Sin Bundang Line Set Back by Floods

What a difference two weeks makes.  That’s how long ago CNNGo confirmed the expected September starting date for the new Sin Bundang Line.  Then the flooding happened.

Now I have it on good authority from someone involved with the project that further delays are likely.

Right now they are still planning for a Sept 21 opening and that was possible 2 weeks ago. Now they have had 2 incidents in the last 2 weeks so that date may change. Right now there is still a meter of water at track level at Gangnam and there is a pile of electronics that are full of water (muddy water in some cases). Yangjae also has some wet electronics that has not been turned back on.

The trains on this line will be entirely computerized.  That’s right:  No drivers.  That means they’ll need extra testing to work out kinks and ensure public safety.

Very possible that this stuff will not work when it dries out and the opening date will be pushed back. There is the time it will take to replace this stuff and retest the new stuff and there is all the lost testing time while nothing is happening right now.

Basically, Bundang residents are probably gonna have to wait a little while longer to take this sweet ride into Gangnam.

To hold you over, here’s a picture taken from inside the new Pangyo station.

A picture taken from inside the still-unopened Pangyo Station.

Ooh, shiny …

–Daniel Daugherty