Bombardier Transportation (BT), the original manufacturer of the Downtown Line (DTL) rolling stock, has recently won a contract from Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) to revitalise critical systems on the Bombardier C951 trains.
History of the Bombardier C951 Train
First delivered in 2012, the trains are quickly becoming antiquated as compared to recent rolling stock purchases for the other rail lines. In conjunction with LTA’s on-going plan to extend the DTL from the current terminus at Expo to Sungei Bedok, systems on existing trains will be upgraded to bring it in-line with the latest up-to-date technology.
What will be upgraded?
From a commuter’s perspective, the biggest enhancement would be the replacement of fixed route boards above the doors. New digital screens will replace the existing Dynamic Route Map Displays, enabling room for more information to be shown that will enhance travelling experience. The implementation would be similar to that of the C151B and C151C rolling stock on the North-South East-West Lines. However, the actual aesthetics of the screens are still unknown, although a showcase of the screen was shown in SITCE 2013.
A mockup of the Dynamic Route Map Display showcased at ST Electronics booth in SITCE 2013.
A mockup of the Dynamic Route Map Display showcased at ST Electronics booth in SITCE 2013.
The technical side of the upgrades are significant, with the addition of an Automatic Track Inspection (ATI) system. The ATI will help engineers at LTA and SBS Transit to quickly diagnose track anomalies, such as mis-gauged rails or worn rail profiles. This can help in predictive and preventive maintenance which will allow maintenance teams to remedy issues before they can impact rail operations. A similar ATI system will be installed on the R151 trains, another BT product that will be running on the North-South East-West Lines in the coming years. Another system, the Train Control Monitoring System (TCMS) will be installed as well. Both systems will greatly boost reliability and performance of the C951 trains.
BT has been a great partner in the Singapore rail transport scene, providing novel and innovative transit solutions. We are excited to see what they will bring to the market next that will revolutionise the way we travel.
Related links:
Press Release from Bombardier