The New Skytrain (continued for 2019)

[Lakegeneve]

8 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Converting Sapan Taksin to dual track will not be easy with the limited space available. Will they have to completely demolish the existing station and raise the line above the highway bridge?

This will take years to complete and be a major disruption for Silom line.

 

He admitted that there is a restriction on the Silom Line due to the bottleneck at Taksin station, where trains are required to share a single section of track.

However, he said the company is in the process of getting permission from the Rural Highway Department and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to expand the section to dual tracks.

Source: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/bts-adds-27-more-trains-to-serve-bangkok-commuters

After the BMA, announced 4 years ago that they would demolish the station within 12 months and build a 700m pedestrian link to Surasak, there was some political pressure applied to The Rural Highways Dept who are responsible for the bridge. Thereafter, 2 years ago it was agreed that a new wider bridge span would be built on the south side to accommodate enough space and that the north span would be widened. The current issue and delay appears to be one of funding as Highways Dept says BMA should pay for it. However, I haven't seen an update for many months.

 

There is a render that I posted in another TV thread at the time but I doubt that I can find that thread. Searchable under BKK news.....

[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, Lakegeneve said:

After the BMA, announced 4 years ago that they would demolish the station within 12 months and build a 700m pedestrian link to Surasak, there was some political pressure applied to The Rural Highways Dept who are responsible for the bridge. Thereafter, 2 years ago it was agreed that a new wider bridge span would be built on the south side to accommodate enough space and that the north span would be widened. The current issue and delay appears to be one of funding as Highways Dept says BMA should pay for it. However, I haven't seen an update for many months.

 

There is a render that I posted in another TV thread at the time but I doubt that I can find that thread. Searchable under BKK news.....

Search Google for "saphan taksin boost" and it is the first image hit.  Don't think I'm allowed to link to it....

 

Edited August 30, 2019 by josephbloggs

[FarangryBirds]

It's strange to see competition as such between MRT and the BTS over fares, I keep seeing posts and memes on Social Media recently, comparing the costs of riding certain routes to the same destinations on the MRT vs BTS.

 

eg. Bang Wa to Silom/Sala Daeng was about 35 baht on MRT and 52 on the BTS.

[ExpatOilWorker]

3 hours ago, Lakegeneve said:

After the BMA, announced 4 years ago that they would demolish the station within 12 months and build a 700m pedestrian link to Surasak, there was some political pressure applied to The Rural Highways Dept who are responsible for the bridge. Thereafter, 2 years ago it was agreed that a new wider bridge span would be built on the south side to accommodate enough space and that the north span would be widened. The current issue and delay appears to be one of funding as Highways Dept says BMA should pay for it. However, I haven't seen an update for many months.

 

There is a render that I posted in another TV thread at the time but I doubt that I can find that thread. Searchable under BKK news.....

Sadly, the pictures are no longer showing in your post #66 in the below thread.

 

 

[Lakegeneve]

On 6/9/2019 at 4:12 PM, Lakegeneve said:

The 10km ext from Rangsit to Thammasat Uni was approved in 2017 and was due to be tendered late last year so hopefully this will be done in the post election period. The 11km 1st part of the southern ext from Bang Sue to Hua lumphong was approved a few years ago. However, this will have to wait while the designs for the Eastern HSR line was finalised as the first section will be from DMK to Phaya Thai to link with the ARL. 

I've mentioned this a few times as a real concern.

Years ago after the Dark Red line tender I was critical that the SRT did not design and tender an integrated super structure viaduct to cater for;

1) SRT Dark Red line,

2) ARL ext to DMK (as it then was),

3) High Speed lines to North & NE (approved back in 2010 before the tender was done).

 

Thus, when work finally started after a 2 year contract delay the viaduct being built is only for SRT Dark Red line operations - and perhaps some additional narrow gauge services. This meant that two new viaducts would be built for the ARL & HSR lines with an additional station(s) at DMK!

 

The ARL ext was due to be tendered in 2013 but the Yingluch govt delayed it and then the May 2014 coup caused another 2 year delay. Subsequently, the idea came to include the ARL ext into the Eastern HSR line which has now been contracted and is subject to final design before construction starts early next year.

 

Read this article, https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30375733 

Quote

The two pending contracts are related to the construction of railroad in the Bang Sue-Don Muang section, said the minister. “This section is tricky, since parts of the area are overlapping with another high-speed rail project that links three airports – Don Mueang, Suvarnabhumi, and U-tapao.”

Thus, now we have the Eastern HSR line which will be built with a new viaduct and thereafter the real possibility that the NE HSR line will also require a separate viaduct along a right of way which is narrow in parts! Let's hope they at least only build 1 additional new station at DMK! 

 

It is fundamentally ill-conceived and flawed planning!

 

[Lakegeneve]

From tomorrow 7 September, MRT Blue services will operate as a through service on a normal frequency. Still operating only from 7am to 9pm from Hua Lumphong to Bang Wah.[

So no more changing at Hua Lumphong for a shuttle service on a 8 min headway!

[Nyezhov]

I was out in Thonburi today and can honestly say that at least at Talat Phlu, at like 4ish, incoming ridership (to Central BKK) on the BTS seemed to be increased as compared to when I was running from there in March.

[Lakegeneve]

On 8/18/2019 at 2:04 PM, Lakegeneve said:

Current Progress at end of July

1) MRT Yellow line - 39.92%,

2) MRT Pink Line - 40.13%,

3) MRT Orange line 42.27%

 

Current Progress at end of August

1) MRT Yellow line - 41.77%,

2) MRT Pink Line - 42.15%,

3) MRT Orange line 44.43%

[Nyezhov]

Are there any figures about increases in riders?

[moontang]

what happened to the fare cuts...there was suppose to be something decided last week, but haven't heard a peep about it.

 

As far as traffic compared to March, it does seem like the Thai population has increased around bkk.  Don't know how many live part year upcountry, but many are very recent immigrants to BKK, and still have close ties to home.  Yesterday was super nice, and felt unusually comfortable walking around.  

Edited September 11, 2019 by moontang

[Lakegeneve]

20 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

Are there any figures about increases in riders?

MRT Blue line was a daily ave of 370k but since the trial period of the extension to Bang Wah this has increased by around 40k a day which is resulting is the even worse overcrowding in the peak periods. Once full operations begin to Lak Song on 29 Sept there is expected to be an almost immediate total increase of around 100k extra. By the end of the year the MRT Blue line will probably have a near 500k daily ave.

 

Still some glitches in the system such as when arriving at Tha Phra station the on board announcement is that one can change here to proceed to Bang Sue even though this part of the extension will not open until next year.

[Nyezhov]

1 hour ago, Lakegeneve said:

MRT Blue line was a daily ave of 370k but since the trial period of the extension to Bang Wah this has increased by around 40k a day which is resulting is the even worse overcrowding in the peak periods. Once full operations begin to Lak Song on 29 Sept there is expected to be an almost immediate total increase of around 100k extra. By the end of the year the MRT Blue line will probably have a near 500k daily ave.

 

Still some glitches in the system such as when arriving at Tha Phra station the on board announcement is that one can change here to proceed to Bang Sue even though this part of the extension will not open until next year.

Peak is? 0700-0900 and 1600-1800?

[dekestone]

For you tech guys...is the Sam Yot station (outbound towards Itsaraphap) the deepest in the system? That seems like a long (double) escalator trip to street level. Any idea what the depth is there? Are the Wat Mangkan and Sanam Chai stations also stacked like that, one above the other?

[Greyhat]

Has anyone else noticed that the new MRT train announcements tell you that you can transfer to the "dark green" line in both English and Thai? The Sukhumvit BTS line isn't dark green, it's light green. ????

[ExpatOilWorker]

1 hour ago, Greyhat said:

Has anyone else noticed that the new MRT train announcements tell you that you can transfer to the "dark green" line in both English and Thai? The Sukhumvit BTS line isn't dark green, it's light green. ????

Silom BTS line is light green.

Sukhumvit BTS line is dark green.

[YT3k72Em]

19 hours ago, dekestone said:

For you tech guys...is the Sam Yot station (outbound towards Itsaraphap) the deepest in the system? That seems like a long (double) escalator trip to street level. Any idea what the depth is there? Are the Wat Mangkan and Sanam Chai stations also stacked like that, one above the other?

 

Gotta go deep to get under the river without any leaks ????

[Greyhat]

4 hours ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Silom BTS line is light green.

Sukhumvit BTS line is dark green.

Are you sure?

[ExpatOilWorker]

13 hours ago, Greyhat said:

Are you sure?

Yeah, but I must admit the color coding in your map is not the most logic choice. 

Where did you come across the map? 

[Greyhat]

1 hour ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

Where did you come across the map? 

Almost every single result on google image.

 

 

Even wikipedia uses this colour scheme:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukhumvit_Line

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silom_Line

 

If yours is indeed correct, what's going on?

Edited September 14, 2019 by Greyhat

[Greyhat]

and finally..

[josephbloggs]

I always thought it was a bad idea to name the lines after colours - too much room for confusion, especially for people who are colour blind.  The light green / dark green confusion being talked about is a perfect example.

 

London: Victoria Line, Piccadilly Line etc.

Singapore: North-South line, Downtown line etc.

Shanghai:  Line 1, Line 2 etc.

 

I think colours work if you only have two or three lines, like Dubai (red line, green line) but when you have something as comprehensive as Bangkok is building then it seems silly.  Light green, dark green, light red, dark red, light blue, dark blue, orange, brown.  All too similar for many people.

Any idea why they decided that rather than naming them? Sukhumvit Line, Silom Line, Airport Line, Circle Line (MRT), Minburi Line, Nonthaburi Line etc.  

 

Then again if they named them they would probably choose horrible long Thai names so maybe that would be worse.

 

Edited September 14, 2019 by josephbloggs

[Greyhat]

2 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

I always thought it was a bad idea to name the lines after colours

Agreed, considering the number of lines they could have used entirely different colours as well. If they'd have included black and white they could have done away with light/dark green and blue.

 

For light red, call it pink.

 

My initial point still stands though, the announcement on the new trains IS wrong. So even they're getting it wrong. ????

Edited September 14, 2019 by Greyhat

[josephbloggs]

3 hours ago, Greyhat said:

Agreed, considering the number of lines they could have used entirely different colours as well. If they'd have included black and white they could have done away with light/dark green and blue.

 

For light red, call it pink.

Pink is already taken.  ????

 

Quote

My initial point still stands though, the announcement on the new trains IS wrong. So even they're getting it wrong. ????

Yep, I noticed that today!

[FarangryBirds]

I saw it announced today that they want to build another 3km monorail line to link the BTS Green line extension to Don Muang airport.

[Greyhat]

On 9/14/2019 at 5:11 PM, josephbloggs said:

Yep, I noticed that today!

Glad it's not just me then.

 

Had a lot of fun this morning on one of the new trains. The train doors opened but the glass station doors didn't so nobody could get off. The train then proceeded to move off, then stop abruptly and reverse. People were bouncing around like pinballs. Good times. There's clearly some bugs to work out with the new ones.

Edited September 16, 2019 by Greyhat

[FarangryBirds]

Glad it's not just me then.
 
Had a lot of fun this morning on one of the new trains. The train doors opened but the glass station doors didn't so nobody could get off. The train then proceeded to move off, then stop abruptly and reverse. People were bouncing around like pinballs. Good times. There's clearly some bugs to work out with the new ones.

The new MRT trains do seem to jolt a little when they pull away. I've also noticed they're much brighter lit inside.

The TV displays on the platforms need sorting. Sometimes it says next train 6 minutes.... Then 2 minutes ...then back to 4 again.

[Greyhat]

Just now, FarangryBirds said:

The TV displays on the platforms need sorting.

This has been the case for a good while. They used to be spot on but now I don't even pay any attention to them as they're next to useless.

[Nyezhov]

5 minutes ago, FarangryBirds said:

The new MRT trains do seem to jolt a little when they pull away. I've also noticed they're much brighter lit inside.

The TV displays on the platforms need sorting. Sometimes it says next train 6 minutes.... Then 2 minutes ...then back to 4 again.

I think the new BTS trains rock more, maybe sprung less?

[Greyhat]

I think I've solved the "Dark green/Light green" mystery lads.

As @ExpatOilWorker said:

The Sukhumvit line is dark green if you're at the MRT (As shown by their maps etc.)

However if you're at the BTS the Sukhumvit line is light green (As shown previously in the thread)

 

So yeah, nice and confusing.

 

[FarangryBirds]

Minding my own business at a bus stop in Din Daeng tonight when a truck rolled past (under police escort) with some more new BTS rolling stock.