MRTA set to launch test run of Purple Line by late next year

[webfact]

MRTA set to launch test run of Purple Line by late next year



BANGKOK, 30 May 2014 (NNT) - The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) is pushing for a test run of its new Purple Line in December 2015, or one year ahead of schedule.

The rapid transit line is set to serve the demand of commuters living in Bangkok and Nonthaburi Province.

The 23.5km line from Bang Yai to Bang Sue is a Japanese-funded public-private partnership (PPP). The line will be operated by the MRTA, with Japan Transport Engineering Company (J-Trec), a subsidiary of JR East, supplying 63 metro cars, and Marubeni and Toshiba securing the E&M contract in November 2013 which includes a 10-year maintenance agreement.

MRTA members yesterday inspected the construction sites with JR East and Marubeni Toshiba executives in a bid to ensure that the project finished ahead of time.

There are to be 16 stations along the train’s elevated route.

Meanwhile, the State Railway of Thailand today reopened train services to Sungai Kolok, which have been temporarily suspended since May 14 when the rail tracks were damaged by bombs planted near the station. Crowds, comprising mostly of students and vendors, boarded the train this morning amid heavy security presence.

-- NNT 2014-05-30

[makescents]

Great news.

I've seen the long term map for public transport in BKK (http://gregtodiffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Transit-Map.jpeg) - I hope they can get it all done.

[lomatopo]

one year ahead of schedule

Does anyone know if this is accurate? Have they ordered rolling stock?

Will the subway (blue line) extension between Bang Su and Tao Poon (allowing a transfer between the subway/blue line and elevated train/purple line) be completed at the same time?

[Gunna]

one year ahead of schedule

Does anyone know if this is accurate? Have they ordered rolling stock?

Will the subway (blue line) extension between Bang Su and Tao Poon (allowing a transfer between the subway/blue line and elevated train/purple line) be completed at the same time?

I had a house in Nonthaburi near one of the stations so I was following the construction closely

originally it was meant to open sometime this year, then delayed for a year because of the floods in 2011.

later it was going to be 05 December 2015 after nearly a year of testing.

But I think some-one forgot to order all the rolling stock and signalling equipment

This is the first I have heard about 2016

Like a moving target, or PTP payment of rice farmers, just make it up as you go along and forget that people have memories or access to Google

[Maroon Watcher]

anything that gets traffic down has got to be good...

Hate to see "I'm Butch" 4X4's lining tiny streets puffing out smoke

Edited May 30, 2014 by Maroon Watcher

[josephbloggs]

anything that gets traffic down has got to be good...

Hate to see "I'm Butch" 4X4's lining tiny streets puffing out smoke

Sounds bad. What kind of smoke are they puffing out?

Edited May 30, 2014 by josephbloggs

[tomyummer]

It looks like a 90 minute ride into town with like 30 stops with the purple and blue lines. I wonder also if the connecting stations are conveniently located close together? Stupid question I guess. Of course they are not.

[tomyummer]

Great news.

I've seen the long term map for public transport in BKK (http://gregtodiffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Transit-Map.jpeg) - I hope they can get it all done.

Wow. Nice map. Thanks. It looks like the authorities will be switching the current BTS line routes in the future. The Sukumvit Line will no longer go to Mochit.

I hope to still be alive when this is completed.

[Lakegeneve]

It looks like a 90 minute ride into town with like 30 stops with the purple and blue lines. I wonder also if the connecting stations are conveniently located close together? Stupid question I guess. Of course they are not.

Yes, it is a stupid question. However, given that you can't read the map in the article that is not surprising.

[Lakegeneve]

one year ahead of schedule

Does anyone know if this is accurate? Have they ordered rolling stock?

Will the subway (blue line) extension between Bang Su and Tao Poon (allowing a transfer between the subway/blue line and elevated train/purple line) be completed at the same time?

Rolling stock contract was done last Nov (21, 3 car trains) by the BMCL with Hitachi (E&S) and JR East (Tokyu Car). At that time it was said it would take 40 months to deliver which meant a late 2017 opening. Recently, this was changed to a 24 month delivery timeframe for a mid 2016.

I doubt that a late 2015 opening is achievable given that the original opening date of early 2015 was pushed back 1 year to early 2016 after the 2011 floods. The current aim appears to be to start testing in Dec 2015. Let's see if that is possible....but note the info in the other thread by Crossey (#289).

The 1.2 km ext of the Blue Line to Tao Poon interchange station is part of the Purple Line contract. Originally, back in 2010, the aim was for this to open in early 2014, a year before the Purple Line opened. From what I understand it is still the intention to open this ext some time prior to the Purple Line opening. Obviously, it makes a lot of sense to do so. I'd hazard a guess that this ext could open by mid 2015 but knowing how things work and another members info, it seems 2016.

Edited May 31, 2014 by Lakegeneve

[Lakegeneve]

Great news.

I've seen the long term map for public transport in BKK (http://gregtodiffer.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Transit-Map.jpeg) - I hope they can get it all done.

That map done by Khun Zoowatch is over 10 years old. A number of lines have been changed.

For more accurate maps and the current Master Plan check this thread, http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/406991-the-new-skytrain/page-13#entry7906524

[robblok]

It looks like a 90 minute ride into town with like 30 stops with the purple and blue lines. I wonder also if the connecting stations are conveniently located close together? Stupid question I guess. Of course they are not.

Yes, it is a stupid question. However, given that you can't read the map in the article that is not surprising.

Still its a valid question, if the speed is low it will be a long ride into town.

Anyway I live close to the end of this and I ride through the traffic snarls caused by this project every day.

I wish they would give some priority to the places where traffic really blocked instead of moving linear. There are some real bad traffic bottlenecks created. All the transport trucks stop loose a lot of money and time. Further up where the roads are reclaimed the traffic is a lot better.

[Lakegeneve]

It looks like a 90 minute ride into town with like 30 stops with the purple and blue lines. I wonder also if the connecting stations are conveniently located close together? Stupid question I guess. Of course they are not.

Yes, it is a stupid question. However, given that you can't read the map in the article that is not surprising.

Still its a valid question, if the speed is low it will be a long ride into town.

Except that the question was about the location of the stations.....the map clearly shows that the two lines join at a station. Hence, it was a stupid query.

On the travel time, from the end of the Purple line at Bang Yai to say sukhumvit MRT station the travel time would be less than an hour. Probably, around 50-54mins based on current timings. That assumes a peak hr headway of every 3:30mins.

People spend over an hour driving each way for the same journey. The option will be there for those that want it.

[robblok]

It looks like a 90 minute ride into town with like 30 stops with the purple and blue lines. I wonder also if the connecting stations are conveniently located close together? Stupid question I guess. Of course they are not.

Yes, it is a stupid question. However, given that you can't read the map in the article that is not surprising.

Still its a valid question, if the speed is low it will be a long ride into town.

Except that the question was about the location of the stations.....the map clearly shows that the two lines join at a station. Hence, it was a stupid query.

On the travel time, from the end of the Purple line at Bang Yai to say sukhumvit MRT station the travel time would be less than an hour. Probably, around 50-54mins based on current timings. That assumes a peak hr headway of every 3:30mins.

People spend over an hour driving each way for the same journey. The option will be there for those that want it.

Yes it will take an hour in heavy traffic (or less) but when traffic is light not (with the car). On the bike.. half hour or so. I am not against the MRT as I think its good. However on that trip ( i live there i drive it often) once the MRT mess is cleaned up cars will win again easily. You don't have many choke points, the choke point is the mall ngam wong wan but your not going that way. Until the mall traffic is usually quite good (once we got all our 3 lanes back) So i think it still won't be able to compete much with the car.

But I am quite angry with them on an other front. Near the end of the line there is a choke point that could have been cleared up and saving all the trucks and people that live here tons of time and money. But they seem to want to work from the end of the line to the beginning instead of removing important choke points first. Now its just a storage area.. store it a bit further and remove this choke point first.

I am quite experienced here as i drive this quite often so I can make realistic comments on it.

[Lakegeneve]

^Yeah there has been plenty of valid complaints about the contractors not giving back lanes quickly enough once the civil works are completed.

However, you might be being a tad optimistic on the traffic front once construction is complete. As you'll remember, work started in 2010. Vehicle numbers and trips have increased significantly since then especially given all of the new housing developments and condos that have sprung up along this corridor....new shopping centers as well (Central). Traffic will still be heavy along Rattana Tibet (& NWW) once the line opens.

Also, take into account that this is only the first Phase of this line which will eventually run south through Rattanakosin Island area to Wong Wian Yai and eventually Ratburana. (Phase II of the Purple LIne is nearly ready to be tendered. However, the delay of 4 other lines due to the political problems of the last 12 months will delay Phase II accordingly). Eventually, it will link to 5 other metro lines with Kae Rai being a junction for 3 lines. Quite a handy line to live next to in that respect.

[robblok]

^Yeah there has been plenty of valid complaints about the contractors not giving back lanes quickly enough once the civil works are completed.

However, you might be being a tad optimistic on the traffic front once construction is complete. As you'll remember, work started in 2010. Vehicle numbers and trips have increased significantly since then especially given all of the new housing developments and condos that have sprung up along this corridor....new shopping centers as well (Central). Traffic will still be heavy along Rattana Tibet (& NWW) once the line opens.

Also, take into account that this is only the first Phase of this line which will eventually run south through Rattanakosin Island area to Wong Wian Yai and eventually Ratburana. (Phase II of the Purple LIne is nearly ready to be tendered. However, the delay of 4 other lines due to the political problems of the last 12 months will delay Phase II accordingly). Eventually, it will link to 5 other metro lines with Kae Rai being a junction for 3 lines. Quite a handy line to live next to in that respect.

I am talking about times that I still make now I can be there under an hour in low traffic but your right need to test it again. But most of my riding is on the bike.. you cant believe how fast that goes (not that I drive that fast but you pass a lot of problems).

Anyway its not about the lanes.. they are giving them back now. But they are giving them back in a linear fashion while one of the largest and most problematic choke holds is at the start. Its an important road for trucks going to the south and a weighing station is near. If they work on that first they would alleviate much more of the problems then where they are working on now. That is just something that is a bit crazy, one would think that it was clear to everyone that masses of trucks and cars backed up for a few KM big parts of the day would attract some attention.