SMRT To Enhance Train Service Availability Standards And Frequency Within Three Years With Rolling stock Renewal and Facility Expansion Programmes

1  SMRT is working with the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to accelerate train renewal and facility expansion programmes to improve the service availability standards and frequency of our trains over the next three years.

Progress following Committee of Inquiry

2  Following the Committee of Inquiry (COI) into the December 2011 train service disruption and its recommendations to address inadequacies in areas of engineering and maintenance, SMRT has made continual progress in improving train service reliability. 

3  We have reviewed and placed greater emphasis on our Preventive Maintenance regime, embarked on a consultancy study with LTA to benchmark train safety and reliability against international standards, and commenced programmes to renew and replace important components across the system, as some parts have reached 25 years of operational life. We have also invested in new technology to improve our surveillance and maintenance of key components within our network, such as a new Automated Current Collector Device (CCD) Detection System to detect CCD abnormalities in real-time on all our operational trains; and a Wheel Impact Load Detection (WILD) System to monitor the condition of our train wheels. More details on these two systems are appended in Annex A.

4  These efforts have improved train service reliability, with the number of unplanned train withdrawals for every 100,000 kilometres falling from 3.41 in January 2012, to 2.6 for the second-half of 2012.

5  SMRT President and CEO Desmond Kuek said: “We will be embarking on an extensive renewal plan for our fleet: from end-of-life extensions for our oldest trains and mid-life upgrades for our second generation trains, to addition of new trains. There are some challenges in the existing infrastructure and resource capacity to handle these concurrent programmes, but we intend to address these and work intensely over the next few years to bring the overall reliability of our train network to a higher level, and enhance the overall travelling experience of our commuters.”

Multi-pronged train renewal programme

6  SMRT currently has a fleet of 128 trains on the North-South and East-West Lines (NSEWL). These comprise four different generations of trains, with the oldest from 1987 and newest from 2011. These trains were commissioned in different years and are now at varying stages of their life spans, with different attendant challenges in their maintenance and renewal regimes.

7  To ensure the trains continue to operate effectively and optimally, we will be upgrading and refurbishing our first and second generations of trains. This will include the replacement of critical train components and systems, and the refurbishment of train interiors.

8  To address the increase in ridership and capacity demands, 35 new trains will be added to the existing fleet. These new trains will be delivered progressively from 2014 to 2016, and will increase the number of trains by more than 25% so that reliability and availability rates can be improved.

Facilities expansion programme

9  To accommodate the requirements of the train renewal programme and the stepping up of train maintenance activities, depot infrastructures and facilities will also be expanded. The on-going construction of the 26-hectare Tuas Depot is slated to be completed by 2016 to provide additional space for the maintenance of the increased fleet of trains. Discussion is also underway with LTA to accelerate the expansion of the existing workshop at Bishan Depot to accommodate four more maintenance tracks. This will allow maintenance and repair activities to proceed at the best possible pace.

Commitment to enhancing service reliability, availability, and train frequency

10  Mr Kuek said that together with other on-going major projects such as the re-signalling and re-sleepering of the NSEWL, and the stepping-up of maintenance regimes, he is confident the overall service reliability and safety of the whole train network will be improved. "However, even with the best of systems and efforts, there will be the occasional unforeseen equipment fault that might disrupt the system. To address this, we will ensure that contingency measures are in place and the safety of commuters is upheld as a priority."

11  “With the successful completion of on-going projects, we aim to increase the service availability of our trains; and increase train frequency from the current shortest interval of 120-seconds between trains during peak hours, to as fast as 100-seconds at the peak. We will spare no effort to provide our commuters a more reliable and comfortable ride,” he added.

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ANNEXES:

A: The Automated CCD Detection System and the WILD System

B: Different generation of trains on the North-South East-West Lines

ANNEX A: THE AUTOMATED CCD DETECTION SYSTEM AND THE WILD SYSTEM

The Automated CCD Detection System

The Automated CCD Detection System allows us to detect any anomalous CCD on all our operational trains during revenue hours by detecting, identifying and counting the CCDs of trains.

Leveraging on an artificial intelligence system, a high sensitivity imaging system and a laser scanner, the Automated CCD Detection System profiles the CCDs of passing trains, and sends instant alert notifications to the mobile phones of our engineers. These alerts provide the indicative locations and photographs of any anomalous CCDs. It allows us to immediately isolate the anomalous CCDs and take prompt action to rectify the fault.

The system is being installed in the headwall buffer areas of selected stations, and we are looking to extend the coverage to more areas within our network.

The WILD System

Using fibre optic sensors installed on our tracks, the WILD System allows us to automatically detect and identify the locations of any wheel defect on all our operational trains during revenue hours.

When a wheel defect is detected, an alert is sent to our Operations Control Centre and Rolling Stock Maintenance Controller so that immediate actions can be taken to rectify the fault.

The system is a more efficient way of identifying wheel defects as compared to manual methods, and also enables us to better predict and plan the maintenance regime of train wheels.

The WILD System is currently being installed at selected stretches of the NSEWL, and we hope to extend the coverage to more areas within our network.

Photo: The arrow shows the location on the tracks where the fibre optic sensors are installed

ANNEX B: DIFFERENT GENERATIONS OF TRAINS ON THE NORTH-SOUTH AND EAST-WEST LINES