Suvarnabhumi Airport Link To Start Week-long Official Test Run Dec 5

[webfact]

Suvarnabhumi Airport Link to start week-long official test run Dec 5

BANGKOK, Nov 15 (TNA) -- The long-delayed Airport Rail Link project, providing direct rail service to and from Suvarnabhumi Airport, will officially start its test run December 5 as scheduled earlier, coinciding with the birthday celebrations of His Majesty the King, State Railway of Thailand (SRT) governor Yuthana Tupcharoen said Sunday.

During the test run, free service will be provided to the public from 9 am to 12 noon and 1 pm to 4 pm daily all week and train drivers will be technical staff of Siemens, manufacturer and installer of the rail system, as SRT has not yet received test run operation training from Siemens, said Mr. Yuthana.

The SRT board met Friday, chaired by Ministry of Transport deputy permanent secretary Thawalrat Onsira, agreeing in principle to hire Deutsche Bahn International (DBI) of Germany to administer the rail service between Suvarnabhumi International Airport and terminal stations in Bangkok.

DBI has been asked to adjust its management system to match SRT demands.

Changing an earlier agreement, SRT has been directed to renegotiate the DBI contract to maintain cleanliness at stations, the maintenance centre and the overall rail route, as the work could be done by SRT, and also calling for lower fees on the part of DBI.

A subsidiary firm to be initially called Airport Link Co., Ltd. will be established with registered capital of Bt500 million.

The 28-km rail link connects Suvarnabhumi International Airport in adjacent Samut Prakan province and the City Air Terminal in Bangkok's Makkasan area.

Transport for airport express riders and local commuters will run on the same track with the same equipment, but with a staggered schedule.

Premium-fare express services will run on the hour between Suvarnabhumi Airport and City Air Terminal, while the City Line service will stop at six local stations along the route. (TNA)

-- TNA 2009/11/15

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[TheMysteriousMrTesla]

It's this that's the scary part :-

train drivers will be technical staff of Siemens, manufacturer and installer of the rail system, as SRT has not yet received test run operation training from Siemens

Not that the public test will be operated by Siemens staff (I'd trust a German driver any day), but that if the link opens any time early next year your Thai driver will have received a maximum of 3 months training! and it seems that, at this time, no (or very few) staff have actually been recruited.

Rail systems of this type usually have at least 3 months of full-service trial running without passengers (and the drivers will have had at least a month of simulator training before that), during this period all the operational procedures will be tested and staff made fully conversant in the procedure should, for example, a train become diasabled on the viaduct and require to be evacuated. At least it's not underground!

I know several people working on this project (at least two are TV members, though I doubt they will jeapordise their positions by public comment).

Edited November 15, 2009 by TheMysteriousMrTesla

[hansnl]

It's this that's the scary part :-

train drivers will be technical staff of Siemens, manufacturer and installer of the rail system, as SRT has not yet received test run operation training from Siemens

Not that the public test will be operated by Siemens staff (I'd trust a German driver any day), but that if the link opens any time early next year your Thai driver will have received a maximum of 3 months training! and it seems that, at this time, no (or very few) staff have actually been recruited.

Rail systems of this type usually have at least 3 months of full-service trial running without passengers (and the drivers will have had at least a month of simulator training before that), during this period all the operational procedures will be tested and staff made fully conversant in the procedure should, for example, a train become diasabled on the viaduct and require to be evacuated. At least it's not underground!

I know several people working on this project (at least two are TV members, though I doubt they will jeapordise their positions by public comment).

More or less you are right about driver training, in general.

However, the systems installed in this line are rather modern.

In fact, the system could do, with some modifications, without a driver.

Like most metro type rail systems nowadays, coupled to the non-existence of level crossings and the isolated level of the whole system, I think that the amount of actual training can be as low as one month.

If you start with experienced drivers, fact is the time needed to unlearn the tricks of the trade will be a very big part.

Going from scratch is much more simple, cost effective, shorter.

Some metro lines only have a driver in front for psychological reasons, and emergency situations.

Edited November 15, 2009 by hansnl

[Meridian007]

When will they begin actual service? How long will the test run last for? I don't plan on having to go to Suvarnabhumi until April, hopefully it's running fully by then.

[Crossy]

It's uncertain when actual service will start.

Much depends upon SRT getting their act together and actually setting up an Operating Company (that won't get the unions out on strike again), then recruiting and training staff. Most guesstimates say early next year, say 1st March.

This being the case expect full service on December 12th.

[jamesjdaly]

...........Transport for airport express riders and local commuters will run on the same track with the same equipment, but with a staggered schedule............

Makes a change from a staggering driver!

[d0ndela]

Some metro lines only have a driver in front for psychological reasons, and emergency situations.

And some don't even have a driver. In the Danish Metro in Copenhagen, the front of the train set is one big window where you can sit and enjoy the view.

[dynabob]

Some metro lines only have a driver in front for psychological reasons, and emergency situations.

And some don't even have a driver. In the Danish Metro in Copenhagen, the front of the train set is one big window where you can sit and enjoy the view.

K.L and Heathrow airports are same no driver and they are alway's on time

[hhgz]

If they use a Northwest pilot, who's to say where the train will go...

[hawksway]

Come on Lads - there's not much Thai content is this project; mainly labour and of course the usual commissions. This is German designed and built. Don't jump to conclusions. How do you know that the software was not supplied by SAP?

[zink]

Come on Lads - there's not much Thai content is this project; mainly labour and of course the usual commissions. This is German designed and built. Don't jump to conclusions. How do you know that the software was not supplied by SAP?

In any case there is still some Thai (mis)managing the project.

It's really hilarious. Airport was delayed by several years, this airport link has been delayed several times and now it's more than three years since the opening of the airport. One could assume that they would have a plenty of time to hire and train all the necessary staff. Still, they manage to introduce additional delay by not preparing staff on time.

I guess someone in charge found a better use for money allocated to training drivers....

[Sheryl]

How frequent will the schedule be?

[Dpolenz]

Delays delays delays,This is Thailand i suspect that the roads in jomtiem in pattaya should be completed by 2050

[salty]

Don't be so pessimistic. I would say 2045.