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MTR Corporation
Hong KongHong Kong economy

MTR Corp crossroads: Hong Kong rail giant mulls scrapping second backup of signal system blamed for collision

  • Michael Tien says MTR having second thoughts about extra backup for the new HK$3.3 billion signalling system
  • Cost of repairs for trains in Monday’s collision said to be at least HK$30 million

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The cost for repairing the trains damaged in an overnight trial run of a new signal system was said to be between HK$30 million and HK$50 million. Photo: Handout
Cannix Yau

Hong Kong’s embattled MTR Corporation faces a quandary over whether to abandon a specially designed backup of its new signalling system after last week’s embarrassing train collision, the Post has learned.

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Michael Tien Puk-sun, a lawmaker and former railway boss, said on Friday he had learned from inside sources that the MTR Corp was caught in a dilemma between keeping the cutting-edge technology – which comes with risks – or settling for the industry standard signalling system.

“The MTR Corp hopes to be the world leader in rail services. When they commissioned the new signalling system, rail bosses specifically requested software supplier Thales to design a second backup for Hong Kong’s rail lines,” he said.

The crash in question happened at about 3am on Monday when two trains collided at a crossover junction near Central station during an overnight trial of the new signalling system. One carriage was derailed, injuring a driver, but no passengers were on board.
Michael Tien, a Hong Kong lawmaker and member of the Legislative Council, said that if the MTR Corporation ‘wants to be a world leader in rail services, it needs to take risks and invest more’. Photo: Simon Song
Michael Tien, a Hong Kong lawmaker and member of the Legislative Council, said that if the MTR Corporation ‘wants to be a world leader in rail services, it needs to take risks and invest more’. Photo: Simon Song
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The result was an unprecedented two-day service breakdown between Admiralty and Central on the Tsuen Wan Line. The wreckage was finally cleaned up over the weekend.

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