Investigative news agency claims Singapore kept news of defective MRT trains secret

Factwire, an independent investigative news agency, has reported that China-made MRT trains n Singapore were found to have cracks in their car bodies which could affect the structural components, resulting in 35 trains being shipped back to their manufacturer in Qingdao for replacement. The publication claimed that details of the defects and the recalls have been kept secret in both Singapore and China.

It further claimed that the manufacturer from People’s Republic of China is responsible for manufacturing nine trains for the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XLR) and 93 trains for the Mass Transit Railway Corporation’s (MTR Corporation) four urban lines.

According to Factwire’s unnamed sources, the defective trains are being stored at SMRT’s Bishan Depot, and that on June 12 at about 1am, its reporters witnessed two train cars wrapped in green covering being moved out of the depot.

Factwire said: “Each of the two covered train cars were more than 20m long. They were placed on large dollies used for transporting train cars and were towed away by cargo trucks, led by police cars and construction vehicles. At approximately 3am, the two train cars arrived at Jurong Port, located in Singapore’s western industrial area. Using a drone camera, reporters discovered that six train cars had already been placed in one corner of the port. Cranes, derricks, and other large machines believed to be used for lifting trains were situated nearby.”

Another unnamed source from PRC’s railway industry confirmed with Factwire that the train spotted by its reporters was to be taken by cargo ship to Qingdao, with the voyage taking more than 10 days.

Factwire said that “two of CSR Sifang’s staff confirmed that the train had arrived at the factory on June 25 from Singapore. Outside the factory, reporters saw trains wrapped in green covering identical to the kind seen in Singapore. Some of the green covering had “E27″ printed on it, the same marking seen on the covering of the trains in Singapore.” The publication claimed that the defective trains belong to the SMRT’s C151A series.

The website sgtrains said that the C151A series, manufactured by The Kawasaki Heavy Industries & CSR Qingdao Sifang are the fourth generation of rolling stock for the North South and East West Lines.

“35 trains of six cars each were purchased under contracts 151A and 151A (VO). The trains have been in passenger service since 27 May 2011 and are housed in Bishan, Ulu Pandan and Changi Depots.

The KSF trains were delivered in two batches – 22 trains were delivered in 2011-2012 and 13 trains were delivered in 2013-2014.”

The Straits Times reported last year that each of the train costs $12 million to $13 million each.

Read the full report by Factwire here: https://www.factwire.news/en/MTR-securetly-ecall.html