial services on the State Railway of Thailand's Red Line are scheduled to open on Nov 1. With the launch of the Dark and Light Red services, residents living in the city's northern and eastern suburbs finally have their own modern commuter lines which promise to cut their time on the road.

 

Considering it took authorities almost 15 years to realise the services -- parts of the line had actually been finished since 2012 and saw limited services for about a month until they were scrapped -- commuters were delighted to finally get a ride on the tracks which they had heard so much about over the years. For most people, then, having to store another card may seem like a small issue. However, this minor detail masks a major issue that characterises the development of the city's public transport network -- that is, while each line may seem connected on the surface, beyond the physical integration of the infrastructure, everything else is still very much managed separately, and dictated by sectoral interests. 

 

The ultimate representation of this division, perhaps, is the BTS Asok/MRT Sukhumvit stations -- which are impossible to seamlessly pass through despite being located on top of each other. Bangkok has toyed with the idea of a common ticketing system so much that not only does the system have a name (Mangmoom or "Spider", in the mold of Hong Kong's Octopus and London's Oyster), but over the past six years at least, City Hall -- under two different governors -- has, without fail, announced the imminent trial of such a system.

 

These announcements are typically followed by a sharp U-turn, often coupled with statements filled with corporate jargon which boil down to one thing -- that none of the parties are willing to come to a compromise for the sake of the public interest. In fact, it seems that none of the parties involved in the negotiations -- which at the beginning comprised operators of the Bangkok Skytrain, Blue and Purple MRT lines and the Airport Rail Link -- were aware of the repercussions of the deadlock, and how it feeds into the negative loop which helps perpetuate the city's traffic problems.

Full article...

[Crossy]

Throughput testing of Pink/Yellow Line automatic gates. Got to do 45 passengers in less than a minute.

 

[FarangryBirds]

On 10/4/2021 at 4:40 PM, Crossy said:

Throughput testing of Pink/Yellow Line automatic gates. Got to do 45 passengers in less than a minute.

 

 

"The games were definitely a bit tamer in Season 2 of Squid Game"

[Lakegeneve]

On 8/16/2021 at 1:03 PM, Lakegeneve said:

I obviously haven't been posting regular construction progress updates...

 

Construction progress as at 31 July:

1) MRT Orange Line: 84.44%

2) MRT Pink Line: 80.53%

3) MRT Yellow Line: 85.53%

 

Construction progress as at 31 September:

1) MRT Orange Line: 86.26%

2) MRT Pink Line: 82.58%

3) MRT Yellow Line: 87.07%

[Lakegeneve]

On 2/12/2021 at 2:57 PM, Lakegeneve said:

BSR announced last October that both the MRT Pink line (Minburi - PK 30 to Govt Complex - PK12) and MRT Yellow line (Y23 to Y17) would partially open in October 2021 with both lines then opening in full un June 2022. However, more recently there has been the suggestion that rolling stock delivery and COVID related delays may push this back.

 

Let's see what the situation is by June.

Most of you probably know but the BSR did announce in late July that the MRT Pink line and MRT Yellow line will not open until mid 2022.

Construction has also started on the MRT Pink spur line to Muang Thing Thani Lake.

 

MRT Pink Line opening dates;

Stage 1 June 2022: Minburi - PK 30 to Govt Complex - PK12

Stage 2 August 2022: Govt Complex - PK12 to Royal Irrigation - PK05

Stage 3 2023: Royal Irrigation PK05 to Nonthaburi Civic Center - PK01

 

MRT Yellow line opening dates:

Stage 1 June 2022: Samrong - Y23 to Si Iam (Depot) Y17

Stage 2 August 2022: Si Iam (Depot) Y17 to Latphrao - Y01

Note: depending on progress the full line may open at once.

[digbeth]

Pink line already put train on track up to station last week, yellow line train is yet to leave the depot to go anywhere 

 

Pink line stations work seem to progress along quite well, platform edge doors to station office in many place

Yellow line many stations ground level entrance from stairs and and elevator/escalator up to ticketing level seem to be stalling, many are just empty plot with pilings, maybe once the bulk of the guideway beams and walkway is up they'll divert the workforce to these works

[josephbloggs]

5 minutes ago, digbeth said:

Pink line already put train on track up to station last week, yellow line train is yet to leave the depot to go anywhere 

 

Pink line stations work seem to progress along quite well, platform edge doors to station office in many place

Yellow line many stations ground level entrance from stairs and and elevator/escalator up to ticketing level seem to be stalling, many are just empty plot with pilings, maybe once the bulk of the guideway beams and walkway is up they'll divert the workforce to these works

I don't think it's a diversion of the work force.  I live near Pattanakarn yellow line station and they were going really well with station construction until everything halted due to Covid.  There have been a handful of people working again but they haven't been allowed to go back to full crews yet - same as on building construction sites.

[Lakegeneve]

On 10/14/2021 at 11:41 AM, digbeth said:

Pink line already put train on track up to station last week, yellow line train is yet to leave the depot to go anywhere 

 

Pink line stations work seem to progress along quite well, platform edge doors to station office in many place

Yellow line many stations ground level entrance from stairs and and elevator/escalator up to ticketing level seem to be stalling, many are just empty plot with pilings, maybe once the bulk of the guideway beams and walkway is up they'll divert the workforce to these works

Pink line rolling stock has been undertaking tests between the depot and Minburi station for the previous 6 months - if you visited the depot you could view it each day.

 

For the MRT Pink line some of the delays are due to other factors such as PK01 having to be moved 337m closer to Khae Rai intersection as civil servants at the Nonthaburi office didn't want their view obstructed. Nopparat (PK 26) also had to be moved 300m due to a new flyover that the Highways Dept decided to build.  Also, the Highway Dept has caused delays along Chaeng Wattana rd due to flood mitigation works which has impacted construction of Laksi District station (PK13),  Government Complex station (PK 12) and PK 11. 

[Crossy]

Some nice photos of the Pink and Yellow Line from ASEAN Skyline https://www.facebook.com/ItsAseanSkylines

 

[Crossy]

Some of my own photos at YL14.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lakegeneve]

Thanks for the pics. Fitting out seems to be progressing well. (That's an informative watermark)

 

BSR have recently stated that the southern section of the MRT Yellow line will open in April when it was previously June. Do you think that is achievable? Also, have you heard if they are keen to bid for the MRT Brown line when the tender comes out next year? They will certainly have the front runnning.

[dekestone]

Thanks Crossy, cool pics. I'm curious about the noise level of the monorails. Louder, quieter or same as BTS?

 

[Crossy]

1 hour ago, dekestone said:

Thanks Crossy, cool pics. I'm curious about the noise level of the monorails. Louder, quieter or same as BTS?

 

Should be a lot quieter, rubber tyres running on a concrete beam, same sort of road noise as a regular bus (without the clattering diesel belching black smoke of course).

[Crossy]

4 hours ago, Lakegeneve said:

BSR have recently stated that the southern section of the MRT Yellow line will open in April when it was previously June. Do you think that is achievable?

 

Our information is still July/August for both lines. I don't really think it would be possible in April unless they run a simple shuttle under manual control (the trains can be driven from on-board).

 

[CLW]

Surprised the rolling stock is already in country. Wasn't this always a last minute act for previous openings?

[Crossy]

Been at the Yellow line OCC (Operation Control Centre) today.

 

This is how monorails switch tracks, not a simple mechanism ????

 

 

Station Staff Training Room (Station Sim. Room).

 

 

 

They even have a complete ticket office for more realistic training.

 

 

 

 

 

[matchar]

I drove past the yellow line the other day...I was wondering why it's so much higher up than the other lines?

[josephbloggs]

2 hours ago, matchar said:

I drove past the yellow line the other day...I was wondering why it's so much higher up than the other lines?

It is only in places.  Mostly it is normal height but it does have to cross a lot of bridges and flyovers so some of it has to be pretty high for that reason (and I guess it makes sense to leave it high for sections where there are many things for it to cross rather than have it go up and down a lot).

That's just an educated guess though.