Eisspeedway

User:ZKang123

Hello! Fellow editor here from Singapore! I am an avid rapid transit enthusiast, mainly improving articles about Singapore's MRT (and LRT system). Alongside editing MRT station pages, I take up-to-date MRT photos for Wikipedia and upload them on Wikimedia commons. Occasionally, I will edit articles of other subject matters within my interests, such as literature and classical music as well, especially compositions by 20th-century American composers (Charles Ives and Elliott Carter).

I am now in university, having served my National Service. While rather experienced here, I admit I do not have full knowledge of all of Wikipedia's policies so if I have stepped over a red line, feel free to raise it up on my talk page. I also take part in other geofiction projects.

If you want to help improve the quality of our station articles, I suggest reading this essay. Meanwhile, I will continue exploring the archives to uncover more of the hidden history of our network, something our beloved Land Transport Authority (LTA) isn't able to "remember".

My Wikipedia journey

I started an account in 2014, and mainly just did minor edits here and there mainly on the MRT pages... I think my major ones, however, were changing the format of the list of stations on the MRT line articles, following the style adopted by the London Underground lines.

Afterwards, I started contributing by adding new quality photos and didn't really work on improving existing content. Just before the COVID period (in 2019 or 2020), I got into more serious edits, partly after Canberra MRT station attained GA status. I followed up with the North South MRT line, mainly just formatting and citing information to existing material... Then moved on to other station articles... As of 2022, I already have almost 50 Good Articles, and even 5 Featured Articles. This journey involved emailing LTA , ploughing through the newspaper archives at the National Library, and looking up any published material related to our MRT system etc etc

It has been a very fascinating journey, uncovering all the construction challenges the LTA faced while constructing the lines. I still mainly focus on maintaining articles related to our MRT system and have little intention of moving on to other subjects. The few articles I've created (such as Gravity Falls: Lost Legends or Mao Zedong thanking Japan controversy) are something I happened to chance across with interactions with other peers and felt worthy of having their own articles.

Important tools

Works

Ongoing

  • Articles on the way to GA (revamps):
    • East West MRT line (on hold) – need massive reworking (which, I sadly am unable to work on. Will compile more details on the Joo Koon extension and the Tuas West extension)
    • Circle MRT line – some works to be done before it can be promoted to GA (e.g. route and service sections)
    • Downtown MRT line – another potential GA, has been peer-reviewed. Will be looking through the suggestions for improvements.
    • Thomson–East Coast MRT line – Also needs some work. Revamped lead but a lot more is needed to be done.
  • A sandbox article on the art and architecture on the Singapore MRT.

200,000 GANs are ready, with a million more well on the way

In addition, some of the GAs I have worked on could be seen as possible FAs.

Photos

  • A full list of my uploads

I have captured and uploaded photos of almost every MRT and LRT station in Singapore. Platforms, exits, exteriors, concourse... various perspectives to help illustrate an MRT/LRT article. Below is just a glimpse of the gallery of photos I have captured, first using a Samsung, and now with a Xiaomi phone which has better camera quality. It's a shame I don't have a drone camera to take better photos of construction sites or station exteriors... hope some lucky Singaporean out there could help.

I take public transport pretty often. However, it does not mean I can every day go to all the MRT stations and take a shot. Adult fare is rather expensive horh. Plus no time. Many stations I get to visit are mostly one-off (especially those at Tuas).

Anyone who would like to request any photos, I can help. Just ask on the talk page.

My fine collection of photos of almost every operational MRT station

List of articles I had helped promote to FA

This user has written or significantly contributed to 12 Featured articles on Wikipedia.


List of articles I had helped promote to GA

This user has helped promote 78 good articles on Wikipedia.
! ! !

Hall of shiny stuff

Awards
The Photographer's Barnstar
Awesome photos of Singapore! -- Roy17 (talk) 07:34, 28 March 2019 (UTC)
The Singapore Barnstar of National Merit
For your work on improving MRT related articles and bringing several to GA standard.
this WikiAward was given to ZKang123 by – robertsky (talk) on 12:29, 9 August 2020 (UTC)
Hi, thanks for chronicling the Singapore MRT. I live right besides Siglap MRT, and I take pictures of its construction progress. How can I send my pictures to you so that you can add to your documentation. Suchda2 (talk) 16:28, 10 March 2021 (UTC)
The Tireless Contributor Barnstar
For your work on MRT stations  Saha ❯❯❯ Stay safe  13:32, 26 April 2021 (UTC)
The Featured Article Medal
By the authority vested in me by myself it gives me great pleasure to present you with this special, very exclusive award created just for we few, we happy few, this band of brothers, who have shed sweat, tears and probably blood, in order to be able to proudly claim "I too have taken an article to Featured status". Gog the Mild (talk) 12:55, 15 October 2021 (UTC)
The Writer's Barnstar
Congratulations on getting Chinatown MRT station to FA! Your work on our MRT articles is impressive and greatly appreciated. ~ KN2731 {talk · contribs} 04:12, 28 November 2021 (UTC)

MTR stations

Thank you for quality articles about stations in Singapore such as Dhoby Ghaut MRT station, Chinatown MRT station and Changi Airport MRT station, providing a wealth of your own images, and ready to fix things upon suggestions, - Zhen Kang, you are an awesome Wikipedian!

You are recipient no. 2678 of Precious, a prize of QAI. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 22:06, 12 December 2021 (UTC)
Rapid Transit Awards
For photographing Singapore MRT stations and train interiors Shipwreckipedia (talk) 15:46, 29 March 2023 (UTC)
The Premium Reviewer Barnstar
We really appreciate that you reviewed several GANs during the drive. Due in part to your efforts, the backlog of unreviewed nominations was reduced by 440 articles, an astonishing 69 percent.
The Original Barnstar
I was wondering from where we managed to get a wave of Singapore-related FAs on the front page in recent years. So it was you. Great work. FAs are hard work. Really hard work. Really really hard work. I've picked the original barnstar, as your work really reminded me of the younger me on Wikipedia. - Mailer Diablo 20:14, 20 April 2024 (UTC)
Here's a token of appreciation for the GA review of Penang. Thanks alot =) hundenvonPG (talk) 14:55, 1 May 2024 (UTC)
Currently, this editor has earned the Veteran Editor service award.

To get to the next level, Veteran Editor II, he needs to meet the editing requirement.
Progress towards the next level (by edits): [ 2004 / 4000 ]

50.1% completed