The Bureau of High Speed Rail will meet with experts on Friday to examine the high-speed rail’s quake alarm system after the Jiasian (甲仙) earthquake on March 4 caused one of the trains to derail.
Aside from reviewing how Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (THSRC) handles emergency situations, Bureau of High Speed Rail Director General Chu Shu (朱旭) said the bureau would also consult experts on what kind of technology could be used to reinforce the high-speed system’s earthquake alarm system.
While some have proposed that THSRC link its system to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) to shorten the time taken to react to a quake, bureau Deputy Director General Allen Hu (胡湘麟) said his agency needed to consider all the possible consequences of a link being established.
“The CWB is in charge of identifying the epicenter of earthquakes and confirming the magnitude, and our information should help the company activate its automatic braking system, not create false alarms,” Hu said.
Chu said his agency would continue to oversee the operations of THSRC, particularly in regards to its proposed plan to introduce a monthly pass for commuters, prepaid tickets and other types of tickets for frequent users of the line.
The Bureau of High Speed Rail would also ask the company to consider what to do about non-reserved seats.
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