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Fate of the Kawasaki-Nippon Sharyo C751B?

With the unexpected decommissioning of the 2nd-generation Siemens C651 (SIE) train, one would wonder what will be the fate of the 3rd-generation Kawasaki-Nippon Sharyo C751B (KNS) train.

A Siemens C651 (SIE) train being put on a trailer.

The End of the Siemens C651


Background of the KNS C751B train

Introduced in 2000, these C751B trains should be slated for refurbishment similar to their North East Line counterparts, which began passenger service 2 years later in 2003 and are now in the midst of refurbishment. To date, there is no news on any plans for the refurbishment of the train.

Upgrading of LED route map

A sticker has been stuck over to include Canberra station and Woodlands Thomson-East Coast Line transfer.

A refurbished route map with Canberra station (covered) being added in and refreshed design.

In 2019 when Canberra station opened, the LED route map in the 1st-generation Kawasaki C151 (KHI), SIE and KNS trains were not upgraded to include an additional LED light for the station between Yishun and Sembawang.

While it is understood that the KHI trains are scheduled to be decommissioned in the coming years, and the SIE trains will no longer be refurbished as planned, it has come as a surprise that the newer KNS trains did not receive the upgraded route maps in preparation of the station’s opening.


Our Assumption

With no news of any plans to refurbish the KNS trains, and the deliberate omission of the upgrading of the LED route map, perhaps the KNS may be the next to be decommissioned after the delivery of the new Bombardier MOVIA R151 trains.

Artist impression of the new R151 train. (Photo: LTA)

Since the SIE trains supposedly began decommissioning and there are currently no contracts to replace them with new train sets, perhaps a contract to replace both the SIE and KNS trains will be called together.

After all, a larger quantity would reap the benefit of having the economics of scale.

Click to learn more about the Kawasaki-Nippon Sharyo C751B trains »


Related Links
Kawasaki Heavy Industries & Nippon Sharyo C751B – SGTrains
Siemens C651 – SGTrains
Kawasaki Heavy Industries C151 – SGTrains
Bombardier MOVIA R151 – SGTrains

UPDATE: We have corrected the KNS train’s year of introduction to 2000 on our website.

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Lam

Currently pursuing Bachelor in Computing Science. Have an interest with technology and how it will be a future enabler in improving efficiency and work process. Interested in railway operations and planning.