New SMRT trains will 'significantly' reduce train faults, says Khaw: report
Sixty-six new trains procured from Bombardier to replace first-generation SMRT trains will “significantly” reduce the risk of train faults, said Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan on Wednesday (25 July).
The Straits Times reported that Khaw, who was speaking at the tender award ceremony at Tuas Depot, said the trains built by the Canadian transportation and aerospace giant will come with features designed to boost reliability. They include condition-monitoring features and sensors that transmit data back to a server that can identify emerging faults for rectification before they occur.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has bought the trains for $1.2 billion. They will be manufactured and assembled in Bombardier’s facility in Changchun, China before arriving in Singapore in batches from 2021, LTA said a press release.
The Bombardier trains will replace the 66 first-generation trains that have been serving commuters since the NSEWL began operations in 1987.
LTA added that the six-car trains will come with an enhanced design and predictive maintenance features aimed at improving reliability on the North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL).
They are also equipped with a self-test system that automatically checks that the trains are fit for operation before daily service commences. Four of the new trains will also have an Automatic Track Inspection (ATI) System, which allows concurrent monitoring of the running rails, track equipment and sleepers during operations.
LTA’s contract with Bombardier includes an option for the company to provide long-term service support for the fleet over their design life of 30 years.
According to Khaw, SMRT is halfway through the asset renewal programme for the NSEWL. Renewing the power supply and replacing track circuits will begin later this year.
