EmailKid

Hate to say it, but this sounds like your typical TiT situation.

Just look at ARL - it's a mess, and looks to get worse, perhaps much worse, before .... hopefully it will get better.

At least the generals are keeping everyone safe

And a BIG thanks to Yappofloyd for keeping us updated.

Yappofloyd

On your first point, you'll actually be able to view Sanam Chai Blue Line station after Songkhran next year. It really is an impressive station, worthy of a Moscow station! see pic below

However, this 4 station part of the extension - running underground west from Hua Lumphong and under the river to Tha Phra will not open until mid 2019.

Yes, the BTS took forever to get those 5 new 4 cars sets from CNR and now the BTS is about 5-7 years behind where is should be with rolling stock length, it should be at 5 cars now not 4. Stations are built for 6 car operations.

Frequency wise, you are correct. However, no one in the world runs frequencies (head way) less then 90 seconds for safety reasons. THe Hong Kong MTR , and some of the chinese cities, basically run at 85-90 secs in peak.

It is not possible to operate safely below this frequency/head way. Remember that if you are standing at a fixed point on a platform a 90 sec head way can seem much shorter if you view the rear of the departing train and then look the other way to view the front of an arriving train seemingly 30-40 secs later. However, take in the dwell time and time it from that fixed point from when the train stops until the next train stops at the same point.

The BTS does between 2:20 to 2.40 mins head way on the Sukhumvit line in peak.

The main capacity issues relate to private concessionaires not having sufficient funds to purchase new rolling stock in order to meet growing pax levels. Just look at the BEM (BMCL) which runs the MRT. They first promised to place an order for new rolling stock in 2007. It is now 2016/2017 and they have still not ordered any new trains for the MRT Blue line!!! (But they had enough money to buy new trains for the Purple line when they won the right to operate it). Hence, the massive overcrowding during peak hour.

The private concessionaire model is Bangkok is fundamentally flawed.

Sanam Chai Blue Line station

Dr. HFH

On one of the above maps, I see a station called Royal Thai Air Force Museum. I've never heard of that. Anyone been? Worth a visit?

EmailKid

Haven't been to Moscow, but I've seen photos of their Metro, and this is indeed impressive.

Not quite as impressive as how far behind they are of course .....

transpac

The "missing link" refers to the "mind the gap" between the new elevated Purple Line and the existing subway.

Article 44 is the absolute power that the PM gave himself, which allows him to do anything without regards to the "law".



Prayut invokes Article 44 to bridge 'missing link' between Bang Sue and Tao Poon stations

PRIME MINSTER Prayut Chan-o-cha has invoked his absolute powers under Article 44 of the interim charter to resolve the “missing link” between the MRT Blue Line and MRT Purple Line in northwestern Bangkok.

The order was acknowledged by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)’s meeting Tuesday.

NCPO chief Prayut ordered the Blue Line operator Bangkok Expressway and Metro Plc (BEM) to operate a one-kilometre link between the Blue Line’s Bang Sue station and the Purple Line’s Tao Poon station, said NCPO Spokesperson Colonel Winthai Suvaree.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news...gnews/30302958



PM explores 1km 'missing link' problem

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) to hire Bangkok Expressway and Metro (BEM), current operator of the Blue Line, to operate the Tao Poon-Bang Sue missing link.

Speaking before Tuesday's cabinet meeting, Gen Prayut said the fresh order was necessary to ensure the one-kilometre missing link becomes operational by mid-2017.

The prime minister insisted the decision is in the public interest and said the government has no vested interest.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...g-link-problem

transpac

Major rail links set for go-ahead

Congestion will test the patience of commuters as major construction work kicks off on 10 routes

Bangkok residents can look forward to better times commuting when a network of metropolitan rail route projects gets the go-ahead this year.

In 2017, work on all 10 rail route projects and their extensions proposed by officials will have started. The rail lines will start going into service this year until all are in place by 2023, says Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...t-for-go-ahead

nkedel

Going forward, moving off separate tap cards (each of the three existing systems has their own) onto a single card would make the combination of multiple systems much more convenient. Is there any plan to do so, or if not, are there any commonalities in who is running some of the new lines such that there at least won't be more new fare card types?

transpac

Common ticketing system ready in April

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...ready-in-april


One assumes "April" means 2017? Long planned, much discussed, launch date much like "return to Democracy", or the "free beer tomorrow" sign seen in the pub window.

File under "believe it when you hold it".

transpac

MRTA wants quick talks on 'missing link'

Negotiations with Bangkok Expressway and Metro (BEM) to operate the Tao Poon-Bang Sue missing link on the Blue Line electric rail route must be completed in two weeks, the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) says.

MRTA governor Peerayudh Singpatanakul said a negotiation team will be set up.

The team, led by MRTA deputy governor Pakapong Sirikantaramas, will have a fortnight to outline work procedures and a time frame. Price bargaining could also feature during the negotiations, he said.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...n-missing-link

nkedel

Good news that it's planned and in some sort of progress, even if it's the sort of time estimate I wouldn't believe even without the TIT factor.

Yappofloyd

There is a reason why I never put dates to lines where work has not started, they are meaningless. I can paste almost the exact same article from the Bangkok Post from 2013 basically saying the exact same thing, '10 lines will be under construction in 2014'.....as that was the plan at the time.

Like most public statements by officials there is little substance reflecting reality. There is no way that all of those lines will commence work this year and in 2018 as the Minister and the article suggests. Use it as a guide but ignore the dates.

Each porject needs to wait for govt approval (often with delays), then a tender, then the contract finally being signed before work actually commences. For other lines the process from approval to construction start has taken 3-5 years in some cases. Very rarely, has all occurred within 18 month timeframe.

Secondly, the construction dates on the graphic (which has a couple of errors) are most misleading and unrealistic. Almost as bad as Taksins 2005 election promise to build "10 new lines in 3 years". PM Samak then tried to up that one in 2008 by stating the whole network would be built in 2 years!

For example, the Pink and Yellow lines will definitely not be completed by 2020 even if they start work this year, it just will not happen. The MRTA states for both that a min 4 yr construction period is required. (Normally add at least 1 year to that).

Think about these facts;
All BTS exts opened 1-3 years later than planned (the Samut Prakhan ext is continuing that tradition)
The Purple Line was due to open in 2014 but didn't open until Aug 2016.
The Dark Red Line was due to open in 2016 but won't open until 2019 if the SRT pruchases rolling stock in time
The Blue Line was due to open in 2016 but reportedly won't open until 2019/20.

2017
The most realistic scenario is that work on the Orange line does start by mid 2016. The Pink and Yellow lines perhaps by the end of the year but it will depend on the current negotiations.

2018?
Thereafter;
- Purple Line southern extension (all set to go),
- Blue Line western ext (easy to continue with current contractor),
- the Airport Line extension (not mentioned) are the most likely for a start next year,
- SRT Dark Red Line ext Rangsit to Thammasat (all designed & lots of pressure to build it).

(No mention is also made of BMA Grey line nor the BTS ext from Bang Wah to Taking Chan - both which the BMA has advanced and has stated could start construction within the next 12-18 months).

I'd suggest that the Bang Poo and Lam Lukka final exts won't get started until 2019/2020 but let's wait and see what happens before then.

Step by step.....if those 3 lines all get started this year and another 2-3 approved in the next 12 months we will be doing very well.

transpac

Subway (MRT) ticketing system crapped out this AM, instead of just waving people through they issued paper tickets.

COMMUTERS STUCK AS MRT GOES BACK TO PAPER AGE

BANGKOK— Subway commuters were met with an unwelcome surprise early Thursday morning when the electronic entry systems crashed system-wide and they were unable to enter the platform.

Starting from 6:28am, commuters could not use their cards or tokens to enter the MRT subway system. Instead, they had to wait in long queues to purchase paper tickets with cash, then wait to hand those tickets to someone to descend to the platform.

System service at all 18 systems were up and running again at 8:55am, the subway operator announced. Bangkok Expressway and Metro Public Co. Ltd. gave no explanation for the downtime.

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/t...ack-paper-age/

glennaa11

thanks. I saw the future map in the BKK Post or Nation a couple of weeks ago. It all is certainly very ambitious. And as noted they are going to need a huge influx of rolling stock to make this work as well.

But since the city will be under water in something like 20 years does any of it really matter?

transpac

I'm sure the military Junta have accounted for this in their "20 Year Plan", and will deal with it in 19 7/8 years.

The rolling stock issue typically gets dealt with in slap-dash fashion.

EmailKid

Haven't parts of Holland been under water for a couple of centuries

OK, not literally underwater, but one only needs to go back a few years to see what happened in New Oleans .....