High-speed rail back to normal after resolving signal problem

Taipei, May 26 (CNA) Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp. (THSRC) said its trains were running normally Tuesday following work overnight to resolve a signaling problem that forced the cancellation and rescheduling of trains a day earlier.

In a press release, the company said maintenance workers had gathered at 11:30 p.m. Monday near the section of track in Miaoli where the switch signal abnormality had occurred.

Immediately after the last train passed, the workers began conducting repairs, and were able to resolve the issue by 1:43 a.m., the company said.

At 3:30 a.m., THSRC convened an emergency response meeting, led by company Chairman Shih Che (史哲), and confirmed that the railway could return to its normal schedule on Tuesday, according to the press release.

THSRC said it had kept the components that malfunctioned and planned to work with the manufacturer and third parties to determine what caused the problem.

Based on initial assessments, the malfunction occurred in the power module of the switch machine control case, which is part of a three-year signaling system update project that is scheduled to be completed at the end of this year, the company said.

The railway apologized again for the inconvenience caused by the delays Monday, adding that it would be distributing free snacks, bread and bottled water to passengers at all high-speed rail stations Tuesday morning.

Monday's delays

The signaling problem forced the high-speed rail company to cancel all originally scheduled trains starting at 8 a.m. Monday, and instead dispatch three southbound trains per hour from Nangang Station and three northbound trains from Zuoying Station.

The trains departed on the hour, at 20 minutes past, and at 40 minutes past, stopping at every station along the route, with only non-reserved seating being used, except in business-class cars.

The railway has said it is offering 50 percent or full refunds for affected travelers affected by the delays, depending on how late they arrived at their destination.