Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) has started the progressive deploying of six new trains for North East Line (NEL) which will be added to the existing fleet.
All six new trains are equipped with condition monitoring systems. By collecting data from on-board equipment, these systems allow pre-emptive maintenance measures to be taken before faults occur, thereby enhancing service reliability. They also enable more efficient maintenance.
Two of the new trains are fitted with an Automatic Track Inspection (ATI) system, the first one for the North East Line. Cameras and sensors are installed on the underframe of these trains to monitor track conditions while the trains are in operation. This will improve detection of track defects, such as rail cracks, rail corrugation and missing rail fasteners. The ATI system complements existing physical track inspections and enables more timely maintenance of tracks.
Manufactured and assembled by Alstom in Barcelona, Spain, the six new trains arrived in Singapore in April 2021.
They have undergone comprehensive testing by LTA, SBST and Alstom, and will be put into passenger service once testing is complete.
Alongside the launch of new trains, the mid-life upgrade of the 25 first-generation NEL trains is progressing smoothly. The trains will receive enhancements such as newly renovated interiors, new condition-monitoring capabilities, and new air-conditioning and ventilation systems. Four trains have been upgraded so far, and the remaining trains will be progressively upgraded by 2026.
Adding these trains for North East Line determine the expansion of the fleet from 43 to 49 trainsets.
In June LTA and Alstom unveiled the first 16 of the 106 new trains for the North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL) with progressively entering into operation from June. These new trains, purchased from Alstom SA will replace the NSEWL’s earliest generations of six-car trains, with the oldest having served for over 30 years.
Currently, LTA is expanding the North East Line with a 1.6 km new section from the existing Punggol station to the new Punggol Coast station that will be integrated with JTC’s business park in the Punggol Digital District. It will also bring rail connectivity closer to the area and support plans to develop the district into an attractive live-work-learn-play destination for residents, workers and students. Punggol Coast station will bring the total number of stations on the NEL to 17. It will enhance connectivity from Punggol North to the city centre as well as other parts of Singapore, cutting down travel time by up to 15 minutes. LTA has put in place several measures to minimise construction impact to the public. Instrumentation, real-time monitoring and rigorous survey checks are put in place to ensure the safety of the surrounding infrastructure. Works to construct the tunnels began in 2017, and the station is on track to be completed by 2023.
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