May 7, 2011 at 12:00 pm
It was not very surprising to see a recent news article in the Star that reported that the newly launched funicular train service at Penang Hill had to be suspended after encountering technical problems. After all, this IS the funicular train of Penang Hill we are talking about. It might not be obvious to most, but if you live in Penang long enough, you will realise a thing or two about the funicular train. The first thing about it? Many tourists loved the train, the old one, and it seems that the new one was a big hit as well. The second thing? The train has a bad habit of breaking down once in a while, no matter how well it is maintained.
Gone are the old trains, but the problems still remain
From the looks of the report, it does seem that this new reincarnation of the train service, while improving on the time taken to go up and down the hill, will still be much like its quaint predecessor, prone to bouts of temperamental and sudden disruptions. But then again, that adds to the entire drama of visiting Penang Hill.
Yes, we all can hope that the train service improves in the future. We expect it will, but in the meantime, expect the odd disruption or two.
Ever got stuck while on the funicular train up Penang Hill? Tell us what happened!
Read the full article below:
The Penang Hill funicular railway system resumed at 7pm yesterday after a 26-hour disruption caused by a mechanical failure on Tuesday.
The problem was said to have been caused by stray dogs.
The RM73mil upgraded system was brought to a halt a mere eight days after the service was re-opened to the public following a 14-month hiatus.
About 300 tourists who were on the hill were brought down in stages from 4.30pm to 7pm on Tuesday after the train’s emergency power supply was activated.
However, the public were not notified of the service disruption.
Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) general manager Datuk Lee Kah Choon said the service was suspended following damage to an electrical connector caused by a collision with “an object” at 4.30pm on Tuesday.
“Initial reports found the collision had been caused by stray dogs,” he said in a statement.
He said repair work had been hampered by a shortage of spare parts from the train supplier.
Penang Hill Residents’ Association chairman M. Arunasalam said he received a notice from the PHC at 11pm on Tuesday that the train’s service had been disrupted.
“The committee quickly made arrangements for schoolchildren and working adults to go down the hill in the morning by 4WD,” he said.
Arunasalam said the residents had used the 4WD during the 14 months when the funicular train service was suspended for upgrading works.
Speaking to reporters at the bottom station, Lee said the service was suspended at about 5pm on Tuesday after a pack of stray dogs were trapped under an electrical connector, resulting in mechanical failure.
“The power connector was broken into pieces and dragged out from the railway,” he said, adding that the train was descending when the incident occurred.
The funicular train resumed operations on April 25 after undergoing the upgrade. It is said to be the fastest of its kind in South-East Asia with a speed of 10m per second.
The service was suspended from Feb 22 last year following repeated problems with the old system.
The new trains comprise two new air-conditioned Swiss-made coaches that can comfortably seat 80 passengers each and travel at intervals of six to 10 minutes from the lower station to the upper station.
Source: The Star
Old Problems For New Hill Train
May 7, 2011 at 12:00 pm
It was not very surprising to see a recent news article in the Star that reported that the newly launched funicular train service at Penang Hill had to be suspended after encountering technical problems. After all, this IS the funicular train of Penang Hill we are talking about. It might not be obvious to most, but if you live in Penang long enough, you will realise a thing or two about the funicular train. The first thing about it? Many tourists loved the train, the old one, and it seems that the new one was a big hit as well. The second thing? The train has a bad habit of breaking down once in a while, no matter how well it is maintained.
Gone are the old trains, but the problems still remain
From the looks of the report, it does seem that this new reincarnation of the train service, while improving on the time taken to go up and down the hill, will still be much like its quaint predecessor, prone to bouts of temperamental and sudden disruptions. But then again, that adds to the entire drama of visiting Penang Hill.
Yes, we all can hope that the train service improves in the future. We expect it will, but in the meantime, expect the odd disruption or two.
Ever got stuck while on the funicular train up Penang Hill? Tell us what happened!
Read the full article below:
The Penang Hill funicular railway system resumed at 7pm yesterday after a 26-hour disruption caused by a mechanical failure on Tuesday.
The problem was said to have been caused by stray dogs.
The RM73mil upgraded system was brought to a halt a mere eight days after the service was re-opened to the public following a 14-month hiatus.
About 300 tourists who were on the hill were brought down in stages from 4.30pm to 7pm on Tuesday after the train’s emergency power supply was activated.
However, the public were not notified of the service disruption.
Penang Hill Corporation (PHC) general manager Datuk Lee Kah Choon said the service was suspended following damage to an electrical connector caused by a collision with “an object” at 4.30pm on Tuesday.
“Initial reports found the collision had been caused by stray dogs,” he said in a statement.
He said repair work had been hampered by a shortage of spare parts from the train supplier.
Penang Hill Residents’ Association chairman M. Arunasalam said he received a notice from the PHC at 11pm on Tuesday that the train’s service had been disrupted.
“The committee quickly made arrangements for schoolchildren and working adults to go down the hill in the morning by 4WD,” he said.
Arunasalam said the residents had used the 4WD during the 14 months when the funicular train service was suspended for upgrading works.
Speaking to reporters at the bottom station, Lee said the service was suspended at about 5pm on Tuesday after a pack of stray dogs were trapped under an electrical connector, resulting in mechanical failure.
“The power connector was broken into pieces and dragged out from the railway,” he said, adding that the train was descending when the incident occurred.
The funicular train resumed operations on April 25 after undergoing the upgrade. It is said to be the fastest of its kind in South-East Asia with a speed of 10m per second.
The service was suspended from Feb 22 last year following repeated problems with the old system.
The new trains comprise two new air-conditioned Swiss-made coaches that can comfortably seat 80 passengers each and travel at intervals of six to 10 minutes from the lower station to the upper station.
Source: The Star
Tags: funicular train, penang, Penang Hill, tourist attraction, Train disruption