Upgrading of East Rail Line signalling system needs to speed up

文章日期：2018年2月23日

雙語社評齊齊聽

LAST THURSDAY MORNING the East Rail Line of the MTR broke down again, primarily because the server of its signalling system, its so-called "heart", was not functioning smoothly. Things did not improve even after the MTR switched to the reserve system, and efforts to reboot the system manually also failed. The MTR decided to suspend service on the East Rail Line fully.

[ENG audio 1]

Last August, due to a problem with the signalling system that lasted for more than ten hours, train service on the Kwun Tong line of the MTR was severely affected. Back then the MTR management claimed that the incident was caused by a "peculiar" situation. However, less than half a year after the incident, an MTR signalling system broke down again, this time on the East Rail Line. In recent years, problems with the MTR's signalling system have been a common occurrence, with the situation of the several older rail lines particularly worrying. After the serious disruption on the Kwun Tong line last year, the MTR said that ordinarily a signalling system can be used for around 30 years. The signalling system on the Kwun Tong line came into operation in 1989. In other words, it has been in service for more than 28 years. The East Rail Line's signalling system is also very old — it has been in operation for around 30 years. There has not been any major update of the system since 1998, when the Kowloon-Canton Railway introduced a computerised automatic signalling system to the KCR East Rail (renamed the East Rail Line after the merger of the two railway companies in 2007).

[ENG audio 2]

Currently, if any malfunction happens in the central signalling systems of all urban railway lines (except the East Rail Line), it is possible to maintain basic operation through the station control mode, and service between train stations can largely be maintained. But the design of the East Rail Line is such that it has not kept up with the times. If the central signalling system breaks down, the reserve system is used automatically. In other words, the East Rail Line has one fewer line of protection, which might have contributed to the complete breakdown last Thursday.

[ENG audio 3]

In recent years, the MTR has spent $3.3 billion to replace the signalling systems of eight urban railway lines. The replacement work on the East Rail Line began in late 2015. The MTR said that after the East Rail Line's signalling system was replaced, the extra reserve system to be deployed when any accident happened would be strengthened. That would enable more comprehensive protection and prevent service disruption. But as of last November, only 60 per cent of the replacement work had been completed. Not until the year 2021, when the Shatin to Central link opens, will the East Rail Line's system be fully upgraded and the linkage be completed.

[ENG audio 4]

More than 4.9 million people use the MTR's local railway services every day. The company claims that it provides "world-class railway service". It says on its web page that it is universally regarded as a first-rate railway system in the world. Hong Kong people trust the MTR. They hope that by paying fares to the MTR the company can enable them to go to work or school punctually. The company should win the trust of citizens with practical work.

[ENG audio 5]

東鐵信號系統更新不能如老牛破車

上周四早上港鐵東鐵又出事，主因是作為東鐵線信號系統「心臟」的伺服器運作不暢順，轉換至後備系統情况仍未改善，需要人手重啟，但亦不成功，港鐵遂決定全面暫停東鐵線服務。

[PTH audio 1]

去年8月港鐵觀塘線信號故障逾10小時，列車服務嚴重受阻，港鐵管理層當時聲稱事故原因「獨特罕見」，詎料事隔不到半年，東鐵線信號又告出事。近年港鐵信號系統故障已成「家常便飯」，數條較為老舊的鐵路線，情况尤其令人關注。去年觀塘線出現嚴重延誤後，港鐵表示，一般來說，信號系統使用年期可達約30年，觀塘線信號系統1989年啟用，已「服役」逾28年。東鐵信號系統同樣老舊，系統沿用至今約30年，自1998年九鐵為當時的九廣東鐵（2007年兩鐵合併後，改名為東鐵線）引進電腦自動操作的信號系統後，便再沒有大規模更新系統。

[PTH audio 2]

目前東鐵線以外的市區鐵路線的中央信號系統若失靈，有需要下可以站控模式維持基本運作，車站之間也能維持大致運作，但東鐵線的設計未能與時俱進，一旦中央信號系統故障，會自動轉換到後備系統操作，換言之，東鐵線較其他鐵路線少了一層保障，這或許是東鐵線上周四一度全線癱瘓的原因。

[PTH audio 3]

近年港鐵耗資33億元，更換8條市區鐵路線的信號系統，其中東鐵線更新工程2015年底動工。港鐵指東鐵日後更換信號系統後，將可加強出現事故時的額外備用系統，以提供更全面的保障，避免服務受影響。但截至去年11月，東鐵信號系統工程僅完成六成，並要等沙中線2021年全線通車才能全面升級東鐵系統及完成對接。

[PTH audio 4]

港鐵本地鐵路服務每天載客量逾490萬人次，自詡提供「世界一流的鐵路服務」，港鐵在公司網頁稱，港鐵被公認為全球首屈一指的鐵路系統。市民信任港鐵，付出車資理所當然期望港鐵將他們準時送往上班和上學地點，港鐵也要以實際表現贏得市民的信任。

[PTH audio 5]

明報社評2018.01.15

Presented by lecturers of Hong Kong Community College, PolyU and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Mr KWOK, Tony Chun-tung

Lecturer

http://www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/staff_directory/language_communication/KWOK,_Tony_Chun-tung-111.html