廣深港高鐵 GUANGzhou-Shenzhen-HONG KONG EXPRESS RAIL LINK 大圍 Tai Wai 鑽石山 Diamond Hill 沙田至 中環綫 SHATIN TO CENTRAL LINK 大圍 Tai Wai 西九龍 西九龍 總站 總站 West Kowloon West Kowloon Terminus Terminus 觀塘綫延綫 KWUN TONG LINE EXTENSION 西港島綫 WEST ISLAND LINE 南港島綫 ( 東段 ) SOUTH ISLAND LINE (eAST) www.mtr.com.hk Reaching Out MARCH 2013 • Issue 1 THE mtr CONTENTS 29 Pioneering use of water ballast 32 Putting safety first 34 Sustaining our industry through training and insurance 36 Contractor cooperative training scheme 40 Taking the community approach 42 Preserving a much-loved tree wall 44 Colourful hoardings by communities 大圍 for communities Tai Wai Page 06 鑽石山 Diamond Hill REACHING OUT FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE In developing five new lines that will enable the network to cover all 18 districts in Hong Kong, the MTR is reaching out to a wide range of stakeholders, exploring new technologies and solving technical and project management challenges in new and 大圍 Tai Wai progressive ways. 西九龍 西九龍 總站 總站 West Kowloon West Kowloon Terminus Terminus Page 02 FOREWORD BY CHIEF Page 46 PROMOTING PUBLIC ART EXECUTIVE Art is an affirmation of life – life that the OFFICER MTR is such an integral part of in Hong Kong, so what better place to show public Page 38 art than MTR stations? Page 03 TAKING THE Editorial board members: Danal Blessis COMMUNITY APPROACH Patrick Cheng PROJECTS Mona Lam CL Leung DIRECTOR'S 20 Environmental noise monitoring Lesly Leung through commitment and innovation Patrick Lun MESSAGE Maggie So PH Tang 22 South Island Line (East) to adopt fully Paul Tsui automatic operation 12 A community railway: Linking the past Editor: Angela Tam, Insitu Publishing Limited to the future 24 High-capacity lifts coming up from Creative Director: Ian Yap, Toppan Vite Limited the depths Project Manager: Billy Tung, Toppan Vite Limited 15 Barrier-free pedestrian networks Photographer: Johnny Tung to bring greater connectivity 26 Digging deep for high speed services to the Mainland The MTR Projects Journal is published by Insitu 16 Embracing the West Kowloon Publishing Limited and Toppan Vite Limited on behalf community 28 Excavating in frozen ground of the MTR Corporation Limited. The MTR Projects Journal / 01 FOREWORD BY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER FOREWORD BY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER he MTR Corporation has a long- Hong Kong, our project management standing commitment to providing teams are bringing new, world-class T world-class transportation services railway services to the Western and that make Hong Kong as accessible and Southern Districts of Hong Kong Island sustainable as possible. While proud and the Kowloon City District of Kowloon. of our achievements so far, we are not They are also establishing new corridors ‘Reaching Out’ satisfied. Our current commitment to turn from east to west and north to south in a great company into an even greater one the New Territories and building a fourth captures the essence stems from our desire to extend the reach rail harbour crossing to better connect of our transportation network and provide Hong Kong’s suburban areas and business of our current our customers with even better services. centre. In addition to these metro services, Our ability to connect communities can we are embarking on a high-speed programme to provide only be made possible with a clear vision journey that will connect Hong Kong to better and more and a well-intentioned plan that involves the greater China high-speed rail network. reaching out to a myriad of stakeholders, efficient transportation most importantly our current and future Never before in the history of our customers. company have we challenged ourselves in services and to so many ways or worked so hard to bring Last year we redefined our Corporate so many new services to the residents and connect and grow the Vision: to be a leading multinational visitors to our city. From the dedication company that connects and grows and professionalism that I see in our communities we serve. communities with caring service. project management team, I have every ‘Reaching Out’ is fundamental to this confidence that the current projects On multiple work vision, as evidenced by our strategy to we are undertaking will be delivered to fronts across Hong grow and enhance our core business in the satisfaction of our customers and Hong Kong while accelerating our growth stakeholders. Kong, our project in mainland China and internationally. In order to reach these goals, we will We are looking forward to the journey of management teams improve and invest in our services, making our great company even greater. enhance our corporate citizen reputation, Our success will only be measured by are bringing new, achieve further growth and maximise the the greater successes of Hong Kong as benefits for our customers. it continues to drive forward as Asia’s world-class railway World City—a vibrant, connected and services to our current As the theme for this first edition of sustainable society for generations to the MTR Projects Journal, ‘Reaching Out’ come. and future customers. captures the essence of our current programme to provide better and more efficient transportation services and to connect and grow the communities we Jay H Walder serve. On multiple work fronts across Chief Executive Officer, MTR Corporation 02 / The MTR Projects Journal PROJECTS DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE PROJECTS DIRECTOR’S MESSAgE he MTR Projects Journal is the As engineers, architects and project beginning of a very special journey. managers, we are deeply committed to T Much like the five new railway lines serving the best interest of our society for we are currently building for Hong Kong, a sustainable future. This requires proactive this Journal represents our commitment to involvement at the community level with a reaching out to the communities we serve. wide range of stakeholders and customers As engineers, Through the semi-annual publication of this to seek their input throughout the project Journal, we hope to connect even better life cycle. In order for us to create the architects and project with our communities and stakeholders and substantial benefits that these new projects provide a more in-depth style of information are designed to bring, we are exploring managers, we are regarding our new railway development new technologies, expanding our social projects in Hong Kong and beyond. capabilities, and solving both technical and deeply committed project management challenges in new and to serving the best Hong Kong’s residents and visitors alike progressive ways. widely recognise the MTR railway service interest of our society for its role as the backbone connecting How are we doing this? We hope that the this vibrant world city. Our transportation MTR Projects Journal will provide some for a sustainable system and integrated commercial insights. In the spirit of Reaching Out, and residential facilities are the envy of the stories in this first issue highlight our future. This requires governments and town planners around efforts to embrace the communities we the world. But few people are aware of serve, improve our project delivery and proactive involvement the vastness of the current expansion services through technical innovations, at the community programme that by year 2020 will bring prioritise our workers’ safety and welfare, a 25% increase in this railway network and engage our stakeholders throughout level with a wide range and services, soon to reach out to all 18 the project life cycle. community districts around this special of stakeholders and administrative region. Through this publication, we are delighted to reach out and share more about the customers to seek their Since the opening of the first MTR line current and future growth of our MTR in 1979, the Corporation has never seen services, highlighting the dedication and input throughout the such an extensive programme of growth care we are taking for the sustainable future project life cycle. undertaken in such a compressed time. of the cities and communities we serve. The five major railway projects currently I hope you enjoy this first edition of the under construction will add some 56km MTR Projects Journal! to our railway network. Beyond that, even more expansion is on the drawing board, through our detailed discussion with the government on the future generation of T.C. Chew Hong Kong’s railway development. Projects Director, MTR Corporation The MTR Projects Journal / 03 Embracing COMMUNITIES Reaching OuT FOR A Sustainable FuTuRE A COMMunity RAILWAY: LINKINg THE PAST TO THE FuTuRE BARRIER-FREE PEDESTRIAN NETWORKS TO BRINg greater CONNECTIVITY EMBRACINg THE WEST KOWLOON COMMuNITY The MTR Projects Journal / 05 EMBRACING COMMUNITIES REACHING OUT FOR A Sustainable FuTuRE he sun is rising as the worker in a The drilling jumbo that prepares the blast This expansion programme will increase hard hat and fluorescent safety vest holes at the rock face underground is one the MTR network by 25% and reach out T sounded the gong, signalling the of a fleet of sophisticated machines battling to communities that have yet to benefit start of another round of blasting. Serenely, tough ground conditions to extend the from rail access. They include those in the the locals go about their business as usual, MTR network to all 18 districts in Hong Western District, which is the oldest district practising tai chi in the park or preparing for Kong. Across five major projects—the West on Hong Kong Island and home to the work or school. Island Line (WIL), guangzhou-Shenzhen- university of Hong Kong, and those in the Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XRL), South Southern District, where the ever-popular The loaders deposit the spoil from the Island Line (East) (SIL(E)), Kwun Tong Line Ocean Park and Aberdeen Harbour are blast onto a long conveyor belt deep Extension (KTE) and Shatin to Central Link located.