Sections of metro Lines 3 and 4 shut down for two hours Sunday due to an electrical malfunction at the Baoshan Road Station, according to the local metro operator.
Shanghai Shentong Metro Group suspended service between the Linping Road and Zhongshan Park stations on Line 4 and the Zhongtan Road and Hongkou Football Stadium stations on Line 3, according to the company's official microblog. "It did not cause a serious delay because passenger traffic on the weekends is typically about 20 percent less than it is during the week. And it is usually light in the early afternoon," said Lan Tian, a press officer for Shanghai Shentong Metro Group.
A mechanical problem at the Baoshan Road Station caused the tracks to lose power around noon, Lan said. The operator had to cut power to the tracks at neighboring stations on both lines to fix the problem.
The mechanical problem, known as a power knot deviation, can happen for a variety of reasons, including unstable electrical currents and strong winds. "A power knot deviation is one of the common causes for the metro to break down," Lan said. "It happens a lot on Line 3 because the line runs outside.
Lan said workers had the problem fixed at 1:25 pm.
Shanghai Shentong informed passengers about the suspension at the stations and over its official microblog. The company arranged for shuttle buses to take passengers to their destinations. "At stations where train service was down, we sent out 20 buses," Lan told the Global Times.
Passengers who had paid for tickets were able to get refunds at station ticket booths.
Shanghai's subway system broke down 24 times from October 19 to November 18, according to the Shanghai metro's website. Most of the breakdowns occurred on Lines 3 and 9.
Landmark building should respect the public's feeling