Bangkok Airport Rail Link (ARL): Updates, Advice, Discussion
Dec 26, 2016, 1:12 am
#316
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Bangkok
Posts: 284
There is no doubt that the SRTET doesn't run the ARL as well as it should - part of the wider problem of the SRT and financial constraints with how their financial model has been established by MoF - it is very similar to both the BTSC and BMCL not being able to purchase new rolling stock in time due to being heavily indebted and paying off loans (in the BMCL case they are still not able to purchase new rolling stock even though there is significant peak hr overcrowding on the MRT)
However, the ARL is too successful is some respects with over 50k using it a day on average. It is so popular that overcrowding has been a major problem for the last 2 years. Nearly, 2 years ago the MOT allocated funds to purchase 7 new 4 car sets of rolling stock. (Still to be ordered). The big mistake in the original business plan was the emphasis from day one on the Express (using the HK Airport Express as a model). The reality was always going to be that the Express would have limited pax (the two Express services have never had more than 5k pax a day) and that the emphasis should have been more on the Cityline. (instead of the 5 Cityline, 4 Express train mix it should have been perhaps 7 Cityline and 3 Express)
The always planned link to DMK was advanced timeframe wise once the previous govt implemented the 2 airport policy in April 2012. Though the previous Transport Minister stated that the ext was a priority and would start in 2013 it became a victim of the 7 month political turmoil. However, the NCPO has said that they will fund it and it should start work on it by early next year (all going well). That would mean a 2019 opening which is actually what the original timeframe envisaged
The Makkasan Terminal (CAT) often gets derided for being too big and a waste. Some criticism is valid - especially on the CAT check in. However, most people don't see the long term picture with the Makkasan railyard redevelopment building an mini city and the fact that the future Eastern High Speed line will use it as a terminus. In 10-20 years the Terminal will be surrounded by offices, a convention center, retail and condos all linked by a loop monorail. So the size is appropriate for future needs.
However, the ARL is too successful is some respects with over 50k using it a day on average. It is so popular that overcrowding has been a major problem for the last 2 years. Nearly, 2 years ago the MOT allocated funds to purchase 7 new 4 car sets of rolling stock. (Still to be ordered). The big mistake in the original business plan was the emphasis from day one on the Express (using the HK Airport Express as a model). The reality was always going to be that the Express would have limited pax (the two Express services have never had more than 5k pax a day) and that the emphasis should have been more on the Cityline. (instead of the 5 Cityline, 4 Express train mix it should have been perhaps 7 Cityline and 3 Express)
The always planned link to DMK was advanced timeframe wise once the previous govt implemented the 2 airport policy in April 2012. Though the previous Transport Minister stated that the ext was a priority and would start in 2013 it became a victim of the 7 month political turmoil. However, the NCPO has said that they will fund it and it should start work on it by early next year (all going well). That would mean a 2019 opening which is actually what the original timeframe envisaged
The Makkasan Terminal (CAT) often gets derided for being too big and a waste. Some criticism is valid - especially on the CAT check in. However, most people don't see the long term picture with the Makkasan railyard redevelopment building an mini city and the fact that the future Eastern High Speed line will use it as a terminus. In 10-20 years the Terminal will be surrounded by offices, a convention center, retail and condos all linked by a loop monorail. So the size is appropriate for future needs.
Basically, the contract for those 7 new 5 cars sets still has not been confirmed !!!
There was an attempt to order them in 2015 but that process was subsequently suspended due to corruption allegations.
Here we are over 4 years since the funds were allocated for new rolling stock and still a confirmed order for the new rolling stock has not been placed - and it takes 2 years until delivery!!!
Overcrowding on the ARL has been significant concern (as many have commented) for years now - just as bad as it was on the BTS in the days before those five new sets arrived and as bad as it is currently is on the MRT during peak.
It will probably take a fatality to move this process along.......sigh...
Jan 2, 2017, 5:31 am
#318
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,375
Airport Rail Link ramps up services
Airport Rail Link has increased its service frequency to 10 minutes or 195 trips per day from 154 during weekdays to meet increasing demand.
Weekend services will also be ramped up to 182 trips from 140, said Prasert Attanan, acting governor of the State Railway of Thailand, the operator of Airport Rail Link.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/...ps-up-services
Airport Rail Link has increased its service frequency to 10 minutes or 195 trips per day from 154 during weekdays to meet increasing demand.
Weekend services will also be ramped up to 182 trips from 140, said Prasert Attanan, acting governor of the State Railway of Thailand, the operator of Airport Rail Link.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/...ps-up-services
Jan 2, 2017, 11:02 am
#319
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RNO, NV, USA.
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 5,063
Airport Rail Link ramps up services
Airport Rail Link has increased its service frequency to 10 minutes or 195 trips per day from 154 during weekdays to meet increasing demand.
Weekend services will also be ramped up to 182 trips from 140, said Prasert Attanan, acting governor of the State Railway of Thailand, the operator of Airport Rail Link.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/...ps-up-services
Airport Rail Link has increased its service frequency to 10 minutes or 195 trips per day from 154 during weekdays to meet increasing demand.
Weekend services will also be ramped up to 182 trips from 140, said Prasert Attanan, acting governor of the State Railway of Thailand, the operator of Airport Rail Link.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/...ps-up-services
It may be called ARL, but so many of the riders ae commuters, travelling Lat Krabang - Makkasan.
Jan 2, 2017, 4:50 pm
#320
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
This is excellent news. SRT must have bought some more rolling stock. Too often one has to stand, with luggage, for the 1/2 hour trip to Phaya Thai. Although the price is right - 45 THB!
It may be called ARL, but so many of the riders ae commuters, travelling Lat Krabang - Makkasan.
It may be called ARL, but so many of the riders ae commuters, travelling Lat Krabang - Makkasan.
Jan 2, 2017, 7:54 pm
#321
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,375
SRT must have bought some more rolling stock.
I haven't seen anything in the local press indicating this?
Suspect they finally got all nine sets running at the same time, hopefully with some reasonable maintenance, and refit the old 4-car express trains for SLF.
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpo...postcount=4024
I haven't seen anything in the local press indicating this?
Suspect they finally got all nine sets running at the same time, hopefully with some reasonable maintenance, and refit the old 4-car express trains for SLF.
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpo...postcount=4024
Jan 3, 2017, 3:06 pm
#322
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,757
Jan 3, 2017, 5:34 pm
#323
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
Jan 3, 2017, 5:50 pm
#324
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,375
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18532918-post515.html
In the long term, Siemens must solve the quick wearing down of the carbon brushes, which is caused by the problem in the tunnel design at Suvarnabhumi station.
Jan 3, 2017, 9:39 pm
#325
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Bangkok
Posts: 284
This is excellent news. SRT must have bought some more rolling stock. Too often one has to stand, with luggage, for the 1/2 hour trip to Phaya Thai. Although the price is right - 45 THB!
It may be called ARL, but so many of the riders ae commuters, travelling Lat Krabang - Makkasan.
It may be called ARL, but so many of the riders ae commuters, travelling Lat Krabang - Makkasan.
ARL has been mostly running at 10 min headway during peak period for a while now. The final refurbishment of the last 'express' train and some new spare parts allows them some leeway to extend that to all hours.
Once the 7 new 5 cars sets are delivered they will might move to something like 8 mins at peak and 12 mins off peak but the most important factor is increasing the number of cars per train than increasing the frequency. Esp. once the ARL is extended to DMK and runs an Express service. Remember, it is a commuter/suburban line so don't expect metro style frequencies of 3-5 mins.
I posted this many years ago but the eventual plan is to run 10 car sets. From memory, that was planned for 2030 onwards but pax demand & growth has been much greater than projected hence the problems with overcrowding - exacerbated by not ordering new rolling stock on time.
Jan 3, 2017, 11:06 pm
#326
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
My vaguest recollection is that Siemens (rolling stock provider) claimed it is a design flaw on the track/tunnel/elevated portion - while the SRT claimed it was a Siemens issue, causing undue wear on critical train components, so assume that the SRT has chosen to go slowly to prevent a continued problem.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18532918-post515.html
In the long term, Siemens must solve the quick wearing down of the carbon brushes, which is caused by the problem in the tunnel design at Suvarnabhumi station.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18532918-post515.html
In the long term, Siemens must solve the quick wearing down of the carbon brushes, which is caused by the problem in the tunnel design at Suvarnabhumi station.
Jan 4, 2017, 4:12 pm
#327
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,757
I was just thinking the same thing. I thought that the carbon brushes were inside the motor and were part of the power transmission functions.
Jan 17, 2017, 7:38 pm
#329
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Posts: 12,375
The Airport Rail Link has been in the news the past few days...
And the slow speed on the Lat Krabang curve is explained, "to avoid falling off the track".
AIRPORT RAIL LINK DISPUTES ENGINEER’S SAFETY COMPLAINTS
BANGKOK — The elevated trains that connect Bangkok’s downtown with its international airport are not at risk of derailing contrary to a rail expert’s warnings, an executive with the state railway said Tuesday.
Former deputy Bangkok governor Samart Ratchapolsitte, who worked on the city’s mass transit projects during his tenure, prompted concerns when he said the Airport Rail Link recently discovered some of its track equipment was in critical condition.
However, a board member of the Airport Rail Link said Samart exaggerated the issue. Suthep Panpeng said the defects found in some of the track hardware were routine, and they were promptly replaced after being discovered in weekly inspections.
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/t...ty-complaints/
Airport link boss hits back over safety
According to the governor, many of the track's anchor bolts, those that keep the track in place and attached to the steel plates on which it rests, have become loose, resulting in trains having to decrease their speeds from 45 kilometres per hour to 30km and 15km respectively when passing the so-called Lat Krabang curve to avoid falling off the track.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...ck-over-safety
And the slow speed on the Lat Krabang curve is explained, "to avoid falling off the track".
AIRPORT RAIL LINK DISPUTES ENGINEER’S SAFETY COMPLAINTS
BANGKOK — The elevated trains that connect Bangkok’s downtown with its international airport are not at risk of derailing contrary to a rail expert’s warnings, an executive with the state railway said Tuesday.
Former deputy Bangkok governor Samart Ratchapolsitte, who worked on the city’s mass transit projects during his tenure, prompted concerns when he said the Airport Rail Link recently discovered some of its track equipment was in critical condition.
However, a board member of the Airport Rail Link said Samart exaggerated the issue. Suthep Panpeng said the defects found in some of the track hardware were routine, and they were promptly replaced after being discovered in weekly inspections.
http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/t...ty-complaints/
Airport link boss hits back over safety
According to the governor, many of the track's anchor bolts, those that keep the track in place and attached to the steel plates on which it rests, have become loose, resulting in trains having to decrease their speeds from 45 kilometres per hour to 30km and 15km respectively when passing the so-called Lat Krabang curve to avoid falling off the track.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...ck-over-safety
Jan 18, 2017, 1:36 am
#330
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,757
According to the governor, many of the track's anchor bolts, those that keep the track in place and attached to the steel plates on which it rests, have become loose, resulting in trains having to decrease their speeds from 45 kilometres per hour to 30km and 15km respectively when passing the so-called Lat Krabang curve to avoid falling off the track.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...ck-over-safety
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/gene...ck-over-safety
