North-South Line delays caused by crack on rail

A crack was found yesterday on the northbound track linking Somerset and Orchard stations. The fault was detected at around 7:30pm. SMRT said that trains had to slow down when travelling in the region as a precautionary measure.

As such, the evening heavy traffic were delayed, causing congestions at many stations along the North-South Line.

SMRT used social media Twitter to inform commuters about the track fault, and cited delays for up to 10 minutes. At around 8:30pm SMRT posted a clearer message, reporting that a rail crack was detected.

The Straits Times reported that a SMRT spokesman responded to their enquiry at 11pm, saying that they were still investigating to find out the cause of the problem.

While rail cracks are rare, engineers and rail experts believe that it can be caused by metal fatigue. This can take place over time, when the rail is exposed to extreme temperatures, age and uneven wear and tear caused by the train wheels.