THSR System Anomaly Prompts Night Repairs; Service Status for 26th to be Announced Early

Central News Agency, Taipei, May 25. Due to signal anomalies, Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) is operating all trains with non-reserved seating only, at a frequency of three trains per hour in both directions today. THSR stated that preliminary findings suggest the issue arose from unstable current following the replacement of SMC power modules. Emergency repairs are scheduled for tonight, and the operational status for tomorrow will be announced on the official website before the start of service. Affected by the signal anomaly, THSR announced adjustments to its schedule starting at 8:00 AM today. Original scheduled trains were canceled, replaced by three trains per hour from Nangang (southbound) and Zuoying (northbound), stopping at all stations with non-reserved seating (excluding business class). Departure times are at the top of the hour, 20 minutes, and 40 minutes past the hour. THSR spokesperson Zou Heng-wu told the media that the exact cause remains to be confirmed during tonight's inspection, but it is likely linked to the replacement of the SMC (Switch Machine Control Case) power modules. The SMC acts as an interface between the signaling system and track switches. Zou explained that the control circuits use DC24V power converted from 110V AC, and the hardware responsible for this conversion is the SMC power module, which has a 20-year replacement cycle. The replacement caused current instability, leading to a loss of track positioning signals. Without positioning, the system cannot control trains, necessitating manual authorization for each train, which increases travel time. Since June 2024, 80% of the 458 modules have been replaced. This is the first incident following a replacement, and it is not considered a human error. The status for tomorrow will be announced after the inspection.