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Jennifer Ngo

If you thought rush-hour crowds were the over-riding inconvenience of travelling on the MTR, think again. Noise annoys - at least it does on the system's ageing Tsuen Wan line.
A survey by a  watchdog group has found decibel levels of as high as 98.4  - equivalent to the noise level of continuous construction piling - on the line, and they want the MTR to quieten things down for the  tens of thousands of people  who use the line daily.
Rail chiefs have introduced newer, quieter trains on other lines,  and yesterday they  explained what they were doing to reduce noise on the older Tsuen Wan line.  
Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker Wong Kwok-hing  and the Public Services Monitoring Group  had asked the  MTR Corporation  to introduce ways to cut noise on trains and in stations after recording a high reading of 98.4 decibels  on April 18  on a train between  Tai Wo Hau and Tsuen Wan. 
The World Health Organisation  has said that  frequent exposure to noise levels of 85 decibels or above  could cause stress and even  hearing problems.  
The MTR Corp's  manager of  technical and engineering services,  David Leung Chuen-choi, said: 'There is no standard or index to monitor in-train noise levels, but we have adopted measures to minimise noise. '  
Up to 31 trains can travel on the red Tsuen Wan line per hour, and  wear-and-tear can roughen both rail tracks and wheels, causing greater friction and  more noise.  A spokesman for the railway company said noise was inevitable on trains, but  the firm had always made it a priority to improve the in-train environment and had adopted measures throughout the years to reduce noise. 
'Yes, the  Tsuen Wan line  is in general noisier than the Island line, but I'm used to it,' said one  Form Three student who takes the train to school.  One man  who takes the line  to work also  thought  its trains were noisier than those on the Island line, but  said the noise level was acceptable.  
All trains on the Tsuen Wan line had wheel dampers added  10 years ago,  reducing  noise  from vibration and resonance. Stick lubricators are also attached to train wheels to make them run  more smoothly. Leung  said that trains were checked every 60 days, and that both train wheels and rail tracks went through  grinding every six months to smooth out any roughness.  
The Tsuen Wan line started running in 1982 and the same model of train, bought at different times, has been used all that time. Leung said that two new trains were going through testing and, if found suitable, would  replace some of the system's older trains by the end of this year or the beginning of  the next. 
 Wong said that while yesterday's noise-level readings were more acceptable, he urged the MTR Corp to upgrade noise-reducing measures  on trains and at station areas. 
'With the fare increase next month and  the corporation's  HK$12 billion income last year, I hope they will use some of  the money  to get more new trains.'  
 Wong said MTR representatives had promised to conduct research to improve sound-insulation for train doors this year,  but Leung said the project was still in the initial stages and refused to give more details or a timeline.



Tsuen Wan MTR line too loud, watchdog says