Singapore GovTech data scientists share how they identified a rogue train as the cause of the recent MRT Circle Line disruptions:
Singapore’s MRT Circle Line was hit by a spate of mysterious disruptions in recent months, causing much confusion and distress to thousands of commuters.
From prior investigations by train operator SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA), we knew that the incidents were caused by some form of signal interference, which led to loss of signals in some trains. The signal loss would trigger the emergency brake safety feature in those trains and cause them to stop randomly along the tracks.
But the incidents — which first happened in August — seemed to occur at random, making it difficult for the investigation team to pinpoint the exact cause.