North-South and East-West MRT lines’ upgrades to improve safety, efficiency, and capacity by December.
Singapore – The $2.6 billion program to renew the North-South and East-West MRT lines is set to be mostly completed by December 2024. The upgrades, which began in 2012, focus on four core systems: replacing worn sleepers, updating the third rail, upgrading the signalling system, and renewing the power system.
Key improvements include the replacement of wooden sleepers with concrete ones to ensure safer operations, addressing the main cause of breakdowns that occurred in 2011. The third rail, which supplies traction power to the trains, was the culprit behind those incidents, leading to investigations. The new signalling system reduces train intervals from 120 seconds to 100 seconds, which will ease congestion on both trains and platforms. Additionally, the power system, which had previously caused major breakdowns in 2015, has been completely replaced with a more robust version that can detect faults before they cause disruptions.
Though the system renewal is nearing completion, the track circuit system replacement is still underway, expected to finish by December. This system, essential for preventing train collisions, will also enhance the overall safety of the MRT lines.
As of now, seven new R151 trains have entered service, with the remaining 99 trains to be deployed by 2026. These changes are expected to lead to swifter, safer, and more reliable commutes for passengers, although maintenance and renewal efforts are ongoing.
Mean Kilometres Between Failure (MKBF), a key metric of reliability, has improved significantly. Since the renewal program started in 2012, the North-South and East-West lines have seen over one million MKBF, compared to just 70,000 MKBF (North-South) and 60,000 MKBF (East-West) in 2012.
With over 100km of track covering the most populous areas of Singapore, these lines are integral to the city’s transport network, collectively serving 20 million train-kilometres annually.
Acting Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat acknowledged the efforts of all those involved in the successful renewal program during the completion ceremony at Bishan Depot on October 25, 2024.
