Jurong Region Line MRT Train Spotted In South Korea, 62 Trains Will Enter Passenger Service From 2027

Image: Screengrab from 양준서레일TV/YouTube

The first of 62 Hyundai Rotem J151 MRT trains for the upcoming Jurong Region Line (JRL) – slated to begin passenger service in three stages from 2027 to 2029 – has been spotted being hauled on railroad tracks in Daejeon, South Korea!

Spanning over 24 kilometres, the fully-elevated JRL, which officially began construction works earlier this year, comprises 24 stations and is expected to significantly improve connectivity in the western part of Singapore and support developments in the Jurong area.

Singapore’s Hyundai Rotem J151 Spotted in South Korea

Sighted at Daejeon Station of the Gyeongbu Line

Hyundai Rotem J151 spotted at Daejeon Station, South Korea. (Image: Screengrab from 양준서레일TV/YouTube)

On Thursday (May 18), nearly a handful of South Korean trainspotters sighted the new J151 train at Daejeon station of the high-speed Gyeongbu Line for the Korea Train Express (KTX), prompting them to upload videos onto YouTube.

Contract (J151) for designing and building 62 trainsets for the JRL was awarded by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to South Korean rolling stock manufacturer Hyundai Rotem Co. at a value of around S$416.5 million in February 2020.

Hauled by an electric Korail Class 8500 locomotive, the sighted three-car J151 train is painted in the LTA livery of the colours black, teal and white, and it features the authority’s logo on the carriage body.

Hyundai Rotem J151 being hauled by Korail’s Class 8500 locomotive. (Image: Screengrab from 양준서레일TV/YouTube)

The JRL train fleet will be fitted with advanced condition monitoring and diagnostic systems to detect train faults, and several trains will also be equipped with an Automated Track Inspection (ATI) system for real-time monitoring of track conditions for defects.

Consistent across the Singapore train network, the J151 trains will have regenerative braking systems to feed electrical energy under braking back into the power system for nearby stations and trains, and it will also have sensors to dim lights during the daytime.

RELATED: What Happens When New Trains Begin the Dynamic Testing Phase? »

Slated to Begin Passenger Service in Three Stages From 2027

Hyundai Rotem J151 being hauled by Korail’s Class 8500 locomotive. (Image: Screengrab from 냥철/YouTube)

The JRL will connect residential areas such as Gek Poh and Pandan Gardens to key areas in Jurong that currently do not have direct links to the MRT network.

Such key areas include the Jurong Industrial Estate, Jurong Innovation District and Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

In addition to better connectivity and time savings for residents and commuters, the JRL includes three interchange stations linking commuters to existing train lines.

JE 5 NS 1 EW 24 Jurong East
JS 1 NS 4 BP 1 Choa Chu Kang
JS 8 EW 27 Boon Lay

The Jurong East JRL station will interchange with the East-West Line (EWL) and North-South Line (NSL), the Choa Chu Kang JRL station links the NSL and Bukit Panjang LRT, and the Boon Lay JRL station with the EWL.

Jurong East and Choa Chu Kang JRL stations will become new triple-line interchange stations, adding onto Dhoby Ghaut NSL station and the recently-opened Outram Park and Marina Bay MRT stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL).

Hyundai Rotem J151 with the Land Transport Authority logo. (Image: Screengrab from 냥철/YouTube)

The JRL is slated to begin passenger service in three stages from 2027 to 2029.

Check Out Other Related Posts

LTA Calls for Tenders to Appoint Rail Operators for Upcoming MRT Lines

LTA Announces Start of Jurong Region Line Construction, 24 MRT Stations Opening from 2027

What Happens When New Trains Begin the Dynamic Testing Phase?

Related Links
Hyundai Rotem J151 – SGTrains
Jurong Region Line – SGTrains

External Links
Hyundai Rotem Company Awarded Contract for 62 Jurong Region Line Trains – LTA [Accessed 19 May 2023] 

Images: Screengrab from 양준서레일TV/YouTube, Screengrab from 양준서레일TV/YouTube, Screengrab from 양준서레일TV/YouTube, Screengrab from 냥철/YouTube, Screengrab from 냥철/YouTube.
This article first appeared on SGTrains.
Last updated on 20 May 2023.
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article said the J151 trains are being hauled “in preparation for export and delivery”. We have clarified with the relevant authorities that that is not the case.