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By Lediati Tan and Valerie Koh
*Shown above: Train drivers Mr Zainal Rahmat (L) and Mr Muhammad Yassin Yazid (R).
On Day 3 of the Committee of Inquiry's public hearing on the two train service breakdowns last December, two SMRT train drivers who drove the trains that stalled on Dec 15 on the North-South Line gave an account of what they saw. Some interesting figures emerged.
DRIVER 1:
Mr Muhammad Yassin Yazid drove Train 133 that stalled at Braddell MRT station on Dec 15.
1: It was the first day that Mr Muhammad Yassin was allowed to operate the train on his own. Previously, he drove for two weeks with his mentor.
He was also the first driver to spot something amiss on the tracks that day.
2: Mr Muhammad Yassin saw sparks fly on two occasions.
Just before arriving at Dhoby Ghaut MRT station at 6.40pm, he saw sparks on the right side of the train. He did not report it as he assumed that it was normal.
He noticed similar sparks at the same location - on the right side of the train - a second time soon after departing from Dhoby Ghaut MRT station. He reported what he saw to the train service controller (TSC) stationed at the Operations Control Centre (OCC).
As he was informing the OCC, the master fault light and other fault indicator lights came on.
He managed to reset the train at Somerset MRT station, but as he headed to Braddell MRT station, the fault indicator lights came on and off several times and the speed of his train slowed to about 20kmh.
4: Just before arriving at Braddell MRT station, Mr Muhammad Yassin made four attempts to contact the OCC through the radio but was unsuccessful.
He then tried contacting them through the emergency call system but failed.
Next, he tried using the handheld portable radio but realised that it was damaged.
He finally got through on his mobile phone.
 
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