Trains on the Taipei Metro’s elevated Wenhu (Brown) Line would run at reduced speeds during sudden downpours, lightning storms and other bad weather conditions to prevent stoppages, Taipei Rapid Transit Corp (TRTC) said yesterday.
To keep the driverless trains running, the system’s safety mechanism has been adjusted to automatically reduce their speeds by 75 percent when bad weather occurs, TRTC said in a statement.
Taipei Metro personnel would also be dispatched to board trains for monitoring purposes, the company said.
Photo: CNA
The announcement was made after a Wenhu Line train stopped for about 10 minutes during rush hour on May 7, causing service disruptions on the line.
The train lost traction as it had rained that day, triggering a safety mechanism that stopped the driverless function and could only be overridden manually, the company said.
The incident caused a public backlash, prompting TRTC to convene a meeting of experts on Wednesday to conduct a comprehensive review of the Wenhu Line system, which was built in such a way that it would cease operations in typhoon conditions.
The line needs to be made more weather resistant as extreme climate conditions become more common, TRTC said yesterday.
The section that runs through Neihu District (內湖) has steel tracks, making it more prone to slippage in heavy rain.
In addition to applying an anti-slip coating for better traction, trains would also reduce speeds to improve safety and reduce delays, the company said.
There was a similar incident on Thursday, when a Wenhu Line train stopped amid a thunderstorm, with a driver required to override the system and get it moving again.
Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr arrived in Taiwan last night to kick off his first visit to the country since beginning his second term earlier this year. After arriving at Taoyuan International Airport at around 6:30 pm, Whipps and his delegation were welcomed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍). Speaking to gathered media, the Palauan leader said he was excited and honored to be back in Taiwan on his first state visit to Taiwan since he was sworn in this January. Among those traveling with Whipps is Minister of State Gustav N. Aitaro, Public Infrastructure
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday thanked Palau for its continued support of Taiwan's international participation, as Taipei was once again excluded from the World Health Assembly (WHA) currently taking place in Switzerland. "Palau has never stopped voicing support for Taiwan" in the UN General Assembly, the WHO and other UN-affiliated agencies, Lai said during a bilateral meeting with visiting Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr. "We have been profoundly touched by these endorsements," Lai said, praising the Pacific island nation's firm support as "courageous." Lai's remarks came as Taiwan was excluded for the ninth consecutive year from the WHA, which is being held in
RESOLUTIONS DEBATE: Taiwan’s allies said that UN and WHA resolutions cited by China and other nations ‘do not determine Taiwan’s participation in WHO activities’ A proposal to invite Taiwan to this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) was rejected on Monday, resulting in Taipei’s absence from the annual meeting for a ninth consecutive year, although partners spoke up for Taiwan’s participation at the first day of the meeting. The first agenda item after the opening was a “two-on-two debate” on a proposal to invite Taiwan to participate at the WHA as an observer. Similar to previous years, two countries made statements in favor of the proposal, while two others expressed their opposition. Philippine Secretary of Health Teodoro Herbosa, president of the 78th WHA, accepted the WHA General Committee’s
At least three people died and more than a dozen were injured yesterday afternoon when a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians in New Taipei City’s Sansia District (三峽). The incident happened at about 4pm when a car rammed into pedestrians at an intersection near Bei Da Elementary School. Witnesses said the sedan, being driven at a high speed, ran a red light, knocking scooters out of the way and hitting students crossing the road before careening into a median near the intersection of Guocheng and Guoguang streets. The incident resulted in three deaths and 13 injuries, including the driver, a 78-year-old man
RSS