ValueBuddies.com : Value Investing Forum - Singapore, Hong Kong, U.S.

This is common in white collar workers where once they get promoted, they will realize that they are spending more and more time in office due to the added work/responsibility

(21-05-2012, 07:04 PM)shanrui_91 Wrote: [ -> ]SMRT forces its worker to work 1 extra day for the extra pay...

日期:21/05/2012新闻来源:新明日报记者:郭秀芳

加薪后巴士车长每周工作　做5天变6天

SMRT被轰加薪后，巴士车长每周工作从5天变6天，根本是“加辛”未“加薪”！

SMRT宣布从本月起调高巴士司机薪金，但一群SMRT巴士司机立刻致函《新明日报》大揭，新加坡籍司机其实是面对变相减薪，因为他们每周工作日，从5天变成了6天。

余先生代表一群SMRT巴士司机说，SMRT给巴士司机调整的薪金，做法和新捷运不同。

根据新的薪金制度，SMRT的新加坡籍巴士司机每月加薪225元，永久居民和马国司机则每月加薪100元。

做出决定前 已和工会讨论过；SMRT：巴士数量增加 司机人手短缺。完整报道，请翻阅21.05.2012《新明日报》。

http://news.omy.sg/News/Local%2BNews/Sto...36436.html

There is no free lunch. The ONLY depend-able for your salary is productivity. If higher pay but same productivity. Sooner or later you will be replaced by "innovation" in cost reduction program. It may not be replaced by foreigners, but by better Singaporean drivers.

SMRT is now like a fish swimming in muddy water. i think the whole SMRT (system) needs to be upgraded to be able to service the increased population of > 5.1 million people. There is no two way about this. If not we will see more service breakdowns in the future. So i won't touch SMRT until i see the monkeys admit and agree to upgrade the whole system ( not just replacement of aged parts only).

(21-05-2012, 09:02 PM)Temperament Wrote: [ -> ]SMRT is now like a fish swimming in muddy water. i think the whole SMRT (system) needs to be upgraded to be able to service the increased population of > 5.1 million people. There is no two way about this. If not we will see more service breakdowns in the future. So i won't touch SMRT until i see the monkeys admit and agree to upgrade the whole system ( not just replacement of aged parts only).

Hi Uncle Temperament,

I believe the monkey had agreed to upgrade

- Upgrade the Signalling system to allow shorter distant between operating trains safely
- Upgade the Propulsion and Pneumatic Compressor with newest one
- Sleeper is replacement, but no choice no new advance sleeper

The remaining is distribution of cost. I believe the monkey know the answer, but waiting for a good time to announce

Hi CityFarmer,
i understand you are an engineer. May be you can educate us on the reported main problems like what "claws" and using tie wrap to fasten,(i think its a joke then), hairline cracks to what?....etc. i believe not only due to age these things breakdown but also overloading the "system" with sudden 5.1 million population, from 3.5 million population. So anyone with common-sense will understand the whole system needs to be upgraded to cater to the 5.1 million population' or else the problem will never go away. Someone has said it is very difficult to add in more rail-cars as each station's platform is designed for 6 rail-cars only. So what then is the solution?

Actually our trains are not as old as trains in Tokyo or HK and probably not as crowded too. So why keep upgrading and changing new parts when the maintenance regime is the real problem?

(21-05-2012, 10:18 PM)Temperament Wrote: [ -> ]Hi CityFarmer,
i understand you are an engineer. May be you can educate us on the reported main problems like what "claws" and using tie wrap to fasten,(i think its a joke then), hairline cracks to what?....etc. i believe not only due to age these things breakdown but also overloading the "system" with sudden 5.1 million population, from 3.5 million population. So anyone with common-sense will understand the whole system needs to be upgraded to cater to the 5.1 million population' or else the problem will never go away. Someone has said it is very difficult to add in more rail-cars as each station's platform is designed for 6 rail-cars only. So what then is the solution?

Hi Uncle Temperament,

Well, as an engineer, i know solution effectiveness is superior over the elegance. The claw "solution" with tie wrap, if it is effective, then it is a excellence solution (minumum cost with maximum effectiveness), yes i agree that it does not look elegance

OK, let back track on the most important concern uncle temperament has, the catering of 5.1 Millions population. The solution as far i can guess from public info are

- New Signalling system will allow more trains to operate at the same time in EWNSL, thus can support more commuters.
- Upgrade old train to ensure less break-down, higher availability mean support more commuters.
- Of course more line commission i.e. CCL, DTL will divert some traffic aways from EWNSL, thus give more room for commuters
- Overlapping of route by Bus and improve service of bus may able to divert some traffic away, thus can support more commuters
- New sleepers reduces noice and vibration. It mean faster trains speed in area near housing estate, thus more commuter can be supported.

I hope i capture all key ones.

What remain is patience, let's give them time, situation will improve along the way

---

(21-05-2012, 10:43 PM)piggo Wrote: [ -> ]Actually our trains are not as old as trains in Tokyo or HK and probably not as crowded too. So why keep upgrading and changing new parts when the maintenance regime is the real problem?

The only answer i have is commuters in Singapore is more demanding compare with HK and Tokyo commuters.

SMRT is to serve commuters in Singapore, so have to cater the needs of the local commuters.

But should we pay as we demanded? Probably higher than Tokyo and HK fare? Something worth a thought?

(22-05-2012, 10:26 AM)CityFarmer Wrote: [ -> ]

(21-05-2012, 10:18 PM)Temperament Wrote: [ -> ]Hi CityFarmer,
i understand you are an engineer. May be you can educate us on the reported main problems like what "claws" and using tie wrap to fasten,(i think its a joke then), hairline cracks to what?....etc. i believe not only due to age these things breakdown but also overloading the "system" with sudden 5.1 million population, from 3.5 million population. So anyone with common-sense will understand the whole system needs to be upgraded to cater to the 5.1 million population' or else the problem will never go away. Someone has said it is very difficult to add in more rail-cars as each station's platform is designed for 6 rail-cars only. So what then is the solution?

Hi Uncle Temperament,

Well, as an engineer, i know solution effectiveness is superior over the elegance. The claw "solution" with tie wrap, if it is effective, then it is a excellence solution (minumum cost with maximum effectiveness), yes i agree that it does not look elegance

OK, let back track on the most important concern uncle temperament has, the catering of 5.1 Millions population. The solution as far i can guess from public info are

- New Signalling system will allow more trains to operate at the same time in EWNSL, thus can support more commuters.
- Upgrade old train to ensure less break-down, higher availability mean support more commuters.
- Of course more line commission i.e. CCL, DTL will divert some traffic aways from EWNSL, thus give more room for commuters
- Overlapping of route by Bus and improve service of bus may able to divert some traffic away, thus can support more commuters
- New sleepers reduces noice and vibration. It mean faster trains speed in area near housing estate, thus more commuter can be supported.

I hope i capture all key ones.

What remain is patience, let's give them time, situation will improve along the way

---

(21-05-2012, 10:43 PM)piggo Wrote: [ -> ]Actually our trains are not as old as trains in Tokyo or HK and probably not as crowded too. So why keep upgrading and changing new parts when the maintenance regime is the real problem?

The only answer i have is commuters in Singapore is more demanding compare with HK and Tokyo commuters.

SMRT is to serve commuters in Singapore, so have to cater the needs of the local commuters.

But should we pay as we demanded? Probably higher than Tokyo and HK fare? Something worth a thought?

Well, we will just have to wait and see. Er..... about hair-line cracks in SMRT's rail joints, how much of it is due to age/maintenance or simply due to overloading of passengers per rail-car. So is with the claws problem. i like to think it is due to both reasons. Let's wait and see how they solve the problems finally will most probably give us the answer.

Taken from INT:
"hairline cracks discovered on some third rail joints on the North-South and East-West lines ..."
i just wonder are there going to be more and more cracks as time goes by....?
Or is these a "natural breakdowns" that need maintenance/replacement from time to time?

(22-05-2012, 10:26 AM)CityFarmer Wrote: [ -> ]

(21-05-2012, 10:18 PM)Temperament Wrote: [ -> ]Hi CityFarmer,
i understand you are an engineer. May be you can educate us on the reported main problems like what "claws" and using tie wrap to fasten,(i think its a joke then), hairline cracks to what?....etc. i believe not only due to age these things breakdown but also overloading the "system" with sudden 5.1 million population, from 3.5 million population. So anyone with common-sense will understand the whole system needs to be upgraded to cater to the 5.1 million population' or else the problem will never go away. Someone has said it is very difficult to add in more rail-cars as each station's platform is designed for 6 rail-cars only. So what then is the solution?

Hi Uncle Temperament,

Well, as an engineer, i know solution effectiveness is superior over the elegance. The claw "solution" with tie wrap, if it is effective, then it is a excellence solution (minumum cost with maximum effectiveness), yes i agree that it does not look elegance

OK, let back track on the most important concern uncle temperament has, the catering of 5.1 Millions population. The solution as far i can guess from public info are

- New Signalling system will allow more trains to operate at the same time in EWNSL, thus can support more commuters.
- Upgrade old train to ensure less break-down, higher availability mean support more commuters.
- Of course more line commission i.e. CCL, DTL will divert some traffic aways from EWNSL, thus give more room for commuters
- Overlapping of route by Bus and improve service of bus may able to divert some traffic away, thus can support more commuters
- New sleepers reduces noice and vibration. It mean faster trains speed in area near housing estate, thus more commuter can be supported.

I hope i capture all key ones.

What remain is patience, let's give them time, situation will improve along the way

---

(21-05-2012, 10:43 PM)piggo Wrote: [ -> ]Actually our trains are not as old as trains in Tokyo or HK and probably not as crowded too. So why keep upgrading and changing new parts when the maintenance regime is the real problem?

The only answer i have is commuters in Singapore is more demanding compare with HK and Tokyo commuters.

SMRT is to serve commuters in Singapore, so have to cater the needs of the local commuters.

But should we pay as we demanded? Probably higher than Tokyo and HK fare? Something worth a thought?

I'm not in favor of upgrading the signalling system it may seem like a good plan but nobody really knows what is the threshold of the new system. Also there are other factors to consider. The entire MRT system was built based on 1970-80s design, we are just upgrading the signalling system, what about the other systems? After install the new signalling system will other systems able to "keep up" with it or are these problems just waiting to be discovered?

Also upgrading train signalling system may improve the system for a while but I see it won't go away. Now population is 5.1 million what if the population later increase to 7-8 million does that mean we have to upgrade the signalling system all over again?

I offer other alternative idea that's less painful but long lasting solution.

The best way is to upgrade the train station, extend it by making it longer to accomodate more train cars, upto 8-9 cars from current 6 cars per train. That way we can still use the all current systems without much upgrading for many more years to come, more importantly if you can add more cars the system won't need run at higher frequency, same frequency will do but increase passenger load. Also a station is a building made of concrete doesn't need major upgrading just minor repairs from time to time.

If the population goes down reduce the train cars, if it increases extend the train cars as needed.

Is not cheap solution but a lasting one. Simple engineering solution to the messy problem.

Quote:The best way is to upgrade the train station, extend it by making it longer to accomodate more train cars, upto 8-9 cars from current 6 cars per train. That way we can still use the all current systems without much upgrading for many more years to come, more importantly if you can add more cars the system won't need run at higher frequency, same frequency will do but increase passenger load. Also a station is a building made of concrete doesn't need major upgrading just minor repairs from time to time.

Lengthening the train will also lead to change in software and also the signalling parameters.
The length is longer. The acceleration profile will change. The brake profile will change. Power requirements will change. The MRT electric motor may have to be upgraded.

If the signalling system does not support software upgrade, then a change in train length will also lead to signalling system upgrade.