11/24/2017

Joo Koon collision – 10 sec to react

This is the excuse or explanation given on the train collision at Joon Koon. I don’t think this is a necessary exercise and the people should not try to pin the fault at the driver. Let me try to recreate the situation, just my thought and not necessary the whole truth. The train came to a stop as expected. Everything was normal and the driver could be trying to do something or may even try to stand up to open the door or to move from his seat. The driver would not expect that a train that had stopped would suddenly pull off on its own to hit a stationary train ahead. It never happened before and it was not meant to be like that. This is just abnormal, like a twilight zone event. No driver in his right mind would expect this to happen. So please leave the driver alone. The 10 sec was just too brief for him to react if he was off his seat or was doing something, maybe communicating with the station.
 

What was relevant to this accident in my view are three things. One, the merging of two software and hardware systems to work seamlessly as one. Was this fully understood, that the protocol and interfaces would work smoothly without problems? Were these tested fully to ensure that it would be the case before implementation?
 

Two, how could a lapse or fault cause a trip in the system for the software to read differently and malfunction?
 

Three, why was there such a thing as a 3 carriage train when all our trains are 6 carriages? A 6 carriage train must be the default programme, not a 3 carriage train. How did this 3 carriage train sneaked into the programme? This is a serious flaw in the system. Thales better explain.
 

Now, is this 3 carriage train programme completely removed and deleted from the system and would not be a source of another accident? There must be a full debugging of the software to rid this 3 carriage thing from the system. If this is not removed, it is going to cause another accident of the same nature sometime in the future. Murphy said so. This bug must be taken care of for good. It must not remain in the programme. Period.
 

My 2 cent worth commentary.
 

PS. While Thales, the French provider of the signaling system had apologized for the signaling fault that caused the accident, many sicko sinkies in TRE are still putting the blame on train carriages supposedly Made in China. Were these the cause of the accident? By the way, China’s high speed trains are criss crossing the Asian and African continent in the thousands daily. At those speed the quality of the trains, the signaling system, the tracks, engines, maintenance etc etc the whole system are under real time test. Any faulty part or system would not stand the test of time. On record they have performed extremely well, for any minor mistake or fault would be blown out of proportion in the western media.
 

The Americans would be the next big customer of Chinese high speed trains when Trump decides to rebuild the ailing train system in the USA.
 

Oh by the way, are those injured compensated?

49 comments:

Anonymous said...

The truth is: As usual somebody is trying to cover-up for a serious managerial decision that went wrong. Some honcho, irresponsible and don't want to own up because of fear of lossing the million dollars pay and perks, must be covering-up his own ass. This I sincerely believe. This the CULTURE the SMRT CEO is probably hinting / talking about.

Anonymous said...

..probably, reason #4 blame it on bad luck, reason # 5 either Kaw or Demon Quak bazi is Chiong or in conflict of one another that results in many train hiccups, reason #5 Divine intervention or Ghost Protocol remember the 2 Malays guys who died last yr probably they r not happy & their spirits wondering about to create havoc to the mrt trains in operation etc..etc...

Ali-babas said...

Oblivious, Daft and Brain-Dead Sinkies still dreaming of a Wonderland in Alice (opposite to Alice in Wonderland) will wake up one day to a Horrible Shock, the shock in their entire national life-time.

It is like what is brewing now in the Western Atmosphere: China is selling off their US Bonds, in retaliation to Donald Trump's measures taken against China. This has started the ball rolling downhill for Corporate Bonds too. Next, China will have to sell of their holdings of Corporate Bonds too. This is only the first step. The second step will be to reciprocrate by not importing US goods and services with indirect sanctions imposed against countries that help the US. Countries like Little USA, Japan, South Korea and Australia will feel the effects.

Just watch and see ..... Ultimately the Western Markets will collapse.

Anonymous said...

On new mrt train,theres a video showing 1 man working
Night shift maintaning train tracks.where r the rest of the
Mrt system staff.eg the seniors 1s.(waiting for part 2.)

Anonymous said...

In a recent poll conducted about the SMRT breakdowns, most Singaporean do not believe what the officials have publicly reported. Somply because the "facts" presented do not gel or sound logical.

Anonymous said...

Rb, what compensation? I thought the sg system is u die your business type. I think been in ns, only covered by own insurance?

Virgo49 said...


Good morning, Mr Redbean, have to disagreed with you on the 10 sec fiasco. A driver on the job must be very alert as many lives are in his hand in the case of an Emergency.

You CANNOT take situations for granted.

In this case, the driver should realise that there should be no train in your sight at that short distance of a few meters away.

He should be prepared mentally to hit the Emergency Button and be alert for any unusual normal operating norm.

Moving vehicles at speed can caused serious inquiries. Too many beans took for granted that all is well with the working mechanisms. That's is complacency.

Many stooges still think the West is still the best.

Why so many BMWs, Peugeot etc recalled for whatsoever faults. They simply been brains washed ages ago and had ate too many burgers and potatoes instead of Rice

Karma turned Full Circle and now they are seeing the true colours of their superiority in having so many exposures of their failures in their so called Superior Technology.

Their planes crashing and their even Naval vessels sinking. Their so called Trained personnel even cannot dock a vessel.

The HSR will be won by the Chinese. Malaysia with Najib in deep businesses with China will be sure to give the project to Xi.

Singapore will want continuity from here. No chiap chye connection that may caused problems later.

Our two Circle Line MRT in front of our eyes were given both to PRC contractors with one partially merged with Japan.

China will win hands down.

Cheers

Anonymous said...

...huh? Compensation? Wat compensation ? The garmen is gonna push all the blame to Tales & request the injured met people go n claim from them ...its not the mrt or transport authority fault...claimed from transport authority or aSsMRT got to tkk..

Anonymous said...


To move on from a mistake,,,,,,,

(1) Admit the mistake

(2) Learn from it

(3) Don't repeat it

Very simple,,,,,as easy as ABC!

Anonymous said...

Driverless bus rides for commuters at three new towns from 2022

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/centre-for-self-driving-vehicles-opens-in-jurong-west
-----------------------------------

If you think MRT is bad ... wait until you see what PAP and Khaw is planning for Singaporeans in 2020 ....

1) self-driving buses and shuttles for their first- and last-mile commutes.

2) driverless campus buses, truck platooning systems and unmanned road sweepers.

Do you think we better buy more personal accident insurance?
Do you think more Singaporean drivers and sweepers will be made unemployed?

Anonymous said...

Very simple,,,,,as easy as ABC!
November 24, 2017 10:09 am

As easy as Learning ABC
or is it ABC Learning?

Anonymous said...

Do you think Singapore is a country of Pimps And Prostitutes?

HK newspaper highlights S’pore’s mature commodified sex industry & its loopholes
- Vibrant and thriving despite or because of the laws regulating it?

http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/2120339/singapores-sex-trade-licensed-brothels-sugar-babies-and-laws-you-can-run

https://mothership.sg/2017/11/sex-work-in-singapore/

---------------------------------------------

Providing good jobs for Singaporean women since 1965?
Putting Singapore on the map since 1965?

Anonymous said...

hi 1016am

don't need to boy insurance lah

don't be so ks

should instead buy 4D of the first bus number lah

ok?

Anonymous said...

As I said before, luckily the software was not from China, otherwise all the shit will be thrown at the Chinese.

And since it is the French software system, well, everything seems pretty normal. No slamming, no vitrol, no cursing and an apology will suffice to cool the 70% dafts.

Double standard?

Same as what happens in red dot politics. Anything bad to do with PAP, just keep mum until it dies down naturally. Anything bad to do with WP, there will be so many Ministers, PAP MPs, PAP supporters stoking the fire. WP would be dragged over the coals, brought to court, and sued until suspenders dropped.

Anonymous said...

Talking about the 10 sec and the blame on the driver. I believe some trains are already driverless eg the LRT.

Now, we are reaching for the driverless vehicles in time to come. There are no more drivers to blame.

Then what?

Anonymous said...

Blame the WP lor!

Anonymous said...

True, true. WP supposed to slap the driver?

The next collision it will be because the WP failed to slap the driver of the train.

You see, there will not be any short of excuses. Just make it up! The 70% can be fooled easily!

Anonymous said...

FUCKING SINKIES FULLY FUCKING DESERVE THE FUCKING GOVT THEY FUCKING VOTED FOR!!!!

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Singapore plans to introduce driverless buses on its public roads by 2022.

Scary implications -- more people will be run over by buses, their bodies flattened, and their brains and organs splattered on the road in their blood !!

Anonymous said...

Do you think WP should ask in parliament:
- in the event of a driver-less car knocking down or killing a Singaporean
- who do we sue?

Knowing PAP's engineering and maintenance track record, do you think his is a fair question to ask?

Anonymous said...

Will SMRT be operating all these driver-less vehicles?
Will SMRT's maintenance department be in charge of the maintenance?

Anonymous said...

The original french software was modified by foreign talents. There will NEVER be assurance of quality. Many electrical wiring were done by licensed contractors on sinkingland. Contractor may earn money from subcontractors to do certain jobs. These subcontractors might hire unqualified wiring man to do the wiring. Sometimes places like electrical distribution room caught fire etc, the highest possibility is wrong wiring.
Software house may look ok, but might hire flooding village s unqualified software professionals.

Was the train on auto after stopping by driver? Was it possible? why did the software interpreted 6 carriage as 3 carriage? Why there was no auto input on the length at both ends with equipment etc? It sounded inflexible and stupid.

Why should it be counted by number of carriage? What if the train carriage is enlarged by modifying each carriage with extended length of 10 meters to fetch more talents when population is 10 millions?

Readers should not buy this kind of "carriage count". In modern IT, sensors should read the exact length and transmitted to the equipment to be adjusted by software.

Possibility are aplenty. One of which was similar to stock exchange, unchecked programs were installed. OR most likely, the highest expert who checked the software was unable to spot the mistakes. Bcos they are foreign talents from flooding villages.

Anonymous said...

Did the highest expert check the software, or like the pumps, they just falsify the records?

We never know what else has not been checked. We just assume they have been checked, because the ones doing the ehecking had been told to check, but we do not know if he did check.

If ownself can check ownself, it matters little whether there is checking or not. The only consequence is that one day we will get check-mated without knowing it.

Anonymous said...


Anger not anger not anonymous 126pm

Bad for your health.

The 70% voted for them must had their reasons

They must be very very very happy with them.

Anyway do not get angry with the 70%.

Life is short.

Be happy and worry less!

Anonymous said...

Sorry not 126pm. Should be 1230 pm. Sorry again.

Day Of Reckoning said...

Yes, be happy.

Watch how happy the Zimbabweans are after the Ruthless Dictator Mugabe resigned "voluntarily" while impeachment proceedings are going on in the Upper and Lower Houses, and his political party, PAP, has sacked him and purged all pro-Grace Mugabe cronies and sycophants.

Singaporeans should look forward to such a Day of Joy, Jubilation and Happiness. Don't you think so?

http://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-africa-42063744

Anonymous said...

@ November 24, 2017 2:30 pm

Intuitively, I believe what you say makes sense.
I've never been a big fan of PAP's outsourcing style of management.

Problem with out-sourcing
-----------
- Singaporeans lose the engineering expertise
- without our own in-house expertise, how can you check on the quality of engineering we are buying?

Dear PAP
You can out-source the work;
But you can't out-source your responsibility to Singaporeans
We will hold you accountable in GE 2020.

Anonymous said...

@ November 24, 2017 2:52 pm

How to "own self check own self" ??
Do you think SMRT engineers or Desmond Quek's Army got the expertise to check on Thales?

How much do Singaporean engineers earn?
How much do the Thales engineers earn?

Do you think we should increase our engineering salaries and reduce the politicians' salaries?

b said...

Stop relying on the evil continent to get anything done. They are lazy, arrogant and brutal. They like spending other people money and when there is little left, they will start wars to plunder and kill. The rest of the world must not be duped by this evil continent.

Anonymous said...

Many things (on the ground) are not working well (and not according to the "reports" sent ("upstairs")) ...?

The top could be "fuming" or worst "flabbergasted" or even "faint" if they "learnt (1st hand) happenings ..." (on the ground)?

That's the problem when (armchair) generals (hide) in (cosy, opulent, over luxuriously furnished) comfort of air-conditioned 6* (over-sized) office (reading ("glowing") reports submitted by eunuchy underlings)?

More than 65% (responents) according to latest survey have no confidence in MRT?

How many % has confidence in (the future of) ahqualand?

How many agencies and Mins (are there, if any) especially those run by (armchair) (ex)generals are as well run as SMRT and in similar plight?

Goh said...

Laochek Virgo
Simple answer lah.
Could it be that the train captain using handphone to read or contribute his views on MSN after he stopped?
You dunno MSN is thought provoking and affect the lives of many sinkies ?Many times while driving my mind is thinking on what you wrote and can't resist my temptation to reply you.
Dun blame the driver.
Many can have their attention diverted becos of your writing.
You played a part in the accident if its so.
Oops,suddenly remind me of one ah Tai,a interesting ex train captain blogger.
I miss his interesting topic.
Two of you can be kiatpai except you are more open minded.Cheers.

Anonymous said...

Incompetence at the top is everywhere for us to see. That's the weakest link in Singapore. For example GIC is a long-term investors, a long-only player, yet exited the 2nd longest bull market not too long after the rebound from depressed levels of 08/09 Great Financial Crisis. It has missed much of the 2nd longest bull market in history so far. It totally does not make sense. Temasek cut loss of bank shares at 08/09 low, yet it is a long-term, long-only investor.
Paper generals & ruling politicians don't even know the simple basics of profitable long-term investing strategy, yet they are helming our $1 trillion over national reserves.
Lost $10bln to $40bln here & there, under-perform here and there, soon they will be
hiking lots of taxes, when they still want to manage 100s of billions.
Singapore will be Sinkingpore, with these kind of "Fund managers".
GIC better call NG Kok Song back.
Temasek better change all the top key managers.

Anonymous said...

The top people at GIC and Temasek will never and can never be changed.

All the bad calls resulting in massive losses, who is to be held accountable? The problem is who is accountable is known, and who is too big to be held accountable is also known. And what about keeping skeletons in the cupboard, if any, and that they remain in the cupboard? These two funds are secretive and are like the assets belonging to one particular family.

Changing the top means letting out the skeletons sooner or later, unless they keep on putting the same cronies at the top to keep the lid close. They just announced the appointment of one as adviser to GIC. Quietly done, without fanfar or whimper and nobody is the wiser.

Anonymous said...

Never say never.
Expect the unexpected.
Singaporean voters can, may, could change their votes.
No party of weak men can last very long.
It's all about timing.

Anonymous said...

"Thales clinched the resignalling contract with what is believed to be lowest bid of $195 million. It is its first signalling project here. Most others were done by Alstom." - ST Nov. 24 2017

That explains.

Anonymous said...

The Fall Of Robert Mugabe - A Lesson For Singaporeans - Part 1

Yes, never say "Never". Everything in the Universe is IMPERMANENT. Change is the only constant.

For 37 years, the 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe has reigned and ruined Rhodesia=Zimbabwe. He ruled with two iron fists (the ZPF political party and the Military). Like the PAP, the ZPF has been winning elections after elections, by hook or by crook.

Zimbabweans suffered greatly under Mugabe's rule but no one dared to topple him or his political party ZPF. All dissents and oppositions were crushed through the use of force, coercion, intimidation, cheating, lies, and violence of beatings, tortures, killings and murders.

Zimbabwe's economy, from the initial healthy one went down and down, under Mugabe. Western powers imposed sanctions because of the atrocities committed by the Mugabe Regime. As a result, Mugabe rampantly printed his own money to facilitate imports. The currency then collapsed due to extreme hyper-inflation. Mugabe then discarded the Zimbabwean currency and adopted other countries' currencies.

At one point Opposition Leader Morgan Tsvangirai had won the Presidential Election overwhelmingly. Mugabe was not happy and engineered a Second Round of the Presidential Election. In the meantime, violence and bloodshed, staged by Mugabe's forces, broke out and many opposition leaders were arrested, some killed. The opposition leader Tsvangirai had to withdraw from the second round of the Presidential Election to allow Mugabe to win without contest, in order to prevent further killings upon his followers and supporters.

In 1996, after Mugabe's wife, Sally Hayfron, died, he married his mistress, Grace Ntombizodwa (born in South Africa as the fourth of five children; moved to Zimbabwe to live with her mother in Chivhu while her father stayed and worked in South Africa supporting his family; attended primary school in Chivhu and then the Kriste Mambo secondary school in Manicaland; married air force pilot Stanley Goreraza and they had a son, Russell Goreraza, born 1984; while working as secretary to the president, Robert Mugabe, she became his mistress while still married to Stanley Goreraza – and had two children, Bona, named after Mugabe's mother, and Robert Peter, Jr.)

At the time of their marriage Grace Mugabe was 31 and Robert Mugabe was 72 years old. The couple were married in an extravagant Catholic Mass, titled the "Wedding of the Century" by the Zimbabwe press.

Grace Mugabe, a mere typist at Mugabe's office, after she became the second wife of Mugabe, became power-hungry and politically ambitious. She aimed to become the next President of Zimbabwe, taking over from her husband, establishing a long-term dynastic aristocracy strangle-hold upon the Zimbabweans. She lost no time in laying the foundation of her political future. With only a secondary education, she "managed" to get a PhD in just two weeks through crooked ways. Using her title as Dr Grace, she canvassed and advertised herself to the younger generations and gained support within the ZPF party but has been hated by the general population because of her extravagant shopping spree (sound familiar?).

Grace, making use of her husband, Mugabe, manoeuvred a few of her lackeys into ministerial positions and ousted one vice president after another, until the latest VP Emmerson Mnangagwa was also removed by President Mugabe. This is the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Continues in Part 2.

Anonymous said...

658pm

You are correct that........cannot last very long.

However, they are everywhere.

They organised activities and events with massive particitations!

They are fast becoming too BIG to fail!

Where are the alternatives? Who? Who?

You tell me lah!

Anonymous said...

The Fall Of Robert Mugabe - A Lesson For Singaporeans - Part 2

VP Emmerson Mnangagwa has been long-term, loyal and close aide to President Mugabe, and served as the link-man for Mugabe between the Military and the ZPF. He was once the Chief of Intelligence and in-charge of National Security. He commands tremendous respect amongst the revolutionaries, the old guards in the ZPF and the military. The Chief of the Military, General Constantine Chiwenga, is his very close friend and ally. They have fought side-by-side during the struggle against the British minority rule, fighting for independence. His dismissal this month led to the military intervention.

However, a more sinister plot was being planned behind the scene by the Grace Gang, which backfired.

The first hint of trouble came on 4 November, when the Military Chief, Gen Constantine Chiwenga issued a warning to Mr Mugabe over "the current purging" in the ruling Zanu-PF party. He felt former liberation fighters - like Mr Mnangagwa - were being targeted. Then Gen Chiwenga went on a trip to China for military meetings when. According to various reports in a number of news outlets, the Mugabe-Grace faction had plans made to arrest him upon his return. But Gen Chiwenga reportedly learned about the plot, and was met at the airport on his return by a significant number of his own troops to ensure his protection. And then the military placed Mr Mugabe under house arrest.

On 14 Nov, Mugabe was put under house arrest by the Military. His second wife, Grace, 41 years younger than him, was "shopping" in Namibia. His four sons were in South Africa. Ministers and allies closed to Grace were rounded up and put under house arrests.

Since then, Mugabe has been kept under guard at his "blue roof" mansion, a luxury home on secluded grounds on the capital's outskirts.

On 17 November, under military guard, he presided over a university graduation ceremony. Two days later, he appeared in a live television address to read a prepared statement, expectedly to be about his resignation. But instead he asserted that he would be presiding over the ZPF Party Congress in the coming December, when his party ZPF had already sacked him.

Once it was over, questions started emerging: did he read the wrong speech? Online detectives, poring over the video footage, claimed that just before Mr Mugabe began, a collection of papers being passed along were dropped under a chair. Even the head of the powerful war veterans group, Chris Mutsvangwa, said Mr Mugabe "appeared to swap the agreed speech".

It has been speculated that he did not want to resign live on international television, flanked by the military.

After apparently claiming he would continue in the role of President, Mugabe vanished once again. Then the military said it had agreed a "roadmap" for the future with Mugabe - but would not say what it was.

Then, on Tuesday, parliament met to discuss impeachment. And in the middle of the debate, the Speaker halted proceedings, saying he had received a letter titled "Notice of Resignation" - and the parliament erupted in cheers. But Mugabe did not appear. He has not said anything nor seen since.

Wild celebrations broke out in the capital and elsewhere for days. The Military was thanked for helping to force Mugabe out for better or worse. The New President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has been elected as the ZPF Party Chief, has been sworn today.

The US and UK welcomed the End of Mugabe's 37-year Rule. China has been supporting Mugabe for the last 37 years, to keep the country's economy from disasters. With the change of leadership in Zimbabwe, China would have to re-adjust her stand.

What will happen to Robert Mugabe and his young wife? They may be moving to live in Singapore. Will Singaporeans have the stomach to harbour one more ruthless dictator and his ruthless wife in the nation, indirectly telling the world that ruthless dictatorship is okay?

What do you think?

Anonymous said...

Robert Mugabe is very much welcomed in Singapore if he bring all his wealth here. A positive is that due to his age he won't live much longer, so it's fine lah ! Come here, quickly die and get cremated, and leave all his wealth here . . .

Anonymous said...

Hi 7.52pm,,,,,,,,,Even if he will to leave all his wealth here, you
think taxes here will not go up meh?

Anonymous said...

@ November 24, 2017 7:52 pm

Spoken like a prostitute.
Like many 2nd generation rich Singaporeans.
You made your money the really old fashioned way.
You inherited it.

Anonymous said...

@ November 24, 2017 7:52 pm

I don't know when Singaporeans have become so lazy and useless.
We should be welcoming inventors.
People with the technical know-how to build things.

Not billionaires who only know how to buy and sell our property and drive up the property prices.

The fish truly rots from the head downwards.

Anonymous said...

“If I can get another 10 billionaires to move to Singapore and set up their base here… I think Singapore will be better off because they will bring business, they will bring opportunities”
- Lee Hsien Loon

http://www.askmelah.com/infamous-quotes-sg-leaders/


I wonder what type of business Mugabe will bring into Singapore?

Anonymous said...

Monkey business!

Anonymous said...

Mugabe's second wife, Grace, would take over Temasek Holdings and then later become the President of the Republic of Singapore.

Anonymous said...

You mean a new dynasty? God help us!

Anonymous said...

Robert Mugabe has four sons with his first wife. They are all grown up and have their own families and businesses.

Grace Mugabe has one son with her first husband, and one daughter and one son with Mugabe. Total she has three children. Grace owns a dairy farm in Zimbabwe. She can provide cheap milk and ice-cream for Singapore's suckers and lickers free of charge.

The six children of Mugabe plus one son of Grace's earlier marriage, total seven, will be real foreign talents if Singapore can accept them and convert them to Singapore's New Citizens. These Magnificent Seven will be able to take over from the Lee Dynasty and rule Singapore with seven knuckle-dusters. Some more, they have assets in and links with South Africa, Malaysia, China and other parts of Africa.

Moreover, these people are huge and strong, and can live very long life - up to ninety years old at least. So, Singaporeans do not have to worry about succession of leadership for the next two generations. How wonderful!

Anonymous said...

One regime sucks blood. The next regime may practice cannibalism.

From the frying pan into the fire!

Anonymous said...

But what if all the money saved goes into the pockets of the Mugabes? And no more elections.

I think that is not going to be wonderful. Maybe also all CPF may be confiscated and no need to complain anymore about how much is kept by the powers that be, and how much we could have taken out.

And finally, all we could say is 'alamak' like that one ah!