New Train Testing Centre Aims To Enhance Rail Reliability
A new Integrated Train Testing Centre (ITTC) will soon rise at the former Raffles Country Club site (shown).
A new Integrated Train Testing Centre (ITTC) will soon rise at the former Raffles Country Club site, on the back of the government’s effort to raise rail reliability within the city-state.
To occupy a 50ha site, the facility will be equipped to test trains and other rail systems around the clock without disrupting passenger services on the main lines, announced the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Wednesday (24 April).
ITTC is expected to enhance rail reliability, while reducing the need for line closures and freeing up limited engineering hours. It is similar to rail testing centres in Japan, Korea and Germany.
The centre will also serve as a “hub for LTA and the local rail industry to develop deeper operations and maintenance competencies and achieve engineering excellence”.
Railway workers, for instance, will be given training opportunities that would provide them “first-hand understanding of the intricacies of new rail systems before they are deployed”.
LTA noted that the ITTC could also carry out mid-life train refurbishment projects as it is equipped with a rolling stock facility.
It could also be used as a testing ground for the rail industry to develop proofs-of-concept, evaluate new rail infrastructure as well as conduct research and develop new rail technologies.
LTA revealed that it will call a contract to design and build the ITTC in the next few months.
“This will comprise an endurance loop test track, a performance and integration loop test track, a straight high-speed test track and other supporting track facilities,” it said.
“Other facilities such as offices, an operations control centre, a maintenance workshop and a refurbishment workshop will also be included in the scope of work.”
Construction works for the ITTC is slated to start by mid-2020, while the facility will begin receiving trains for Circle Line 6 by end-2022.
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Fiona Ho, Digital Content Manager at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories, email fiona@propertyguru.com.sg
