Airport rail link disputes engineer's safety complaints

[snoop1130]

Airport rail link disputes engineer's safety complaints

By Teeranai Charuvastra, Staff Reporter

 

Junta chairman Prayuth Chan-ocha inspects a model of the Airport Rail Link train on March 16 at Makkasan Station in Bangkok.

 

BANGKOK — The elevated trains that connect Bangkok’s downtown with its international airport are not at risk of derailing contrary to a rail expert’s warnings, an executive with the state railway said Tuesday.

 

Former deputy Bangkok governor Samart Ratchapolsitte, who worked on the city’s mass transit projects during his tenure, prompted concerns when he said the Airport Rail Link recently discovered some of its track equipment was in critical condition.

 

Full Story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/transpo/2017/01/17/airport-rail-link-disputes-engineers-safety-complaints/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2017-1-17

[buick]

'the plates could function for at least one more month'.  i'm not sure what the total life span of such plates is but if the life span is several years, waiting to replace until the last month of their viability seems to be cutting it pretty close.  i know i replace the tires on my car well in advance of their last month of viability.

Edited January 17, 2017 by buick

[thedemon]

Be thankful the SRT only operates trains not airplanes.

[buick]

makes me think of the recent plane crash in colombia (but i think originated in brazil).  plane had just enough fuel to make the trip.  but once they got there, they realized they were a bit short.  a few survived the crash.

[tracker1]

Dont believe an engineer specially if he knows what he is talking about !

[anfh]

A pretty obvious reply from the state official - the last thing they need is someone scaring what little tourists they have from using the trains etc . They always refute any type of scare mungering when it may affect tourism. 

[al007]

This must be Thailand

 

Only here would the technically have their advice and safety assurances placed below  the UNQUALIFIED

 

SO WE HAVE TO WAIT OR RIDE TO SEE

 

Same people no doubt regulate the busses and minivans

Edited January 18, 2017 by al007

[mike324]

14 hours ago, thedemon said:

Be thankful the SRT only operates trains not airplanes.

 

Well that is worse enough, I remember back 2 years ago there there was a train derailment almost every month. Wonder if it still happens but just not reported.

[sanukjim]

15 hours ago, thedemon said:

Be thankful the SRT only operates trains not airplanes.

As of any equipment that requires costly maintenance, those in charge will cut corners in maintenance and proper equipment in order to save money to buy their family another Mercedes or two.

[Oldgumshoe]

Coincidentally, today is the 40th anniversary of the Granville train disaster in Sydney where an inbound train travelling at 78kph had the locomotive derail  on a left hand bend followed by the first 2 carraiges of the 8 carraiges. The loco hit the trestles of an overbridge causing some of the spans of the bridge to collapse crushing carraiges 3 and 4. the injury and death toll was horrific. A investigation was carried out and to this day there is speculation that the derailment was actually caused by a worn wheel on the front of the engine that was allowed to run an additional 500,000 klm instead of being replaced. Cold comfort to know maintanance could be being ignored on the elevated system in Bangkok Airport Link.

[user82374298374]

I'm sure lawsuits under the defamation and 'computer crime' statutes will be forthcoming . . .

[elgordo38]

17 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

recently discovered some of its track equipment was in critical condition.

Why does this not surprise me? And to think that trains are passing over this critical condition track. Another thing to add to my avoid list here after tourist vans. 

[exalll]

4 hours ago, al007 said:

This must be Thailand

 

Only here would the technically have their advice and safety assurances placed below  the UNQUALIFIED

 

SO WE HAVE TO WAIT OR RIDE TO SEE

 

Same people no doubt regulate the busses and minivans

 

I'm not normally a Thai apologist, but it's not only Thailand - also the UK, where the former Secretary of State for EDUCATION advised voters last year that they should not trust experts

[Stargeezr]

It is okay until the train falls from the tracks,  Don't Worry,  Be  Happy.  This LOS is where you vacation and

go back to your homes and enjoy more of your very fortunate lives!

  For buick, that plane crashed because the pilot did not land enroute and fuel up as he could have.

  He did not have at least the 45 minute reserves that is ICAO rules. If he did the plane would have circled and

landed okay, but no  the pilot's ego was so big that he tried to fly further than it was safe and killed almost

every one along with himself.

Geezer,  and yes I worked at an airport for 32 years.

[Jonmarleesco]

Now, whom should we believe? The engineer? Or the airport board executive?

 

'Suthep Panpeng said the defects found in some of the track hardware were routine, and they were promptly replaced after being discovered in weekly inspections.'

 

Well, their replacing the defects answers that question.

[fruitman]

15 hours ago, Jonmarleesco said:

Well, their replacing the defects answers that question.

Replacing with what? New original parts or something less expensive maybe??

 

The whole airportlink was a faillure from the beginning...total lack of expertise to build it this way....Same goes for the new purple line which is not even connected and never will be connected to the bts.

 

Now the only option left is an indepedent foreign team inspecting the airportlink and tell if it's safe or not...untill then i sure won't use it.